The teacher asks questions in English and the students answer, before placing the card onto the correct picture. This game is designed to foster students’ interest in learning English. Since 2012, the Kinmen County government has invested about NT$60 million a year in global and English education, hiring a total of 84 native English teachers and 22 foreign English teaching assistants. Now, in another milestone for bilingual education, it’s opened the International Bilingual Talent Training Resource Center to train English teachers.
Lo Te-shui, Kinmen County gov’t education director: I think that we’ve always attached great importance to bilingual education in Kinmen. Besides having the greatest number of English teaching assistants in the country, we’ve also set up a resource center for English teaching. We’re also promoting international education to enable children to go abroad to learn
To further bilingual education, the Kinmen County government has signed a contract with TOEFL’s Taiwanese general agent. The contract establishes a five-year cooperation plan, where Kinmen schools will use resources from ETS, the publisher of TOEFL. Starting this new school year in August, all fifth-graders in Kinmen County will take the TOEFL exam. The results will serve as a reference for adjusting and revising local bilingual policies.
Shao Zuo-chun, TOEFL Primary Taiwan representative: We are introducing TOEFL Primary tests to assess children's English proficiency. Establishing this database can provide a reference for the teachers in the future.
Tina Wu, Kinmen County government education inspector: We urgently need to improve the caliber of our teachers when it comes to competency-based instruction and curriculum planning. We need to improve the quality of cross-domain English teaching.
Jennifer Brown, TOEFL product development: With the professionalism, enthusiasm, and dedication of both organizations, we will work together to provide the best quality experience of English education.
Kinmen will also establish a permanent examination room. Officials hope to equip students with the ability to shine on the international stage.
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