Teach English in TiAnjin Jingji Jishu KAifAqu QitA Pianqu [Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Zone: Other Areas] - Tianjin

Problems for learners in TaiwanIt is government policy in Taiwan to introduce english classes by Grade 3 to all public school children, and because of this, most Taiwanese students have been exposed to english on some level. This is very helpful for native english speakers hoping to teach in taiwan. However, there are still many problems for Taiwanese learners studying english, which range from comprehension to cultural issues to writing systems. The primary problem for Taiwanese learners stems from the educational system itself, which is based around examinations. The entirety of a student?s educational career rests on the success or failure of two primary exams. The result of this exam-focused set-up is a general emphasis on rote memorization. Students may memorize lists of english vocabulary, or even entire books, but they often do not understand the material. The ability to repeat sounds in order does not signify actual comprehension of the english language, and teachers need to pay special attention to the students? ability to use english in an improvisational way, rather than merely the ability to parrot pre-prepared material. On top of this is the fact that students spend around ten hours a day in school, and then typically go to after school classes at local ?cram schools? (private schools that their parents pay for in an effort to keep their children competitive and prepared for the exams) to learn english. english classes often have no bearing on the students? grades and they typically have a great deal of homework to complete once they are finished with their extra lessons. english class often becomes a fairly low priority for the tired students, and teachers must double their efforts to make lessons interesting and engaging. A second issue most teachers will face when working in Taiwan is an adherence to traditional chinese Confucian values, and the concern for loss of face. Taiwan has preserved the traditions and customs of China?s Confucian past in a way that the People?s Republic of China has not. This leads to the belief that wise men keep quiet, and fools talk. ?Fun and games? are frowned upon, and scholarly success brings honor to the student and their family. Students are accustomed to listening and repeating, and are therefore often unwilling to speak up or actively take part in class. Compounding this problem is the very real fear of ?losing face? that makes students very concerned about making mistake or doing anything that would make them look silly or foolish. Teachers in Taiwan will need to work hard to create an atmosphere of encouragement and safety, where students are confident and reassured that any mistakes they may make will not lead to a loss of face. Mandarin is the official language in Taiwan, and it is vastly different from the english language. Not only will beginner students need to be taught the Roman alphabet, but they will also need to learn how to read phonetically. (Although Taiwan does have a system of phonics to help very young children learn to write chinese characters, this phonetic system is dropped once the children become literate.) chinese writing is based on memorization of characters, and students often learn english the same way. Teachers must be wary of students memorizing the shape of english words rather than truly understanding the spelling. Other things for teachers to be wary of include the pronunciation of the ?th? sound (which is non-existent in chinese), to the addition of unnecessary sounds (?baduh? in place of ?bad?). chinese is a tonal language, and therefore every word is pronounced carefully and distinctly. The rolling articulation and frequent contractions in english can often be confusing to new learners. Teachers must be willing to be patient and work carefully with students to help them pronounce english sentences in a natural way, rather than stilted and affected. english teachers are warmly welcomed to Taiwan, and most students have already been introduced to english, so teachers will not be working with absolute beginners very often. However, as evidenced by the problems mentioned here, there are still many issues to contend with that will make the experience an interesting challenge.