While most people her age might not even know what a meme is, 60-year-old Malar Velee Perumal has incorporated it into her teaching methods in the classroom – to make learning Tamil engaging and relatable for her students at Yishun Secondary School.
Memes are an image, video or piece of text that is typically humorous in nature and is copied and spread rapidly by Internet users, often with slight variations.
“In an era where smartphones dominate our lives, I think that memes capture the essence of contemporary communication,” said Madam Malar Velee.
“Memes are part of their daily lives, so I thought, why not bring them into the classroom.”
During her lessons on financial literacy, for instance – a subject that can be particularly challenging in Tamil due to its technical terminology – Madam Malar Velee creates memes from popular Tamil movie scenes to illustrate financial principles, making them more relatable and memorable for her students.
For her creativity and efforts, Madam Malar Velee was one of nine recipients of the 2024 Most Inspiring Tamil Teachers’ (MITT) Award on Sept 21.
The annual MITT Awards, presented by Tamil Murasu, the Singapore Tamil Teachers’ Union and the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee, celebrate the exceptional contributions of Tamil language educators in promoting and teaching the language. This year, 511 nominations were received for 158 teachers.
Madam Malar Velee, who has a background in counselling, encourages her students to create their own memes and share them in class, fostering an exchange of ideas and perspectives. This collaborative approach, she said, helps students learn from one another while engaging creatively with the material.
“I want my students to not only learn but also enjoy the process. The first step to making that happen is ensuring they actually look forward to coming to class,” said Madam Malar Velee, who spoke at the World Tamil Teachers Conference in Mauritius last year on the topic of “Enhancing Spoken Interaction Using Memes as a Tool”.
Her students appreciate the fresh approach she brings to the classroom.
“The use of memes in class really enhances our understanding of the topic,” said Shirin Farhana, 15, a Secondary 3 student. “The entertaining presentation makes everything easier to remember and creating our own memes helps us connect with complex topics in a fun way.”
Madam Jayasutha Vijaya Kumaran, another winner at the MITT awards, was also noted for her innovative teaching methods.
The 48-year-old, the subject head of Malay/Tamil Language at Seng Kang Primary school, uses puppetry to act out stories and interactive games in class.
“Through puppetry, students become more involved and enthusiastic about learning Tamil,” she explained. “They express themselves more freely and enjoy the process of storytelling and role-playing, and in the process, learn at least one new Tamil word each time.”
Madam Jayasutha also developed an “Adi Adi” (meaning slap or beat in Tamil) Snap card game to enrich her students’ vocabulary.
The game challenges players to match cards featuring similar words and images, reinforcing vocabulary retention while ensuring a fun and competitive learning experience.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dr. S.P. Jeyarajadas Pandian in recognition of his 44 years of dedicated service to Tamil teaching in Singapore.
A pioneer in integrating music into Tamil language lessons, he currently works as a part-time lecturer at NIE.
Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam, who presented the awards at the ceremony, said both the home and school play an essential role in preserving and nurturing a language.
“A child first learns to observe the world, then to think, and finally to live. Parents and teachers form the foundation for this journey,” he said.
“The role of teachers who impart language, especially the mother tongue, is paramount. It is a noble profession, deserving of our utmost respect.”
