This year's first national elementary-level General English Proficiency Tests (GEPT) were held on Jan. 8 in 15 examination districts all over Taiwan on. Over 120,000 students took the tests, a new record, demonstrating that studying English has indeed become a "national movement" in the country.
According to media reports, participants' ages ranged from 6 to 76 years. The 15-to-19 age group was the largest at 56 percent, followed by those under the age of 14, which made up over 30 percent of students taking the test. Over 500 were in the under-10 age group.
As for the 76-year-old, I would like to extend both my wishes for success in the exam, as well as my admiration for someone who so well epitomizes the idea that study is a life-long occupation.
The study of English should not be restricted to the classroom, and the difficulties of language practice in schools is not the be-all and end-all of proficiency. I sincerely hope that there will be more examples of mature students taking the GEPT simply for the sake of challenging their own English proficiency.
On the other hand, media reports also reveal that approximately 30,000 of the participants this time around were elementary-school students. As I'm sure everyone is aware, the elementary-level GEPTs are designed to test the standard of English expected of a junior high school graduate, and it is therefore perhaps a little surprising to learn that a certain private junior high school in Tainan County entered all of its 1,100 students for the test. That is, until we understand that this is one way in which the school can enhance its image.
Since so many elementary-school students took the tests, and as the media are calling them the "national joint entrance examinations for elementary schools," it might be worth delving a little deeper.
First of all, the GEPTs are in no way compulsory, and the certificate to say one has passed can, at best, be taken into consideration when deciding which students a high school will accept.
Nevertheless, reports are saying that many elementary-school students don't actually want to take the the tests, but are being forced to do so by their parents. This is no doubt a reflection of the mentality of parents who want their children to reach their full potential. However, given the previous pass rate of only 33 percent, two-thirds of these children will be disappointed by their English proficiency.
Second, teachers have in the past tried to get children interested in English by singing and playing games, and by teaching aspects of the language that can be used in everyday life. I have discovered, however, that these activities are gradually being replaced by course content aimed at preparing for proficiency tests.
Fun and games have been abandoned in favor of a string of examinations, and kids are losing interest in English. For parents keen on exposing their children to English at an early age to give them a good start, this should come as a warning.
Compared to this "English test fever," we can look at the 2003 pass rates of technical college students for elementary level GEPTs -- a mere 14 percent. This rather unusual phenomenon shows that the teaching of English in Taiwan leaves a lot to be desired, and that improvements need to be made in many areas.
The Ministry of Education intends to raise the elementary-level passing grade for technical college students to 50 percent by 2007. This is moving in the right direction, but at the same time both the government and the people of Taiwan should think hard about how to reduce "English test fever," and to give our children an environment in which they can study normal, everyday English.
Vincent Chang is chairman of the department of English at National Taiwan Normal University.
TRANSLATED BY PAUL COOPER
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.
As Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s party won by a landslide in Sunday’s parliamentary election, it is a good time to take another look at recent developments in the Maldivian foreign policy. While Muizzu has been promoting his “Maldives First” policy, the agenda seems to have lost sight of a number of factors. Contemporary Maldivian policy serves as a stark illustration of how a blend of missteps in public posturing, populist agendas and inattentive leadership can lead to diplomatic setbacks and damage a country’s long-term foreign policy priorities. Over the past few months, Maldivian foreign policy has entangled itself in playing