Compulsory English Education in Taiwan: A Ten-Year Retrospect National Chung-cheng University Victor Tien-cheng Shen ( 沈添鉦 ) Applied English Dept., DWU
Purpose To take a retrospective overview at the policy and issues of compulsory English education in Taiwan To examine some critical problems in Taiwan’s compulsory English education, especially in rural areas To ponder at possible solutions
Methodology Data source: –Educational Documents Online (NTNU): News reports from 1984—2008 –Personal experiences Analysis: –Descriptive statistical analysis of news reports across year, era, region, level of education, and topic –Content analysis of titles of news reports
Significance News reports as voicing the general public’s concerns and interests 428 news report concerning “English” education in Taiwan across more than two decades
Limitations Bias in news report selection toward a northern Taiwan perspective Bias of the mass media toward news worthiness
Compulsory Education Milestones 民 57 總統令公布〈九年國民教育實施條例〉 民 78 教育部公布自 78 學年度起，中小學教 科書採統編與審定併行之彈性制度。 民 82 國民中小學課程標準修訂定案，強調鄉 土教學，國中並新開電腦課及選修第二外語。 民 83 總統令公布〈師資培育法〉，各大學校 院均可培育師資，師資培育以自費為主，公 費與助學金為輔，並加強實習及在職進修， 建立教師證照制度。 民 83 民間發起四一○教育改造運動。
Compulsory Education Milestones 民 83 行政院設置教育改革審議委員會，中央研究 院院長李遠哲出任召集人 民 84 教育部開放國民小學可實施外語教學；於 85 學年度起實施。 民 84 行政院教育改革審議委員會向行政院提出第 一期諮議報告書。 民 85 行政院教育改革審議委員會公布《教育改革 總諮議報告書》，揭示五大教改方向，列出八大優 先執行改革重點， 52 項建議。
Compulsory Education Milestones 民 86 成立「國民中小學九年一貫課程發展專案小 組」，著手進行課程綱要訂定工作。 民 87 行政院通過〈教育改革行動方案〉 民 88 國民教育階段九年一貫課程於 90 學年度起， 預計以四年時間完成實施， 93 學年度全面實施，新 課程分為七大學習領域，以合科教學取代分科教學。 民 89 教育部發布〈國民小學及國民中學教科圖書 審定辦法〉，確立新課程教科書部審、民編、自選 原則。
Compulsory Education Milestones 民 89 教育部公布〈國民中小學九年一貫課 程暫行綱要〉，新課程自九十學年度國小一 年級開始實施，同年五、六年級同步實施英 語教學。 民 89 教育部成立「推動國中小學九年一貫 課程工作小組」，積極展開九年一貫課程宣 導、研發等相關推動事宜。 民 92 教育部宣布自 94 學年度起，國小英語 教學提早自三年級實施，當年度四年級英語 課程時間加倍，以利銜接五年級課程。
English Education Related News Reports (by year)
English Education Related News Reports (by era)
English Education Related News Reports (by era and percentage)
English Education Related News Reports (by region) I=International; L=other counties; N=national; SC=Central South; TP=Taipei City and County
English Education Related News Reports (by region) I=International; L=other counties; N=national; SC=Central South; TP=Taipei City and County
English Education Related News Reports (by Topic) 2F=second foreign language; CO=contest; CU=curriculum; EN=environment; FT=foreign teachers; LE=English learning; ME=teaching methods; PR=proficiency; TB=textbook; TT=English teachers
English Education Related News Reports (by Topic) 2F=second foreign language; CO=contest; CU=curriculum; EN=environment; FT=foreign teachers; LE=English learning; ME=teaching methods; PR=proficiency; TB=textbook; TT=English teachers
English Education Related News Reports (by learner) ALL=all levels or not specified; E=elementary (including kindergarten); EJ=elementary and junior high; H=high school (including vocational); M=
English Education Related News Reports (by learner) ALL=all levels or not specified; E=elementary (including kindergarten); EJ=elementary and junior high; H=high school (including vocational); J=junior high; U=college
English Education Related News Reports (by learner) ALL=all levels or not specified; E=elementary (including kindergarten); EJ=elementary and junior high; H=high school (including vocational); J=junior high; U=college
English Education Related News Reports (topic by era) 2F=second foreign language; CO=contest; CU=curriculum; EN=environment; FT=foreign teachers; LE=English learning; ME=teaching methods; PR=proficiency; TB=textbook; TT=English teachers
English Education Related News Reports (topic by era) 2F=second foreign language; CO=contest; CU=curriculum; EN=environment; FT=foreign teachers; LE=English learning; ME=teaching methods; PR=proficiency; TB=textbook; TT=English teachers
English Education Related News Reports (topic by learner) ALL=all levels or not specified; E=elementary (including kindergarten); EJ=elementary and junior high; H=high school (including vocational); J=junior high; U=college
English Education Related News Reports (topic by learner) ALL=all levels or not specified; E=elementary (including kindergarten); EJ=elementary and junior high; H=high school (including vocational); J=junior high; U=college
Critical and Persistent Problems (1/3) Getting competent English teachers and putting them at the right place at the right time? –formal teacher education programs? –foreign teachers? –English proficiency requirement? –in-service teacher training?
Critical and Persistent Problems (2/3) Ever widening gap in the English proficiency level between students in the urban and rural areas –bimodal distributions in the scores of national exams –unequal distributions of English learning resources and opportunities
Critical and Persistent Problems (3/3) The centrifugal pull on, and fracture in, the English curriculum –the national standard vs. the individual student’s need –L2 literacy competency as a legitimate goal of English learning in the elementary school? –the proper age for starting formal English education in Taiwan?
Where do we go from here? Curriculum The teacher Attainment level Social equity