Sun, Jan 26, 2003 - Page 3 News List

Row erupts over English teacher plan

A RUCKUS As the education ministry tries to block the recruitment of Indian and Filipino teachers, some argue that quality counts for more than just the place of birth

By Chang Yun-Ping  /  STAFF REPORTER

"Teaching English is not just about the language. It is also about language as a culture and language as a society. These factors should also be taken into consideration," Lee said.

Geoff Evans, director for the British Council Taipei -- a major English teacher-training provider -- told the Taipei Times, "[The question] should be on the basis of the quality of the teacher. It must depend on the individuals as to whether their English is appropriate."

Speaking of the different accents of English teachers, such as the British or American accenst, Evans said, "An accent is something that all foreigners have to be able to cope with [in communication]."

"It depends on what the objective of the government's recruitment is and the exposure of what particularly kind of accent they are seeking," Evans said.

However, Evans said that the frenzy of introducing foreign English teachers might only benefit Taiwanese children in the short term.

Over the long term, Taiwanese teachers themselves will play a key role to the substantial development of Taiwan's English learning, he said.

"I definitely believe that Taiwanese teachers will make a difference in the long run, because those teachers coming from English-speaking countries will only be here for a very short time," Evans said.

"Foreign teachers can make a difference with the students they teach now, but what about the next generation of students?

"You [Taiwan] actually have to build up your own resources," he said.

"Any parent would be interested in this issue for the benefit of their own children for the time being, but in the long term, it's a question of what would be good for the education system of Taiwan," Evans said.

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