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Serious_Fun
Joined: 28 Jun 2005
Posts: 1171
Location: terra incognita
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 Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:49 am Post subject: "Failing in English" |
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An interesting letter-to-the-editor in today's online Taipei Times:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2007/03/27/2003354089
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The nation is host to a great number of English cram schools. Many parents send their children to these schools from a very early age. Sadly, however, many parents are unable to offer this to their children, and the reasons why this is so must be identified and addressed.
The government officially promotes English education. Substantial amounts of resources and energy have been spent on this project, which starts at the elementary school level.
The problem, though, lies in the method chosen to teach English. Rather than making it a tool for communication, English has been turned into an object for examination.
Students are required to memorize words and grammatical rules and are tested in meaningless exams. Instead, they should be given the opportunity to engage in creative writing and practice communication.
Given the pressures attendant to exams, the requirement to memorize and the inflexible manner in which it is taught, it is no wonder many students have lost interest in English. |
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MomCat
Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 297
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| Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:01 am Post subject: |
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| SF, Was this written by a Taiwanese? |
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Toe Save
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 202
Location: 'tween the pipes.........
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| Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:34 am Post subject: |
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| I couldn't have put it better myself. Well, actually, I could, but that doesn't detract from the point. I agree wholeheartedly with this article. And I thank Confucious everyday for it, as I will always have a job undoing what you "teachers" do to these poor kids. Not that it is your fault. You "teachers" are only following the doctrine laid out for you by your greedy laobans. Keep up the erm....work. |
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trukesehammer
Joined: 25 Mar 2003
Posts: 168
Location: The Vatican
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| Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:33 am Post subject: |
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I hate to sound like such a cynic but...
OLD NEWS!
Now how do we fix it? |
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Serious_Fun
Joined: 28 Jun 2005
Posts: 1171
Location: terra incognita
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 5:49 am Post subject: |
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the exchange continues:
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... the existence of bushibans is not evidence that the public schools are bad.
Moreover, bushiban teachers are just as likely to be bad as public school teachers. |
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| Indeed, given that most foreign teachers in Taiwan come here for a working holiday and have had little or no training, it is more than likely that they will not be good educators. I remember hearing the boss of a cram school chain -- a chain that only hires Taiwanese teachers -- say that 70 percent of foreign teachers were incompetent. At first I was outraged, but after thinking about all the foreigners I have known here, I couldn't help but agree with him. |
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2007/04/02/2003354998 |
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Dr_Zoidberg
Joined: 29 Sep 2004
Posts: 406
Location: Not posting on Forumosa.
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| Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:16 pm Post subject: |
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Exactly what does education have to do with teaching English in Taiwan?
It's edutainment at best. |
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