Bilingual 2030 Panel in Yilan City

May 27, 2024

During a visit to a school in Yilan, Iparticipated in a round-table discussion about the implementation of the bilingual program.  The school has been working toward bilingual instruction with grant support, and an American teacher has been brought in to assist with English instruction.  Although she does not have a background in art, she has been doing he best to supportinstruction where needed.

Several concerns were raised during the panel discussion: 

•Some teachers feel uncertain about teaching their subjects in English, as they worry that students may miss essential content or face difficulties in understanding the material.

•In some cases, students may have stronger English skills than their teachers, adding to teachers' stress and highlighting the need for targeted professional developement.

•When applying to universities, students are still required to demonstrate subject-matter proficiency, which creates added pressure on both teachers and learners.

•Although the government encourages increased use of English as a medium of instruction, teachers noted that implementing the necessary changes effectively will take time, and additional support--such as training, resources, and structured guidance--is needed.

•Teachers emphasized that meaningful support requires more than lighter teaching loads; they need dedicated time during the workday to prepare for bilingual lessons.  For example, teachers skilled in subjects like gepgraphy may now be expected to integrate English into their lessons without sufficient preparation time.

Despite these challenges teachers also acknowledged the importance of continuing to learn and grow, and some expressed openess to developing new skills as education policy evolves.