Chiou-lan Chern

English Language Teaching in Taiwan Today

Abstract This paper gives an overview of English education in Taiwan. It traces the historical development of ELT in the country, discusses ELT today, and the implications of foreign language policies on ELT in schools in Taiwan.

Instructional Activities that Motivate Learners in Tourism Program

As the world becomes more interconnected due to globalization, people have more reasons to travel, be it for business, study, or holidays. Therefore, tourism has become a thriving industry in many parts of the world. This is also true for Taiwan, where the number of visitors grew from 2.62 million in the year 2000 to over 10 million in 2015, with over 70% of them traveling for pleasure (Tourism Bureau, Visitor arrivals, 1956–2015. Retrieved from http://admin.taiwan.net.tw/statistics/year.aspx?no=134, 2016). To accommodate this boom in the tourism industry, many tourism-related programs have been opened at universities in Taiwan. In 2004, there were 48 tourism-related programs; in 2014, the number grew to 66, which was a 37.5% increase. Another trend that has impacted higher education as a result of globalization is the use of English as a medium of instruction (EMI). In order to document the features of EMI tourism instructional activities, we have identified one of the EMI tourism programs as a site for exploration. We observed classes, interviewed the instructor, and conducted student surveys as well as follow-up interviews. This chapter will start with an overview of studies on EMI programs in Taiwan and then take a close look at classroom activities of the specific course chosen for this study. In the last part of the chapter, we will discuss the perceptions of students and teachers regarding the effects of instructional activities and identify features that motivate learning.

The Impact of ELF Concepts on Pre-service English Teachers: Instructor and Student Perspectives

English as a lingua franca (ELF) first emerged in the academic literature at the end of the 20 th century. Since then, there has been an ever-increasing amount of research devoted to this topic. This line of research has identified new challenges that educators will likely face as their previous training and current practice might not match the changing landscape of English language use. ELF research has yielded new information related to how individuals communicate in an ELF context; therefore, most researchers have emphasized the need to fully explore the pedagogical impact of the findings from ELF research (Jenkins, 2006; Jenkins, Cogo & Dewey, 2011; Mauranen, 2012).

Becoming Reflective Readers: A Case Study of Group Discussion in Reading

This study investigated the collaborative reading process of a low-ability group in terms of discussion proficiency during their dialogue about short stories. The group consisted of 4 adolescent female students with different reading proficiency levels. The major data source was four representative discussions which were analyzed using Rosenblatt’s (1994) definition of efferent and aesthetic transactions. Interviews and students’ reading logs were also used to identify changes that might have occurred in the group’s reading behaviors across the eight-week study. The findings indicated that the participants shifted from superficial plot descriptions to making personal connections with the story. By moving toward deeper engagement with the text, the EFL learners began to experience the text as a source for reflection. Such progress could also be evidenced from one low-achieving student’s reading development. The study concludes that through group discussion, students can become more engaged and reflective readers.