My Lesson Plan for Next Year

I'd like to stress the fact that I do NOT advocate writing yearly lesson plans.  Taiwan's Bureau of Educations wants me to write them, so that's why I do it.

This is my plan for Grade 3.  My plans for grades 4, 5, 6 are very similar.

Introduction

During the Fall 2018 semester students will study the Dino on the Go! Level 1 textbook, and during the Spring 2019 semester they will study Dino on the Go! Level 2.

Structure of Class

Your child has my class once a week.  I divide every month into four lessons.  2 of these lessons are devoted to their English textbook, and 2 are devoted to a Special Topic which you will find on the Semester Schedule below.  The first lesson of every month focuses on vocabulary and grammar, and will cover the first half of that month’s unit.  The second lesson of every month will cover the second half of that month’s unit, and will also feature an art activity.  The third lesson of every month will introduce vocabulary and sentence patterns relating to the Special Topic, and we’ll also play a game outside or in the gym.  The fourth lesson of every month will reinforce the Special Topic vocabulary, and will include a listening activity.

Tests

My tests are 100% spoken.  This means that no recordings are involved, and I speak to the students on a face-to-face basis.  I take three students at a time, and ask them questions from their textbook.  I also ask them how to spell some of the words.  Grade 3 students start from a score of 50%, and I ask them 5 questions, each worth 10%.  Grade 4, 5, and 6 students start from a score of 40%, and I ask them 6 questions, each worth 10%.  If your child is speaking and paying attention in class, these questions should be no problem.  If your child is not speaking, not participating, and not paying attention, then of course this test will be a problem.

Homework

I don’t really assign homework, but students will often need to complete or correct papers at home.  Papers sent home usually include a writing assignment (once a month), an art assignment (once a month), and a review worksheet (once a month).  Completing (and thinking about!) these assignments will of course help your child’s test scores, and also their comprehension of English.

Expectations Regarding Behavior

Students should try to speak English in class whenever possible.  Sometimes asking questions in Chinese is necessary, but after the first semester of English this isn’t so helpful.  They should be trying to interact with me, their teacher, in English as much as possible.  I realize that some things are difficult to say in English, but it’s in these moments of difficulty that the most learning occurs.

Also, students should not be talking when I am talking.  I do my best to be a good listener, and they should do the same.

Everyone should arrive to class on time.  Books from other classes should not be on their desks during my class, and students who finish class assignments early should help their classmates complete the same assignment.

Cheating on my oral tests is not possible.  Cheating on listening activities is possible, and is not OK.  These listening activities are NOT tests, and no one should feel the need to cheat.  They are a way for me to gauge what students are learning, and cheating on them defeats their purpose.

Everyone should try to put forth their best effort on art activities.  It doesn’t matter whether students think they can draw well or not.  Effort is what matters.  Effort is what helps them learn.

How to Improve Your Child’s English (at Home or Anywhere Else)

1.      Speak more English at home.

2.      When speaking English at home, don’t translate from one language to another.

3.      Watch English-language movies with English subtitles.

4.      Read English books at home.

5.      When studying English or reading English books, SAY what you are reading also.

6.      Remember that learning ANY language well takes a long time.  Don’t get discouraged!

First Semester Schedule

Week Number	Lesson Content
1	Unit 1: What’s Your Name?  Vocabulary: Danny, Dino, Irene, Owen, Niki.  Phonics: Aa-Zz.  Writing assignment.
2	Unit 1: What’s Your Name?  Vocabulary: Danny, Dino, Irene, Owen, Niki.  Phonics: Aa-Zz.  Art activity.
3	Special Unit #1: Cars.  Listening Activity.  Sports activity.
4	Special Unit #1: Cars.  Review worksheet.
5	Unit 2: How Old Are You?  Vocabulary: six, seven, eight, nine, ten.  Phonics: Aa-Zz.  Writing assignment.
6	Unit 2: How Old Are You?  Vocabulary: six, seven, eight, nine, ten.  Phonics: Aa-Zz.  Art activity.
7	Special Unit #2: Airplanes.  Listening activity.  Sports activity.
8	Special Unit #2: Airplanes. Review worksheet.
9	Unit 3: What’s This/That?  Vocabulary: book, pencil, eraser.  Phonics: Aa-Zz.  Writing assignment.
10	MID-SEMESTER TEXT (Oral) Units 1-2 and All Previous Textbooks
11	Unit 3: What’s This/That?  Vocabulary: book, pencil, eraser.  Phonics: Aa-Zz.  Art activity.
12	Special Unit #3: Trains and Boats. Listening activity.  Sports activity.
13	Special Unit #3: Trains and Boats. Review worksheet.
14	Unit 4: What Color Is It?  Vocabulary: red, green, blue.  Phonics: Aa-Zz.  Writing assignment.
15	Unit 4: What Color Is It?  Vocabulary: red, green, blue.  Phonics: Aa-Zz.  Art activity.
16	Special Unit #4: Review.  Listening activity.  Sports activity.
17	Special Unit #4: Review.  Review worksheet.
18	Scavenger Hunt, Sports Activity, or Some Other Kind of Game
19	DVD related to Special Topic
20	FINAL TEST (Oral) Units 1-4 and All Previous Textbooks

Second Semester Schedule

Week Number	Lesson Content
1	Unit 1: Are You Tall?  Vocabulary: tall, short, fat, thin.  Phonics: -ed, -et.  First half of unit, followed by writing assignment.
2	Unit 1: Are You Tall?  Vocabulary: tall, short, fat, thin.  Phonics: -ed, -et.  Second half of unit, followed by art activity.
3	Special Unit #1: Jobs
4	Special Unit #1: Jobs
5	Unit 2: Is It a Small Cat?  Vocabulary: big, small, a bird, a cat, a dog, a rabbit.  Phonics: -ig, -ick.  First half of unit, followed by writing activity.
6	Unit 2: Is It a Small Cat?  Vocabulary: big, small, a bird, a cat, a dog, a rabbit.  Phonics: -ig, -ick.  Second half of unit, followed by art activity.
7	Special Unit #2: Activities
8	Special Unit #2: Activities
9	Unit 3: Who’s She?  Vocabulary: father, mother, sister, brother, grandpa, grandma.  Phonics: -op, -ot.  First half of unit, followed by writing assignment.
10	MID-SEMESTER TEXT (Oral) Units 1-2 and All Previous Textbooks
11	Unit 3: Who’s She?  Vocabulary: father, mother, sister, brother, grandpa, grandma.  Phonics: -op, -ot.  Second half of unit, followed by art activity.
12	Special Unit #3: Food
13	Special Unit #3: Food
14	Unit 4: Is He a Teacher?  Vocabulary: a cook, a teacher, a student, a doctor.  Phonics: -ub, -ut.  First half of unit followed by a writing assignment.
15	Unit 4: Is He a Teacher?  Vocabulary: a cook, a teacher, a student, a doctor.  Phonics: -ub, -ut.  Second half of unit followed by an art activity.
16	Special Unit #4: Review
17	Special Unit #4: Review
18	Scavenger Hunt, Sports Activity, or Some Other Kind of Game
19	DVD related to Special Topic
20	FINAL TEST (Oral) Units 1-4 and All Previous Textbooks

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.

Teaching English II: The Wrath of the FET

Any school employing Foreign English Teachers has stories about the teachers that "didn't make it." You can learn a lot from these stories. They reveal a lot about people and their expectations, realistic or otherwise.

I have generally observed 5 types of Foreign English Teachers who "didn't make it." Maybe they quit, maybe they got fired, but from the school's perspective whether they were quit or they got fired makes little difference. From the school's perspective, the only thing that mattered was how much trouble the Foreign English Teacher did or did not cause.

With this in mind, please don't think I'm taking sides here. Lord knows I never have all my priorities in order, and there were times when I had to disappoint present or potential employers for the sake of personal circumstances. We all live in our own way, and for every teacher that "didn't make it" there is a story of how they "made it" somewhere else.

I should add that the number of types below is completely arbitrary. There may well be 50 types of teachers who "don't make it," or there may be 0, given that each situation and each individual are different. I just find the number 5 convenient to work with, and suitable for describing certain trends or types as I see them.

1. The Victim of Culture Shock.

This is the person that either cannot or will not adjust to Taiwan. They get homesick, and they leave. They decide they hate Taiwan, and they leave. The food here is too spicy, or too oily. Or the people are rude, and they refuse to speak English. Or the weather is too hot, or the traffic is too bad, or everyone stares at me and makes me self-conscious. Whatever the reason, these are usually the first people to skip out on their jobs. Naturally we have all felt these things at one time or another - and often about the place where we come from - but it is the ones who really internalize these feelings of alienation that disappear the fastest.

2. The Late Arrival.

This is the person that can never be on time. I have met several drug abusers who would also fall into this category. They are five minutes late on the first day, ten minutes late on the second day, and by the end of the first semester no one really knows whether they showed up at work that day or not. Often these kind of people are, paradoxically perhaps, very likeable, and the time it takes them to get fired is usually proportionate to how likeable and/or attractive they are.

3. The World Traveller.

This is the guy that just got back from hiking across the Silk Road, or the girl that travelled down the length of South America in a hot air balloon. Whatever the nature of their adventures, you can be sure that they will only be working at a school for as long as it takes them to save the money for their next plane ticket. I'm not trying to say that people who love travelling are inherently dishonest, but I have met a lot of guys who backpacked across Southeast Asia - only to disappear from work the following Sunday.

4. The Lecturer.

This person thought they were just coming to Taiwan to lecture, and that, when finished lecturing, they would be free to disappear into the dismal confines of whatever apartment they inhabited. They are usually sad, lonely people with few social skills, and they are like the Black Plague in any kindergarten classroom. As anyone who has taught for a while knows, teaching is more than mouthing a set of sentence patterns or vocabulary words. Sometimes you actually have to make it interesting.

5. The Perv.

This is the kind of person who watches porn on the work computer, or who makes lewd comments to staff members, or who touches kids. Of this type I have only met two, and that is during 11 years of being in Taiwan. I am happy that I have not met more of them.

Elementary School Vs. Junior High 國小Vs.國中

I spent two years teaching at Tung Hai Junior High School, and I also taught (VERY briefly) at a junior high in Seattle. These days I am teaching elementary, but this is not because I think junior high kids are horrible! 我在臺東市的東海國中任教兩年. 也在美國西雅圖短時間當過國中老師. 我目前在國小教美語, 可是這並不是因為我不喜歡教國中生.

Most junior high kids have short attention spans. You might think they would be able to concentrate more than younger kids, but I have never found this to be the case. Hormones are often blamed for this, and surely the long, embarrassing process of becoming an "adult" plays a part. 大部分的國中生沒辦法專心上課. 也許你認為他們的專心度應該比國小生好很多. 也許這情況跟他們年紀有關係. 隨著賀爾蒙的變化,他們的身體和想法在改變, 也影響他們沒法專心上課.

In my elementary school, I would never pursue any activity for longer than fifteen minutes. In junior high, I wouldn't do anything longer than ten minutes. When junior high kids get bored, things can get really, really ugly. 在我任教的國小, 我不會讓任何課程活動超過十五分鐘. 在國中, 則是不超過十分鐘. 因為當國中生覺得無聊的時候,那就是真的很恐怖的時候.

One great thing about teaching in an elementary school is not having to break up fights as often. In my one and a half years at Tung Hai Elementary, I have broken up exactly one fight. In two years at Tung Hai Junior High, I broke up MANY fights, often involving students who were much larger than I was. 教國小的好處就是學生不那麼容易打架. 我已經在國小一年半, 我只看過一次學生打架. 而在國中那兩年則發生很多打架事件, 而且很多學生比我還高.

The biggest difference between elementary and junior high is, of course, the "sex issue." Sometimes girls and boys in my elementary will tell me they "love me," but they just mean in the way that they love many other adults. Girls in junior high have told me they "loved me," but that was in a strange, psuedo-adult way that made me VERY uncomfortable. 國中生跟國小生最明顯的不同是對性別的敏感度. 在國小,很多學生會跟我說"我愛你", 他們這麼說只是因為喜歡我. 而國中女生跟我說"我愛你"時, 卻不只是對老師的單純喜歡. 在這種狀況下,我覺得非常得不舒服與困擾.

Boys in junior high are fascinated by sex, and they will always try to use English class to find out about sex words they learned in movies. During my first year, it took me about a month to eliminate the word "fuck" from my presence, and even still I was pestered with questions related to words like "fag," "penis," and (strangest of all) "motel." 國中男生最喜歡使用他們在電影裡學的髒話. 我剛開始教國中時, 一直聽到"fuck"這個字. 花了我將近一個月的時間請他們不要說這個字. 除了它, 他們也很喜歡用"fag," "penis,"還有"motel"這樣的生字.

All of this said, teaching junior high kids really isn't all that different from teaching elementary kids. They have their own, weird sense of humor, and once you learn how to "speak their language" it's not so bad. They also have their own way of looking at the world, and there is a lot to be learned from it. 大致上教國小和教國中很像. 國中生有自己的看法, 自己的溝通語言和自己的幽默感. 只要你學會他們的語言,他們並不是人們想的那麼恐怖. 而且大人也可以從他們獨特的世界觀中獲得收或.

Teaching English

I have had many jobs in Taiwan, all of them to do with teaching. What, one might well ask, can Americans such as myself DO in Taiwan, apart from teaching English? Answer: not... very... much.

Sure, we can open restaurants or start short-lived English-language newspapers, we can open pubs or work as engineers, but the fact remains that about 99.99999% of us are teaching English in one form or another. This isn't a bad thing, just a reflection of economic and cultural realities.

English, after all, is big business in Taiwan.

So my job history, given where I live, is unsurprising. My first job in Taiwan was teaching English, and I have never left that profession. I actually like teaching English, even if my doing so doesn't exactly make me special.

1. My first job

My first job in Taiwan was teaching for Jump Start English School 柏克萊美語學校 in Taichung 臺中. I taught kindergarten there full-time. My classes were never more than 18 students, and I genuinely enjoyed what I was doing. I worked at this place for four years, and if they had pursued a better business strategy I would probably still be there today.

2. My second job

My second job was teaching part-time in the vocational school 專科學校 not far from Jump Start. This was an easy job, but they never paid me on time. My first class consisted of more than 100 students during a single two-hour class, and yes, that was extremely stressful. Fortunately the number of students dropped after they realized I wasn't Superman.

3. My third job

My third job was working at Canadian-American English School 加美美語學校 in Hsinchu 新竹. This was after I returned from two years of graduate school in Seattle, so by this time I had more than a few ideas about how and what I wanted to teach. This was without a doubt the most disastrous job I've ever had in Taiwan. The students were fast disappearing, the bosses were uncommunicative, and by the time I left the school was about to close - forever.

4. My fourth job

My fourth job was working for the Taitung County Government 臺東縣政府. My wife and I had always wanted to move to the east coast of the island, and working for the County also seemed like a step-up in my career. I was placed in Tung Hai Junior High School 東海國中 in Taitung City 臺東市, where I worked for two years. It was a good job, if a bit repetitive.

5. My fifth job

My fifth job involved teaching classes for both the English Department and the Language Center 語言中心 at Taitung University 臺東大學. There was a lot of preparation involved, but then again my classes were full of very sexy college girls. I was doing this at the same time I was working at the middle school.

6. My sixth and present job.

I still work for the Taitung County Government, though I am presently at Tung Hai Elementary School 東海國小. Financially speaking, it's the best job I've ever had. It's not quite as fun or meaningful as teaching kindergarten full-time, but as anyone who has done this in Taiwan knows, that job carries its own set of risks.  I like it here, and I plan on staying as long as I can.

A Meeting 開會

It's Sunday.  It's the last day of August.  Our work starts tomorrow.  I am sitting in the meeting room.  I am in a meeting.  星期日.  八月的最後一天.  我們明天開始正式上班.  這時候的我正坐在會議室裡, 開會.

Papers.  There are many papers.  Do I have all of the papers?  Am I looking at the right paper?  One of my coworkers is talking.  I am only listening to half of the words.  None of it has anything to do with me.  Yes, I am looking at the wrong paper.  Better find the right one.  開會的文件.  那麼多的文件.  我都拿到了?  我看著的這張對嗎? 其中的一位同事正在報告, 我只聽到一部分, 內容也跟我無關, 喔! 我看錯張紙了, 最好趕快找到他正在講的那一張 .

Someone hands me a cup of tea.  The cup is very cold.  The perspiration from the cup is dripping down onto the table.  I think the tea is very bitter.  I am drinking it anyway.  一位同事給我一杯茶.  茶很冰.  杯子上的水流到桌上了.  我覺得這杯茶很苦.  但我還是把它喝了.

I am looking down at the table.  My cap is on the table.  My cap is stained with sweat.  I am holding hand high as I write this.  There is a desk calendar under my hand.  The calendar is next to the papers.  我看著桌子.  我的帽子在桌上.  它被我自己的汗弄髒了. 我把手騰空地寫著 .  桌曆在我的手下, 在會議文件旁邊.

The big boss is talking about how to do something better.  The coworker next to me is staring at a paper, and she is pretending to read the paper.  Another coworker is shuffling papers.  Another coworker is playing with her smartphone.  老闆正在說如何改善做事方法,   旁邊的同事盯著文件看, 假奘自己用功地讀文件,  另外一邊的同事排列著他手中的文件,  還有一位同事在玩她的智慧手機.

The big boss has hands the meeting over to another administrator.  The administrator is saying a phone number that many of my coworkers are writing down.  I am not writing the phone number down.  I don't need to know the phone number.  老闆將會議交給另外一位行政人員.  行政人員說了一組電話號碼, 同事們將它寫了下來.  我不寫這個電話號碼.  我不需要這個號碼.

Words.  Spoken, read, or written down.  Words on paper.  Papers on the table.  Papers to be filed, or else secretly thrown away.  文字.  講的, 讀的, 還是寫下來的.  文件上的文字.  桌上的文件.  需要留下的文件.  要秘密丟掉的文件.

Bodies.  People.  Restless and trying to concentrate.  We hope we have it all in hand.  Tomorrow is coming and our work will start.  We do our best to be well informed, but sometimes we are looking at the wrong paper, or listening to the wrong words.  身體.  人. 坐立不安和試著專心的人.  我們希望自己都準備完全, 明天將至, 工作將開始.  我們很努力地聽清楚, 但有時還是看錯文件或是聽錯字.

We know that tomorrow always comes too soon.  We know that there will be another meeting tomorrow.  We know there will be other papers, with other words, that we must remember.  Papers to be handed out.  Words to be remembered.  Tea to be drunk, though it is too bitter.  All of it too soon.  我們知道明天總是來的太快, 我們也知道明天還會有另外一個會議.  也還有別的會議文件, 和別的事情要記起來.  要給同事的會議文件.  要記得的話.  要喝的茶.  就算茶太苦.  這些都太快到了.

American Football with Non-Americans 美式足球

The Seattle Seahawks are playing GREAT this season, and it looks like they might just go all the way to the Superbowl.  If they make it that far, this would be the first time that Seattle has ever gone to the Superbowl.  The Seahawks are presently the best team in the entire NFL, with a record of 12 wins to just 3 losses.西雅圖的海鷹隊在這一季有很棒的表現, 看起來很有希望進入美式足球超級盃, 如果他們能打進超級盃, 那將是西雅圖第一次打進超級盃, 海鷹隊是目前美國美式足球聯盟最好的球隊, 目前成績是贏了十二場, 輸了三場.

With the Seahawks in mind, I've been playing American football with my classes at the elementary school.  The kids always get excited when I bring out the football, even if they're not exactly sure what it is.  American football is NOT popular in Taiwan.  At all.因為海鷹隊的關係, 我在國小裡帶我的班玩美式足球, 孩子們雖然不確定那是什麼球, 因為美式足球在台灣並不熱門,但看到我拿出橄欖球都很興奮 .

I have to simplify the rules quite a bit for the kids, but by the end of my short introduction we are almost playing something that looks like American football.  I start by drawing a field on the board with two players.  Then I draw one player throwing the ball to the other player.  After that I act out the other player running to the opposite end of the field.為了孩子能盡快地了解玩法, 我必須將比賽規則簡單化,在我簡短的介紹後, 我們幾乎玩得有模有樣了, 剛開始我畫了兩個球員和一座球場在黑板上, 然後畫一個球員丟球給另一個, 接著我演那個接到球的人跑向球場的另一端.

Then I'll try a couple "demo games" in the class with two of the students.  I throw one of the students the ball, and they try to walk past me to the other side of the room.  I TRY to show the class that a two-hand tag means that the other side must stop, and that we are tagging the other player, not SMASHING THEM INTO THE GROUND.  If I have time, I show the other student how to "block."然後我會請兩個學生在課堂上和我一起表演怎麼玩, 我將球丟給其中一個學生, 他們試著經過我走到教室的另一頭, 我試著讓他們了解 two-hand tag發生時另一隊要停止動作, 並且觸碰另一隊的隊員不表示猛烈撞倒他, 如果我有時間的話, 我也教其他的學生如何攔截球.

It is also necessary to explain that the ball can only be passed one time between players on the same team.  A lot of classes have trouble with this part, and they will just pass and pass and pass. When they do this, what you end up with is a kind of handball. 對他們解釋同隊的隊友之間只能傳一次球, 很多班級沒辦法了解這一項, 他們只顧著在彼此之間傳球, 在這種情況下, 遊戲就成為某種手球賽了.

Of course the easiest way to avoid confusion is just to type out a series of directions in English and Chinese, but since I am the conversational English teacher, I don't really like doing this.  As an educational exercise, I think it's better if I talk them through the rules as much as possible.  當然最簡單的教法是用中文跟英文寫一張介紹美式足球的規章, 可是我覺得英文會話老師不應該這麼做.  從教學的角度看, 我覺得討論美式足球的規則是比較好的教法.

Later on, we go outside and try to play football.  I have to watch the boys VERY carefully when we do this, because many of them will want to shove the other players to the ground.  A lot of boys are really fixated on the violent aspects of this and other sports, and I have had to tell a few boys that they can't play if they are going to hurt people.  介紹規則之後, 我們會到外面玩美式足球.  這時候我要很小心注意學生, 因為很多男孩想把他們同學推到地上.  很多男生認為這種運動最好玩的部分就是推擠別人.  所以我們每次玩的時候我都要跟這樣的男同學說他不能再玩了.

I often think about how much more interested they would be in football if there was a Taiwanese player in the NFL.  Having a player you can identify with is a big part of any sport, and American football is no exception.  Taiwanese people LOVED baseball after Chien-Ming Wang got into the MLB, just as they LOVED basketball after Jeremy Lin started playing in the NBA.  I'm sure that many Taiwanese people would also become huge curling fans if it looked like some Taiwanese curler had a shot at the next Winter Olympics.如ˇ果有一個有名的台灣球員在美式足球隊的話, 那大家對美式足球就會更有興趣了. 在任何的球類比賽中, 有一個有名的球員是一件重要的事, 這在美式足球中也不能免俗, 台灣人民瘋棒球是因為王建明加入美國職棒大聯盟, 林書豪打 NBA也是一個很好的例子, 我相信如果台灣出一個冰上滾石遊戲的球員參加下一屆的冬季奧林匹克的話, 那台灣人民也會開始瘋那項運動了. 

I think American football is a great game, and it is a game I enjoy both watching and playing.  I feel the same way about soccer, which people in Europe call football, much to everyone's confusion.  I really wish I could see the Seahawks games live, but thanks to the time difference they always end up occurring in the middle of the night over here.  我覺得美式足球是一個很棒的遊戲,  歐式足球比賽也同樣好玩又好看.  歐洲人叫他們的足球football, 可是我們美國人叫它soccer.  在美國football就是美式足球.  我很想看最近海鷹隊美式足球隊的比賽, 可是兩地的時差差太多了, 他們總是在台灣的三更半夜進行比賽.

Even if the Seahawks don't make it to the Superbowl, I've had a lot of fun playing the game with my students.  Most of them enjoy it, and I've had a lot of fun trying to teach them how to play the game.就算海鷹隊沒進入超級盃的比賽, 我已經和我的學生玩得很開心了, 大部分的學生都很喜歡, 我也從教他們的過程中得到許多樂趣. 

Teaching English: Special Topics

I'm not sure how familiar most English teachers are with the Task-based Teaching approach.  It may be that this approach goes by other names in different parts of the world.  It may also be that there are other, virtually identical approaches that have been invented and implemented at other times.  Education can be a very faddish discipline, and it can be hard to keep track of the competing ideas, approaches, and theories.

I feel obliged to introduce the Task-based Teaching approach because much of what I say about special topics is linked to this approach.  While teaching English for its own sake is certainly warranted (and moreover advisable), in many situations the idea of learning English through a secondary topic has a lot to do with my understanding of Task-based Teaching.

The central tenets/guidelines/suggestions of the Task-based Teaching approach are:

"1 - The teacher does not attempt to control learner language.

2 - The success of the procedure is judged on whether or not learners communicate successfully.

3 - At some stages during a meaning-focused cycle of activities learners and teachers will focus on language... Teachers will participate in the interaction by helping learners to shape and clarify what they want to say.

4 - Focus on form comes after focus on meaning.  Advocates of a meaning-based approach will spend most of the time in the classroom on activities which promote communicative language use, but will supplement these with activities designed to promote accuracy." (1)

If you agree with the above four statements, then the necessity of teaching secondary subjects through the medium of English should be self-evident.  Granted, students at a more elementary level will need an introduction to the basic mechanics of English to understand many subjects, but this does not obviate the usefulness of this approach.  No, you're not going to start a lesson on Particle Physics with a group of third graders who haven't yet mastered their alphabet, but you can do a lesson on numbers and other mathematical concepts.  From small beginnings, those with the time and interest can go very, very far.

With this in mind I offer a partial list of some of the special topics I have explored in class, and some thoughts on teaching each.  My experience with each of these subjects varies, and I have to confess a complete ignorance of how these topics might be applied to high school students.  I taught high school for exactly half a day, many years ago.

   
1. Physical Education

This one should be obvious to anyone who's taught small children.  Sports and games offer social interaction, an out-of-classroom context, and an opportunity for kinesthetic learning.  

I find that it is better to play games that kids in Taiwan are less familiar with.  Dodgeball, for example, becomes Chinese time.  American football, however, is less familiar for kids in Taiwan, and requires an understanding of complex rules.  In other words, listening to the teacher explain the rules (in English) is essential.  I have had particular success teaching American football to junior high students.

2. Art

Again, a no-brainer for anyone who's taught small children.  Art (and PE) works well with students who have trouble concentrating.  Art can also be coupled with other subjects such as geography, giving the students a chance to show their understanding of the teacher's subject-specific input through artistic expression.  The only problem with art is that it is so time-consuming.  A ten minute drawing exercise can easily turn into a thirty minute art project, and dealing with the materials - both the pre-lesson preparation and cleaning them up in class - can be a hassle.

3. Science

With very young children, I always approach Science through animals.  Most children know at least a few animal names in English, and are eager to talk about them.  From animals, we can move on to more complex discussions about where animals live, what food they eat, and what kind of environment they prefer.

4. Social Studies/Geography

This one is always a winner for me, partially because I love talking about flags, countries, and tourist destinations.  Flags are an easy, colorful way to get into this topic, but maps often work just as well.  Social Studies and Geography are just another way of talking about the human animal, and they resemble Science in many respects.

5. Weapons!!

I realize that this sounds BAD.  I don't mean to encourage violence, and Lord knows there could be less guns in the world, but young boys are interested in this topic, and I think it is worth exploring.  Keep in mind that all boys in Taiwan face an obligatory two years of military service after they turn 18, and that "national defense" is a topic often discussed in public schools throughout Taiwan.  I believe that we need to increase the peace, but violence is certainly an aspect of the modern world worth considering.

6. Languages Other Than English

This can be done if you are familiar with another language that the students don't know, or if they are familiar with a language other than Chinese or Taiwanese.  Parents usually grow ecstatic when they hear about a teacher doing something like this, even though the language used isn't always meaningful.  Letting students know that you, their teacher, are also a language learner is always helpful.

7. Math

I do a lot of math with kids at the elementary level.  Numbers are one of the first things they learn, and from numbers it is easy to move on to addition and other operations.  It helps to take a look at their math textbooks before attempting this.  Math can be language-poor after a certain level, so I tend to avoid it with more advanced students.

8. Dance

Kids in the lower grades love dancing, and singing songs with movement.  Older kids despise it.  I tend to do it more with my third graders.  With kids past the sixth grade I wouldn't bother.

9. Music

There are many ways to approach this topic.  Students can sing songs, listen to songs, engage in musical performances, attend performances, or just learn about Western/non-Chinese music.  Pop music tends to work better.  A lot of students in Taiwan are bored by classical music, and tend to associate it with laborious piano and/or violin lessons.  Teaching kids a few English songs and then hosting a "KTV party" is a sure fire hit every time.

10. Comic Books

I had a lot of success with this topic a couple of years ago, though I haven't explored it since then.  American superheroes are famous worldwide, and kids are often eager to learn about these characters in English.  I've shown students American comic books in class but haven't encouraged the reading of them.  The English in these comics is quite difficult, and will discourage all but the most proficient students.

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(1) This text is quoted from Willis, Dave and Jane Willis.  2007.  Doing Task-based Teaching.  Oxford; Oxford University Press.

Fruits and Vegetables 水果跟蔬菜 (中 / 英)

ME: OK class, we'll be talking about fruits and vegetables today.  Do you know what fruits and vegetables are?

CLASS: Yes, teacher.

ME: Great!  Now I want to remind everyone to speak English in class!  Speaking English will help you to learn more English!

CLASS: Yes, teacher.

ME: Repeat after me: "Apple."

CLASS: "Apple."

ME: "Orange."

Class: "Orange."

ME: "Pineapple."

Class: "Pineapple."

A student raises his hand.

ME: Yes?

STUDENT 1: Teacher, how to say 釋迦 in English?

ME: That is "Buddha-head fruit," or "sugar apple," or "custard apple."  It has more than one English name.

STUDENT 1: OK teacher.  Thanks.

ME: "Banana."

CLASS: "Banana."

Another student raises her hand.

ME: Yes?  You have a question?

STUDENT 2: 老師, 火龍果英文怎麼說?

ME: I'm sorry, can you ask that question in English?

STUDENT 2: Yes, teacher.  Sorry.  How to say 火龍果 in English?

ME: That one is "dragonfruit" or "pitaya."  It also has more than one English name.

STUDENT 2: Thanks, teacher.

ME: "Dragon eyes."

CLASS: "Dragon eyes."

STUDENT 3: 老師, dragon eyes 是什麼?

ME: Who knows how to say "dragon eyes" in Chinese?

STUDENT 1: It's 龍眼.

STUDENT 3: Oh, OK.  真是奇怪 . 

ME: "Pear."

CLASS: "Pear."

STUDENT 3: 那如果"dragon eyes"就是龍眼, 荔枝怎麼叫leechee呢?

ME: Can you ask me that question again?  In English?

STUDENT 3: 我不會. 

ME: What you want to say is: "If the English name for 龍眼 is 'dragon eyes,' why is the English name for 荔枝 leechee?"

STUDENT 3: 你看!  老師也會講中文!

ME: Yes, but this is English class.  Can you ask me the question again in English?

STUDENT 3: Huh?  你說什麼?  我聽不懂!

ME: I said: can you ask me one more time?  In English?

STUDENT 1: 老師叫你用英文問問題.

STUDENT 3: 什麼問題?  他不是已經回答我的問題嗎?

STUDENT 2: 還沒.  他只是叫你上課的時候要講英文.

STUDENT 3: 好.  可是我忘記我問過什麼問題.

ME: Ahhhhh.  Forget it.  Repeat after me.  IN ENGLISH.  "Strawberry."

STUDENT 2: 老師, "strawberry" 是什麼? 是草莓嗎?

ME: 是.  I mean yes!  I mean: can you ask that question in English?

STUDENT 2: 老師為甚麼要再問一次?  你不是已經回答了嗎?

ME: 氣死我了!

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Commun Englash Mastakes 常見的英文錯誤

I teach "conversational English" to grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 at my elementary school.  I just finished correcting their mid-semester tests, and I've seen the usual mistakes in every class.  Below are some examples:  我在我的學校教3, 4, 5, 6年級的英文會話課.  我剛改完這學期的期中學習評量, 以下列的是一些學生常犯的錯誤.  :

1. Confusing "is" with "it's." 搞混is跟it's

I see this one more than anything.  Sentences like "He it's my brother," and "Is five o'clock" are commonplace.  Part of the problem, I think, is the fact that the word "is" isn't formally introduced in their textbooks.  這是學生最常犯的錯誤.  每天都會看到"He it's my brother"或是"Is five o'clock".  我覺得部分的原因是他們的課本沒仔細解說is跟it's到底是什麼意思.

2. "Can" vs. "do." can比do

This mistake has to do with answering questions in the proper form.  For example, if I say "Can you swim?" the correct answer is "Yes, I can."  And if I say "Do you like apples?" the correct answer is "Yes, I do."  Kids often answer "can" questions with "do," and "do" questions with "can," and sometimes they will even mix a form of "are" into their answer.  另外跟對方問的問題有關的.  例如我說"Can you swim?"答案應該是"Yes, I can."  我問"Do you like apples?"正確的答案就是"Yes, I do."  小朋友常用"can"回答"do"的問題還是"do"回答"can"的問題.  他們有時候也會把"is"或是"are"混在答案裡面.

3. Confusing "he" with "she."  搞混he跟she的差別

It takes a lot of kids a long time to register the fact that "he" refers to someone (or something) male, and "she" refers to someone (or something) female.  The textbooks we use never explicitly state this concept, so it is left to the discretion of teachers when (or when not) to introduce it.  有的小朋友要學習英文很久之後才懂"he"指的是男的, "she"指的是女的.  我們的課本沒有把這兩個單字的差別說出來, 所以都要等老師說明介紹才會知道.

4. Capitals 大寫跟小寫

Kids in the lower grades will capitalize a lot of letters, often because they're confused about the uppercase and lowercase forms of these letters.  Sentences like "MY fatHer is VerY Good." are the norm until maybe fifth grade or so.  低年級的孩子會把很多英文字母寫成大寫.  這個問題發生的原因通常是他們不太懂大寫跟小寫的用法.  很多小朋友到五年級會寫"MY fatHer is VerY Good"這種句子.

5. Verb tenses 動詞時態

Because Chinese doesn't employ verb tenses, kids often shake their heads over the difference between "run" and "ran," "walk" and "will walk."  Particularly confusing are forms of "is" such as "was" and "will be."  This problem doesn't appear in elementary quite as much, but it does surface quite a bit in the sixth grade.  中文沒有動詞時態, 所以學生碰到"run,""ran,""walk,""will walk,"這種單字會很混亂.  他們最常搞不清楚的是"is,""was,""will be"的用法.  在國小這個問題不是每天看到的, 可是五, 六年級生會在動詞時態碰到這種困難.

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Nine Years

Please forgive me if I don't translate this into Chinese.  I have a lot on my mind right now, and translating this into another language just seems like saying the same thing twice.  If you're having trouble with any of this, feel free to ask me about it in the comment section below.

   
So I won an award today.  This award was for serving the Taitung County Government for nine years as an English teacher.  Starting in 2006, I worked at Tung Hai Junior High School for two years, and then transferred to Tung Hai Elementary School - where I still work - for an additional seven years.  I've worked in some other places besides, but Tung Hai JHS and ES were my main jobs.

To be honest, I was kind of depressed when I found out that I'd be receiving this award.  It is, after all, an award for nine years.  Nine years is a long time, and it made me a little sad to think about how much older I am now, how much time has passed, and how fast my kids are growing up.  Of course I understood nine years as an achievement, but when I was informed about the award my first thought was that time is always marching on relentlessly.  I realize that this is a pessimistic kind of argument, but I'm just trying to explain the feeling.

Added to this feeling was the idea that I didn't really deserve the award at all.  If you are familiar with public school teaching in Taiwan, you will know that most Taiwanese teachers only receive this award when they are ten years in, not nine like me.  The awards are thus ordered by decade, with citations offered for ten, twenty, thirty, and forty years.  There is also another award for teachers who are retiring, which I suppose is the greatest award of all.

Yet for me and one other teacher, the two longest-serving foreign teachers in Taitung County, there was a special award created.  In Chinese, this award is referred to as the 外籍教師特別貢獻獎, or "special achievement award for foreign teachers."   Both myself and the other teacher have been here nine years, and this, along with our status as foreign teachers, prompted the special designation.

Now I could be cynical about the whole thing and say: "Hey, they only gave me this award because I'm a foreigner, and I've been here the longest!"  I could bemoan the fact that true merit is rarely rewarded, and that an award for being a foreigner and having been around the longest fails to recognize how well (or how badly) I do my job.  I could also argue that the Taitung County Government is now promoting "International Education" in Taitung, and the award I received was part of this promotional effort.

But then again, the Taiwanese people receiving awards could have done exactly the same thing.  This is the problem with large organizations (like county governments) giving people awards - the awards are of necessity generalized, and often miss the individual contributions of those awarded.  What, for instance, if I had done my job for ten years, but everyone knew I was a terrible teacher?  Or what if I had revolutionized the teaching of English in Taitung County, yet I was only rewarded with the same piece of paper as someone who'd been wasting space for the same length of time?  Awards are always going to disappoint some people, and the larger the group of people, the larger the possibility of that award losing its intended value.

So yes, I won an award, and I'm happy to take it at face value.  In other words, I'm happy to accept it.  Maybe they did just give it to me because I was a foreigner.  Maybe they did give it to me for self-serving reasons.  But awards are often like that, and the reasons and motivations behind any award won't bear close inspection.

So even though I haven't been here ten years yet, and even though my years of service make me feel old, I have been around, and being recognized for it is enough.  I don't need to look into the reasons behind my award, because in the end they don't matter.  And besides, maybe my winning the award actually does have something to do with my doing a good job.

Nine years is a long time.  Yes it makes me feel old, but I'm satisfied with the encouragement and appreciation I've received during all this time.  It tells me I'm wanted here.  It tells me that I'm part of something.  It also reminds me of the more personal congratulations I received after the awards ceremony, and these, in themselves, were enough.  I know that there are people still happy to have me around, and for their sakes I will try to do the best I can.

And besides doing your best for those you care for, what else is there?

Teaching English 10: Review

This entry is a review of this topic.  I'm not saying it's the last time I'll ever write about Education, but this is the end of the "Teaching English" entries.

In Teaching English 1 I talked about jobs I've had in Taiwan.  All of these jobs were as an English teacher, in both public and private schools.


In Teaching English 2: The Wrath of the FET I talked about types of "bad foreign teachers" that I have observed during my time in Taiwan.  Were I to approach this topic again, I would probably add at least 5 more types to the list.

In Teaching English 3 I talked about facets of English-language education in Taiwan, and my thoughts on each.  Many of these thoughts resurfaced later in the English in Taiwanese entry.  I discussed dual-language instruction, age limits, tests of English in public schools, and other, privately administered tests such as the TESOL and the TOEIC.

In Teaching English 4: Anxiety I talked about the anxiety that first-time teachers often feel in Taiwan, and strategies for coping with it.  I'm not sure how many people read this one, but I hope it was as encouraging as I meant it to be.  Yes, teaching ESL can be scary, but it can also be very rewarding.

In Teaching English 5: Dolch Sight Words I talked about the Dolch Sight Word List, which is a list of high-frequency words in the English language.  Every teacher of English should be familiar with these words.  They can save you a lot of time!

In Teaching English 6: Side by Side I talked about the Side by Side textbook, and how it might be used in the classroom.  I have used Side by Side for years, and although it has flaws I find it very useful.  I also use English Firsthand, Interchange, and the Ladybird readers quite a bit.  I am always trying to find a good blend of textbooks and more authentic materials/experiences.

In Teaching English 7: The MPiLGEF I talked about our school's expense-paid trip to Washington D.C., and what we got out of Microsoft's Partners in Learning Global Education Forum.  Looking at these pictures brings back a lot of memories.  My school is entering a similar IT competition this summer, and we'll see how we do.

In Teaching English 8: A Tuesday at Tung Hai I talked about a typical Tuesday at my school.  I realize that entries such as this one might seem a bit masturbatory, but hopefully someone got something out of it.  I have met a lot of people who are curious about what I do, and this was meant to satisfy that curiosity.

In Teaching English 9: Special Topics I discussed Task-based Teaching, and how my approach to special topics is a reflection of that methodology.   I talked about teaching PE,  Social Studies, and other topics through the medium of English, and also about some successes and failures I have had with each subject.

Which leads me to the present entry, Teaching English 10: Review.  You are reading it now, you know what it's about, so there is no need summarize, I think.