English

Discover how Anderson's English and Literature Department builds confident, critical thinkers through a rich curriculum, reading programmes, and literary competitions.

Last updated 11 May 2026

Vision

The English and Literature Department aims to develop confident speakers and critical thinkers who respect and empathise with others. This is achieved through the implementation of a rigorous English curriculum and various language-related activities organised for Andersonians.

By the end of their Secondary school experience, Andersonians should possess intellectual curiosity and mental agility. Not only will they be well-informed about world and local affairs, they will have the ability to evaluate and synthesise information critically.

Subjects offered by Department

English Language
Lower Secondary Literature
Upper Secondary Literature (Elective)
Upper Secondary Literature
English Reading Programme

Our Reading Programme aims to expose our students to a wide range of articles, short stories, essays and poetry. Through this weekly dose of knowledge, we hope that our students will develop a deep sense of appreciation for the language. This activity takes place every Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

This year marked the first time that monthly thematic readers were specially curated for our Lower Secondary students. Students were exposed to various perspectives and insights through an assortment of selected articles that were subsequently discussed in their English lessons.

To increase engagement and students’ exposure to intertextuality, reading sessions for the Upper Secondary students consisted of watching Ted-talks, followed by a related reading article. These initiatives encouraged the students to engage actively with what they had read and make connections to their own lives.

In order to encourage students to think beyond themselves, the school population participated in the National Reading Movement initiative called ‘Read For Books’. By reading together for fifteen minutes, students were able to share the gift of reading with the less privileged as one book per ten readers would be donated to selected beneficiaries. It was heartening to observe students participate in this worthy cause!

Students in yellow uniforms and face masks sit at blue desks reading books in a full classroom.

Students in yellow uniforms and face masks sit at blue desks reading books in a classroom.

Students participating in the Read for Books Initiative

Sabbatical Book Club

To further cultivate the joy of reading, our student, Christine Kho from 4/1 facilitated a book club session during the mid-year Sabbatical. Like-minded individuals from Secondary 1 to 3 gathered on Zoom to hear more about her book recommendations and shared more about the books they were currently reading. At the end of the session, the members of this select group spontaneously formed an informal book club to continue sharing more about the books they read!

A masked student in school uniform sits at a desk with a laptop and phone, gesturing with one hand.

Christine Kho 4/1 facilitating the Sabbatical Book Club via Zoom

National Schools Literature Festival 2021

The National Schools Literature Festival (NSLF) is the biggest literary festival for students in Singapore and has provided a powerful platform to deepen their passion and love for Literature as well as gain greater exposure to the world of Literature beyond the classroom. Every year, our students participate actively in the literary festival and this year was no exception. Despite the challenges faced due to the Covid-19 pandemic, our Secondary 1 and 2 students persisted and enthusiastically participated in the Choral Speaking and Book Trailer categories of the festival – creatively thinking out of the box as they prepared a virtual performance that adhered to the specified Safe Management Measures (SMM).

In the Choral Speaking category, the team, made up of our Secondary 1 Express students, performed a choral speaking piece on the poem, "Journey of a Lifetime” by Sultana Ahmed while our Secondary 2 Express students prepared a book trailer on the play, "Don't Know, Don't Care" by Haresh Sharma. Both teams were awarded the Commendation Award – this was indeed an achievement given that both categories received over 50 entries. Congratulations to both teams!

A colorful flash fiction entry by Lucas Zheng Kaiyuan for the National Schools Literature Festival, page 2 of 3.

Flash Fiction Entry 2021

Two young people shown in a split screen, a boy with an earpiece on the left and a girl in a dark top on the right.

Enacting a scene from the play, Don't Know Don't Care

Literature Debate Workshop

During the March school holidays, our Secondary 4 Pure and Elective Literature students participated in the Debate Workshop cum Competition organised by the department. The Debate Workshop, conducted by debate coach, Mr Edwin Tham, sharpened our students' critical thinking skills and equipped them with strategies to form compelling and persuasive arguments, both of which are essential in their writing and daily lives. The workshop ended with a heated debate challenge between our Pure and Elective Literature students where they put into practice what they had learnt from the workshop. Congratulations to the winning teams and our best speakers!

A masked teacher in black stands before rows of students in yellow uniforms wearing masks in a classroom.

A masked teacher stands before masked students in yellow uniforms seated at desks, with a debate lesson on the whiteboard.

The Literature Debate Workshop with Coach Mr Edwin Tham

Three masked students in a Singapore classroom during a debate, one girl standing and gesturing, two boys seated at desks.

A masked student in a yellow uniform stands speaking in a classroom while peers sit at desks with papers.

Seven masked people pose in a classroom; three girls in blue uniforms hold notebooks, flanked by four adults.

Eight masked students and adults stand in a classroom, with three holding decorated notebooks in front of a whiteboard.