Teaching English (III)

I've been teaching English for quite a while, so I suppose it's natural that I have some ideas about how to do it well. This doesn't mean that I think I'm an expert, or that I don't think I could improve, or that I don't think I will ever need to improve, but just that I've been doing this for long time, and of course I have some thoughts on this particular subject.

What follows are some thoughts on teaching English. Take them for what they're worth, and if you disagree, I promise not to be offended.

1. Dual-language Instruction.

I think this is fine at a very elementary level. Beyond the first semester, however, it can be extremely counterproductive. After the first semester, students should be learning English in English. If Taiwan really and truly wants to improve its English-language education, this is the first thing it should look at.

I'm not only referring to textbooks that use both English and Chinese, but also to teachers who speak English and Chinese in the classroom. After a certain point, one's native language can become a crutch. Students think it's helping them "walk" in English, but all it's really doing is slowing them down.

There is a conceptual framework behind any language, and this is lost when we begin learning that language with the aid of another language. In the absence of learning English in English, we are really just memorizing a list of vocabulary words that we will ultimately be unable to use.

2. Age Limits on Learning English

At the time of writing, public elementary schools in Taiwan do not teach English to students below the third grade. Many students, however, attend private English schools before grade three. This is done with the intention of giving them a "jump start" in English.

The reasoning behind this restriction on English in public schools is that learning English too early will negatively impact a child's acquisition of their native language. It is my opinion that the research behind such a position is inconclusive, and there is ample evidence that children can start learning a second language at any age.

3. Tests of English (public school)

In the school where I work, students from grade 3 to 6 are tested twice a semester in English. These tests usually consist of an oral and written component, administered separately, and reflect the school's English curriculum/textbook.

In many schools, these tests are almost meaningless. The questions are too easy, or else students have a high probability of guessing the answers. Teachers will often "adjust" the scores to make the students (or themselves) look good. Sometimes homeroom teachers will even pressure newer English teachers into doing so.

I think that if city and county governments want an accurate reflection of students' English knowledge, they could begin by administering a standardized test. This would better show how students are doing, and would minimize the "adjustments" teachers are making to the students' scores. Administering these tests three times a semester (instead of the usual two) would probably also be a step in the right direction, since students who know they won't have a test for a whole two months' time tend not to study.

4. Tests (private)

A lot of people in Taiwan are going out and taking the TESOL, the GEPT, or the TOEIC these days. These tests are fine in themselves, but they are rarely the last word on someone's English ability. While I think these tests help insure a higher level of average English ability, I have known people with great English communication skills who did poorly on these tests. Some people just aren't test-takers.