Teaching English effectively is not easy as there are many factors involved. People usually think that starting at an early age, having qualified and dedicated instructors, a sound and practical curriculum and a host of other factors are keys to teaching the language successfully in Taiwan.
I agree that all of these factors play an important role in the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language. But based on my research and classroom observation, there is an often neglected aspect that can contribute to a more effective way to teach and learn the language -- seating arrangements in class.
Picture this: Walk into any classroom in the country and you'll find that the majority have the desks all lined up so that students face the teacher, a platform and a blackboard. This military-like seating arrangement looks neat and disciplined, but it's quite inappropriate, according to many specialists in the field of foreign language education such as H. Douglas Brown.
The majority of research on foreign language learning shows that interaction and communication are critical to learning. If that is the case, the seating arrangement described above has some drawbacks.
First, this traditional seating arrangement makes students think and feel that English is just another academic subject instead of a practical tool for daily communication. It is also conducive to lecturing instead of interaction -- with teachers, instead of students, doing most of the talking.
According to the National Training Laboratories in the state of Maine, lecture-style teaching results in a learning retention -- or how much students can still remember two weeks after class -- of only about 5 percent. The reason is simple: Students don't initiate the talking and actively take part in learning; on the contrary, they are just passive learners, taking in knowledge by listening to the teacher.
Second, the classroom atmosphere in this kind of orderly seating pattern often fails to stimulate and motivate students, making them feel that learning English is boring and mechanical.
Third, with this type of seating arrangement, it is hard for students to work as a team as they cannot readily see and talk to each other in English. Rearranging seats to allow more interaction and communication will not only motivate students more, but also stimulate class participation.
Sadly, despite their disadvantages, this traditional set-up can still be seen in most classrooms around Taiwan. English teachers would do well to use other classroom seating patterns recommended by Brown, such as circles, semi-circles, U-shapes, concentric circles -- all of which are designed to facilitate student communication and interaction.
Kao Shih-fan is an assistant professor at the National Taipei College of Business
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
The past few months have seen tremendous strides in India’s journey to develop a vibrant semiconductor and electronics ecosystem. The nation’s established prowess in information technology (IT) has earned it much-needed revenue and prestige across the globe. Now, through the convergence of engineering talent, supportive government policies, an expanding market and technologically adaptive entrepreneurship, India is striving to become part of global electronics and semiconductor supply chains. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of “Make in India” and “Design in India” has been the guiding force behind the government’s incentive schemes that span skilling, design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging, and
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.