Teacher training in Taiwan: expanding your teaching skillset without leaving the country

The picture isn't related to the article unless you want to get very metaphorical 

Update! I've written a shorter 2022 post focusing specifically on face-to-face options in Taiwan (though some have gone online for the time being due to COVID). Additional resources include updated links to the CertTESOL/DipTESOL and TYLEC, my husband's experiences on the Framingham program and a new option through TeachNow.

When I first arrived in Taiwan, opportunities for professional development as an English language teacher were rare beyond workshops of varying quality through cram schools. Though I can't speak for local English teachers in the formal education system, the lack of professional development options was also an issue for local teachers in cram schools.

I honestly regret coming to Taiwan as an unskilled random white person and starting out in a cram school job - a situation I sought to change as soon as I could afford to - and I think part of that regret is what drives my desire to contribute more to Taiwan than I take from it. As my profession is education, I feel that's where I might be able to make a real impact.

With that in mind, I've hoped for some years that new paths to teacher development could be opened in Taiwan, so that a new generation of English teachers might simply, well, be better teachers and not have to go abroad for that training, as I did. Fortunately, due to the efforts of people who want to effect real change, there have been real improvements and I hope and believe this will improve the overall situation of English language education in Taiwan.

Since joining the community of teacher educators (teachers who develop other teachers), I've been asked a few times about teacher training and development opportunities in Taiwan, and I wanted to consolidate a list of resources for English teachers here - foreigners and locals alike - who want to develop themselves professionally, while staying in Taiwan. 

There's another good post on this topic here, but there are some things not covered in that post, so I'm writing this one. 

Full disclosure: I train on some of these courses, but not all of them. There's no sales motive, and this is not any kind of sponsored post. I receive nothing, and if anyone signs up for a course due to this post, I honestly wouldn't even know.

All of these are open to both native and non-native speakers, so I hope Taiwanese readers of my blog who may be interested in teaching will also consider these suggestions. One way to end white supremacy and native speakerism in language teaching is to make  professional development more accessible to local teachers, which I very much hope to do. Although the TESOL world still discriminates against non-native speaker teachers, the international qualifications (such as the TKT, CertTESOL) will be an advantage for any Taiwanese looking to teach English abroad.

It's worth noting that most of these programs are not officially recognized by the Taiwanese government. Different schools have different requirements: public schools generally want a teaching license but will sometimes take permanent residents with other qualifications. Private schools are more open in what they can accept, and international schools vary quite a bit. Your average cram school often requires nothing (which honestly is a problem), but better jobs in the cram school system either appreciate or require basic certifications. These also provide a good filter when job-hunting: if the school you are applying to doesn't know or care about the certifications listed here, they might not prioritize education. It's good to know that up-front.

I've organized the list roughly by lowest to highest barrier to entry. The first few items are simply online resources and readings, not classes per se. Actual courses you can take will be discussed later on.


Online and Reading Resources


Online resources

There's a whole world out there of webinars and other online teacher development resources, most of which is free or very low-cost (though some is of much better quality, and some is questionable - use some critical thinking to deduce what's what).

Joining an international community of practice through IATEFL membership

Anti-racism resources for teachers

TEFL Equity Advocates

Teacher Training in Taiwan Facebook Page and Facebook Group


Online Courses

If you want to take an online course that isn't quite as intense as, say, a Trinity CertTESOL or CELTA, there are many options. Nile, International House and Oxford University's Department of Continuing Education are generally well-regarded providers. These courses tend to focus on particular areas (e.g. Business English, CLIL, Teaching Young Learners), and can be done with no certification, or after an initial certification. More than one initial certification is now available face-to-face in Taiwan; these are discussed below. 


Reading

Again, there's a whole world of reading out there, so I'm just going to provide a short list of books I've found useful in my own development.

About Language - Scott Thornbury: crucial language awareness for English teachers, especially native speaker teachers who don't know how their own language works

Teaching English Grammar - Jim Scrivener: a resource breaking down how to teach key grammar concepts, including common issues and points to remember

Learning About Language Assessment - Kathleen Bailey: if you're interested in knowing about what makes a language assessment worthwhile and useful

Teaching Collocation - Michael Lewis: this changed my whole approach to lexis as a system, and how I approach it in the classroom. Lewis' other work such as "The English Verb" are also highly recommended

How Languages Are Learned - Patsy Lightbown and Nina Spada: a short and engaging introduction to the field of SLA (Second Language Acquisition)

Grammar For English Language Teachers - Martin Parrott: this is not something to read so much as a resource every serious English teacher should have (Swan's book is fine too but I prefer Parrott)

A good learner's dictionary (any publisher, whichever level suits your learners): this will help you develop  your ability to clarify language and concept-check. Big Bad Wolf's 7-day sales often include them at steep discounts. 

The Cultural Politics of English as an International Language - Alastair Pennycook: If you don't have time to read Orientalism (Said), Pedagogy of the Oppressed (Friere) and Teaching English as an International Language (McKay), this book provides a useful introduction to all of those ideas, and takes them further. A word of warning: it was written in the '90s and needs an update, and takes a postcolonial perspective that doesn't always fit Taiwan's situation (colonized more by China than any Western nation).

The "How To" series (various authors)

This is a whole series of books - they are not very long and not particularly academic, making them perfect for new teachers finding their way. Each book is clearly titled (e.g. How To Teach Speaking, How To Teach Business English, How To Teach Reading, How To Teach Grammar) and easy to read. Other than How To Teach With Technology (not recommended), these are useful introductions to whatever area you feel you might need to improve. They aren't cheap so choose judiciously.

If you are really new to teaching and need a grounding in the basics, How To Teach English from this series is a good start. 


Everything above is a targeted online course, or a self-access resource. Let's leave those for now, and talk about coursework and general teaching certifications that can be done in or from Taiwan.


The first two on the list - the TKT and local TESOL certification - are more directly aimed at local teachers and other non-native speakers. However, every course after that (the CertTESOL, TYLEC and DipTESOL, etc.) are also open to all teachers, and I specifically encourage non-native speaker teachers who think they would be valuable to look into them. A community of talented local teachers is a powerful weapon in fighting for equity in the field.


TKT (Teaching Knowledge Test)

This is the least expensive option among all of the non-free choices, though it's not a course. It's a three-module test aimed more at local (non-native speaker) teachers, though native speakers can take it as well. It's a good way to put an internationally-recognized teaching qualification on a resume and the knowledge that is tested is all worthwhile. With no practical element (that is, no real teaching), however, consider this to be mostly a way to gain some formal recognition of your teaching knowledge, though not necessarily your ability in the classroom.

It's possible to self-study for this test if you have experience and were trained on the job, so a study book (The TKT Course: Modules 1, 2 and 3 by Mary Spratt is a good choice) and the cost of the exams are the only financial layout. 


TESOL Taiwan teaching certification

Of the certification courses that require practicums, this is the most affordable. It's a 35-hour course with one teaching demo at the end and covers all of the basics, and is open to people with no teaching experience. The cohort is mostly local, but foreign teachers do take it, and more than one has said that their school specifically recommended it. 

The curriculum includes a basic knowledge of methodology, foundational knowledge for teaching various skills (speaking, writing, reading and listening) and systems (grammar, lexis and pronunciation) including demonstrations, and incorporates classroom management, lesson planning, assessing learner needs and more. Assessed content includes a short lesson taught by the trainee as well as several written assignments, two observations and an online component. 

This course is taught in English but specifically designed to be accessible to both foreign and local English teachers, non-native and native speakers alike.

The course is offered mornings over 2 weeks (occasionally two weeks plus one Monday), or all day Saturday or Sunday for 6 weeks, all in Taipei. Once a year or so, the Sunday course is offered in Taichung.


Trinity CertTESOL and CELTA

For many years, it was impossible to take this course - or the equivalent CELTA - in Taiwan. That was a major gap in development opportunities for teachers here, as these are internationally-recognized certifications that are required for many teaching jobs outside Taiwan. I had to go abroad to get mine. That has finally changed - the CertTESOL is here!

It's a longer course - Monday-Friday mornings over a semester - with more teaching practicums, which does mean it's more expensive (though divided by input hours, it is technically better value for money). There are other assessed areas too, including exams.

The CertTESOL is a more challenging course. Having done the equivalent CELTA was so beneficial for my teaching practice that my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner, and I can usually tell the difference between a teacher who's taken a course like this and one who hasn't.

CELTA is not offered in Taiwan, but can be done online or through blended learning through various providers. I did mine in-person at ITI Istanbul and can vouch for the quality of the face-to-face course.


TYLEC (Teaching Young Learners Extension Certificate) and other Young Learner Courses

I know less about this program, as I don't train on it and don't teach children, but if you do teach children and want to become amazing at it, this is the course for you. It costs the same as a Trinity CertTESOL - that is, expensive, but cheaper than doing a whole teaching license. It's offered based on demand. It involves input sessions, a written assignment on materials and five hours of assessed teaching practice (I'm not sure how the assessed practice is organized). 

Theoretically, other similar courses are also possible to take in Taiwan, specifically the CELT-P (for teachers of primary school students) and CELT-S (secondary school). I'm not sure what stage of development/availability they are at yet, but check this space for updates, or join the Teacher Training in Taiwan Facebook groups above to hear about the latest developments.

You can do the CertTESOL, TYLEC and DipTESOL in Taiwan at InspiredCPD.



Trinity DipTESOL and Cambridge Delta

This is the next level up from the CertTESOL, and is also finally available in Taiwan starting this year. It is a higher-level certification, meaning you need to meet certain educational and experience requirements. A basic TEFL certification is also highly recommended.

It is equivalent to the Cambridge Delta, meaning that in Europe it's recognized at the same level as a Master's degree (though it isn't one). The DipTESOL is organized into four units and in Taiwan, I believe that three of those four are taught intensively over a number of weeks - ask directly for more information. The first unit - an exam - can be taken after the course. The DipTESOL includes four practicum hours and several written assignments and a research project.

A good reason to do the DipTESOL in Taiwan is that you won't have to find a local tutor for the teaching practicums - it's all handled here, so there's no need to go around asking qualified teachers if they'll take on that role for you. I was lucky in that someone offered. I'm not sure how the teaching practicums are organized (whether they are your own classes or organized by the course).

I have a Cambridge Delta, obtained in Taiwan via distance learning. This can be done entirely through Nile, (yes - the Nile Delta) Bell or The Distance Delta. ITI Istanbul also offers Modules 1 and 3 online.

Module 1 is an exam - you can study for this on your own, but I recommend taking an online course for a few hundred pounds.

Module 2 is teaching practice and written assignments: four hours of assessed teaching practice plus one diagnostic lesson and one experimental lesson (not assessed). The papers for these are killer as the word limits are tight, but you'll learn a lot doing them. There's also a professional development assignment and observation requirements. You can do this in Taiwan through a local tutor, whom you have to find yourself. The fourth assessed lesson is done externally, which may involve flying someone in, which you pay for. They do try to keep costs down, often sending one external assessor across Asia, so you only have to pay for a regional flight and a night in a hotel.

Module 3 is an extended written assignment based on real learners - meaning you need a group of real learners to work with. You write about a sub-field of TESOL, assess their needs and create a course based on the fundamental principles of syllabus design and assessment.


Various teaching license programs

I won't say much about these, as the level of recognition given by Taiwan's Ministry of Education is variable. Online searches bring up a few options, but I've only found one that seems to still be available in Taiwan and comes recommended by people I know: the global teacher certification and Master's program offered by the College of New Jersey in Hsinchu, with courses (and coursework) happening every few weeks. This is a real program through a legitimate university in the United States, and can land you some better jobs. It also qualifies you to take the Praxis II (teaching qualification exams in the US), available on a very limited basis in Taiwan.

The program requires you to be teaching more than English as it's not specifically a TESOL course but rather one for general young learner education, and your practicums are done at your own work location. The program doesn't require a dissertation but it does require you to take the edTPA.

If your goal is an international school job, you might also consider doing a British PGCE online. Here's just one way to do that (there are surely multiple providers). This won't qualify you for public school work but will still be a step up and is likely to be accepted at some international schools.


Master's programs

Most people don't realize that relevant Master's programs can be done in Taiwan. English language programs are held at various universities, including NTNU (National Taiwan Normal University), NCCU (National Cheng-chi University) and NTUST. Others exist - including those at Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages and National Tsinghua University - but I am not sure of the proportion of classes taught in English.

Framingham State University is also looking into (once again) offering courses in Taiwan, though these are not set yet. The course would lead to a Master's in Education with a focus on international education, but does not include a teaching license. You can get on the mailing list here, if you are interested in future courses.

Nile also offers a modular face-to-face MATESOL accredited through the University of Chichester. As you would not actually reside abroad, but rather take courses over a 2-3 week intensive period, I am not sure how or whether this would be recognized in Taiwan.

There used to be other ways to get a face-to-face Master's in TESOL while living in Taiwan - such as the summer intensive program I am wrapping up at the University of Exeter, but most of them seem to have ceased operations (Exeter is closing its MEd summer program, for example).

Online options exist, but can be expensive. These aren't generally recognized in Taiwan, though any exams you take in person might be. It's worth checking with your current or potential employer - I can't provide any guarantees. 


PhD and EdD (Doctorate of Education) degrees

If you've come this far, you might be wondering about PhD and EdD degrees. Here's the thing, though: if you've gotten through a Master's, you probably have a clear idea of where you want to go in terms of a doctorate and there's not much I can tell you. Several options do exist that would let you live in Taiwan while doing some coursework abroad, but I can't specifically recommend one, and I doubt any are widely recognized in Taiwan.

All I can say is that PhDs are more widely recognized than EdDs, and as with Master's programs, official recognition generally requires full-time residency and in-person classes.

I'd also say that if you really want to do a PhD, you should not be paying for it. This might not be a big deal if you go to a public university in Taiwan where tuition is low (NCCU offers a PhD in TESOL - same link as above), but I wouldn't plop down the tens of thousands of US dollars that programs abroad charge.

Honestly, either get funded or don't go. I mean it.


Still have questions? Leave a comment, or e-mail me. I can also refer you to good people, including some of the people in charge of some of these courses. I won't put my personal/main e-mail here, but I can be reached at jennalynk (at) yahoo (dot) com. Or join the Facebook groups above. 

Native speakerism, teacher training, culture and place

I don't have a good cover photo so just pretend this is metaphorical or something. 

I've been meaning to write this for awhile but current events have been pushing it to the bottom of the queue. Feeling depressed and anxious about the state of affairs in Hong Kong and the rise of Big Uncle Dirk in Taiwan, however, I think it's time for a more uplifting topic.

Teacher training has been my main source of income for about a year now; my trainees are mostly (though not entirely) locals whose first language(s) are not English, but are highly proficient English users. There's a mix of experience levels, though most have had no previous training. 

In the real world, where this is what I'm 'known' for as much as talking smack about Taiwanese politics, I get asked all the time what it's like, how I feel about it, what my impressions are. So I thought I'd share something about that here, as I so rarely write about my actual profession.

Having no particular order in mind for this, I'll just start with what I think is the most interesting part, focusing mostly on the cram school system. 

Native speakerism has been, quite honestly, a cancer in English language education in Taiwan.

I appreciate and value that the work I do is one tiny cog in the fight to end that. Training local teachers who already have the language proficiency but need the classroom know-how to plan and execute a lesson, ascertain and meet learner needs, manage a class room and understand key theoretical basics gives them a leg up: a piece of paper, yes, but also actual knowledge and skills that will make them more effective in the classroom and therefore more likely to succeed in a market that is biased against them.

Not that the word 'native speaker' means anything. I have a former student whom you would not be able to guess, even by accent, was a 'non-native' speaker unless you combed carefully through her writing. I've also met 'native speakers' who were not particularly proficient language users (yes, that's a thing, and the major English proficiency tests generally acknowledge this) and people who have used English since early childhood from countries like India, Singapore and the Philippines but are considered 'non-native'. 

Because, of course, when people say "native speaker", what they really mean is "white". They'll deny that of course - I'm sure I'll get some angry comments - but you it's true. You know it's harder for non-white English teachers, whether they're what might be considered a 'native speaker' or not, to find jobs and command similar pay to white teachers. This was also the attitude on display when everyone's favorite Uncle Dirk dismissed the idea of English teachers from the Philippines (who generally can be considered what most people would call a 'native speaker'), saying "how can a Maria be our teacher?"

Although I don't think that there is a big difference in the classroom between an untrained foreigner and an untrained local with strong English language proficiency, it's hard to argue this to your average person. Training up locals on what I think is a quality course helps make the argument that a "non-native" teacher is no less capable just a little more persuasive.

To be frank, it also feels good to have mostly relinquished my former place in what I see as a racist system. I don't particularly like being a white lady taking up a teaching job that an experienced and trained local could do, and being paid more to do it. It's not that I want to stop all future foreign English teachers from coming here because all the jobs have been taken by locals - I just want the bar to be higher, and the best way to raise the bar is to have better-trained local talent as competition. Bringing in trained and experienced talent from the Philippines and other countries is a great idea as well, and that will be easier if more parents and students (including adult learners) get used to a non-white face leading the class.

This is related to another aspect of teacher training that I find deeply rewarding: the creation of future role models. My trainees, when they become teachers, can be role models to local learners in a way that I could never be as a "native speaker" from an Inner Circle culture (look it up). Someone learning English as a foreign language in Taiwan is going to have a different experience, context and set of reference points and will benefit from having someone with a similar background and experience to look up to and think, "if she can do it, I can too". That's not only more achievable than trying to be 'more like' someone like me, which sets up the impossible standard of learning English as a second language in an attempt to imitate people for whom it's a first language, but I'd argue it's less problematic as well. If the notion of encouraging Taiwanese to imitate Westerners - especially white Westerners - as though we are some sort of ideal - doesn't squick you out...it should. 

Here's where I admit that I lied above: I don't think that's the most interesting issue concerning my job. But I needed to say it to set up my next point. The cultural/identity aspects of Taiwan's education are often thought of as being in flux, depending on who's in power, between "Taiwanization" and "Sinicization". I'd argue, however, that since the debate about identity formation through education has existed in Taiwan - that is, ever since the Taiwanese electorate had a say in the matter - that it's actually been a three-way pull between Taiwanization, Sinicization and internationalization. It's a bit more complicated than that, with both sides trying to claim 'internationalization' alongside their preferred foundation of 'Taiwanization' or 'Sinicization' and both sides being somewhat insincere in the implementation process (though I'd argue the 'Sinicization' side, which I'm sure you've guessed is spearheaded by the KMT, is somewhat more insincere). 

I also happen to believe that 'Taiwanization' is more compatible with internationalization than 'Sinicization' is, despite being dismissed by critics as a form of ethnic nationalism (which it no longer is - if anything that attitude is more evident on the pan-blue, pro-China side). Taiwanization doesn't only seek to promote the notion of a distinct Taiwanese identity, which is a civic identity as much as an ethnic one, and a nation founded on that principle. It also seeks to situate that identity, and Taiwan as a nation, in a regional and global context. Sinicization doesn't go far beyond "we are all Chinese and you just have to accept this identity we've assigned to you". Although this wasn't always the case, it's currently more of an inward-looking movement.

What does all that have to do with teacher training? Well, a lot of people misconstrue 'internationalization' as going no further than a concept of English teaching as something done by foreigners, to Taiwanese students - and bringing in more foreigners to do this. The smiling white person at the front of the classroom telling Taiwanese how to be better "global citizens" through improved English, with "global citizens" of course meaning "people who act in ways that make Westerners feel comfortable".

In a word, barf.

I see internationalization as improving the state of foreign language education without overly focusing on Western countries (which isn't to say that language can be divorced from culture - the general consensus in the field is that it cannot). It's understanding not just the cultural, international and socieconomic context of English learning, but English learning as appropriation - learning it for one's own purposes, to communicate with the outside world as a lingua franca - rather than subjugation to a foreign ideal. And you don't accomplish that with idealized Westerners at the front of every class. You do it with locals up there, or teachers from a range of international backgrounds beyond "Bill is from Canada, and Janice is from the UK!" It helps society get used to the notion that English doesn't have to be a "thing we learn from and about white people", but something additive rather than subtractive, taught for themselves and (mostly) by others who may be like them. And you accomplish that by training up mostly local teachers.

Finally, I simply appreciate a chance to offer the fundamentals of good teaching practice to teachers who will go out and not only use them, but build on them. It's been argued that the sort of approaches I champion are themselves ultimately derived from teaching practices that suit Western cultures better, but I'd dispute that. First, we do talk about methodologies that are currently out-of-fashion, though I don't encourage them. Besides, such methods weren't common in Western countries either until the late 20th century: before that, the way language was taught wasn't that different from how it's taught in much of Asia now. The difference is one of time and institutional constraint, not one of culture.

More importantly, those 'traditional' methods are research-proven to be less effective, depending on what your goal is. If that goal is to communicate, do you think sitting in a 50-person class memorizing texts and repeating grammar points will be the most effective approach, regardless of culture? That English class in Taiwanese schools alone, without outside practice, does not lead to particularly stellar results, should be sufficient evidence that it will not.

But, most vitally, it's that local teachers and students have shown themselves to be open to other approaches. Despite unfounded stereotypes to the contrary, your average Taiwanese student does want their language classes to be more vibrant - fun, useful, communicative - than a traditional grammar-focused approach affords. Your average Taiwanese teacher wants to deliver that, as well, although institutional constraints (such as testing requirements) make it difficult. And as time passes, some of my best students will become head teachers or teacher trainers themselves, and will impart their own advice on what works and what doesn't, and "what works" will be forged of an entirely home-grown consensus. That can happen without me in the picture, but I feel grateful that I get to be a part of it. 

That's just it - I'm not seeking to put people down (such as untrained foreign teachers who come and get jobs easily) or push my own ideas on others. I just want the state of English teaching in Taiwan to be better. My Big Bad - my Final Boss - is probably the national-level exam (and the over-testing that takes place leading up to it). Although there have been changes and improvements, it's not nearly where it needs to be in terms of creating positive washback on the classes learners take. There's not much I can do about that now, but if the overall state of language teaching is both more localized and simply better, it's a step in the right direction. 

If a "bilingual", "globally-oriented" Taiwan is the way forward, immigration reform for educators is imperative

Just a quick thought at the end of Lunar New Year that struck me as I chatted about my life in Taiwan with a friendly British couple on the beach. Links to come later as I can't easily add them on an iPad. 

They asked me if dual nationality in Taiwan was even possible, or if I would have to give up my original nationality to get it. I told them sincerely I was happy that recent changes to the immigration laws in Taiwan created a pathway, but dismayed that the path was entirely too narrow and impossible - as an educator, I'd have to be a university professor (assistant or associate - I forget which because that's so far off for me that it doesn't matter yet.) I mentioned that I have friends at prestigious institutions like Academia Sinica who have been told that this is interpreted (incorrectly) to mean "when you have tenure", so they won't even write the necessary letters for their academics until that happens. 

"Imagine," I said, "having to get tenure at Academia Sinica before you even qualified as an educator!" 

It was the same thing I'd told Legislator Karen Yu just a few weeks ago. 

My husband joined in, "It seems like a rule that was put in place with very little thought - like some people in a room just decided that sounded good, but which has a huge effect on people's lives that the folks in that room are totally unaware of."

And I've come to realize, as those whole "bilingual country" and "English as a second official language" talk starts slowly creaking its wheels towards actual action, that if the government is serious about it, that immigration laws, especially for educators, simply need to be loosened. Now. 

The usual pushback to people upset that they don't qualify for dual nationality in Taiwan (like me!) is "this is the set of talents/skills that the government has decided it needs, that's why it's comparatively for someone in STEM to jump through the hoops, but difficult for teachers. They want STEM workers but don't need so many teachers. Deal with it!" 

This is of course nonsense, though I do acquiesce that this is what the government *thinks* are the skills it needs to attract to Taiwan. What's horseshit is the notion that Taiwan actually needs more talented foreign STEM professionals. Taiwan has reams and reams of local STEM talent, the best of whom are leaving Taiwan due to low pay and poor working conditions. (and even so, if anything there's a surplus of engineers and IT professionals. Perhaps pay would go up if they were more scarce.) Foreigners aren't going to take those jobs in any great number because the jobs aren't very good; what it needs is to provide attractive enough opportunities to get its own talent to stay, and perhaps some foreigners as well. Taiwan is not a developing country; what it would take to satisfy top Taiwanese talent is not far off from what it would take to attract foreigners. Expectations don't differ that much. 

But what Taiwan actually does need - or will need in the coming years - is talented educators. It's true that there is a surplus of not-very-well-trained "English teachers". While I support a way forward for them in the field that involves better apprenticeship and training than what is on offer now, they are not the ones I mean. We have a lot of those (too many, in fact) and not enough trained and experienced foreign educators - whether you have a teaching license, a Delta or a postgraduate degree. Among those who are here, a disproportionate amount are English teachers or non-specialized teachers of young learners; teachers who specialize in other subjects are harder to come by. We have even fewer experienced language teacher trainers - and I don't just mean among foreigners. There aren't that many options for teacher training in English among locals either. 

The government seems to have realized this - the talk at the meeting before Lunar New Year focused at times on this need. But they don't seem to have realized that if that is the talent Taiwan must attract, then one of the best ways to get those already here to stay and attract new professionals is to make it easier not just to move here, but to stay. That is, to further amend immigration laws so that teachers who want to build a career here have a hope of staying on as citizens, someday, if they wish. 

If we're going to really go ahead with a "globally oriented Taiwan" - that is, a country where English is integrated culturally to a degree that eases the road to greater internationalization, which is the actual goal - Taiwan is going to need more than a handful of professors who currently qualify. 

They are going to need teacher trainers (you know, like me). Not just to train up foreign teachers, but locals as well (which is what I focus on). No country actually achieves the level of 'bilingualism' that the government says it aspires to with foreign teachers alone: you'll notice that English medium teachers in countries like Singapore, India, Hong Kong (I'm calling it a country and don't care what you think) and the Philippines are overwhelmingly local. They're going to need advisors, translators, editors and tutors. They are going to need English proficiency test examiners (even though tests like IELTS suck for political reasons and you should not take them if you can avoid it.) 

And yes, they're going to need just regular teachers. Not just English teachers; if Tainan is any indication, this push is going to go hand-in-hand with a bilingual education model, where regular subjects are taught in English. This model isn't particularly common in Taiwan, although schools with multilingual curricula exist; educators who are familiar with it will be needed, and a number of them will be foreign. Teacher training programs and certification courses will hopefully become more readily available in Taiwan - I have high hopes for international standard pre-service certifications, including those run by Cambridge and Trinity. But those require trainers, and to get to a point where locals can do those jobs (as such training does not currently exist in Taiwan), we'll need foreign teacher trainers. 

So, it makes absolutely no sense, from this moment forward, for the government to imply through its immigration law that it does need foreign engineers but it doesn't need teachers. It makes no sense to set the bar for educators so ridiculously high that almost no-one meets it, and to predicate it on a job some valuable educators may not even want. 

Personally, while I think I'd be a fine academic, I find a lot of meaning in teacher training, especially training up non-native speaker teachers. This is a real contribution to Taiwan - but to become yet another university professor teaching the same old academic writing and speaking classes? That is also meaningful, but we have a lot of them already. Are more of those what Taiwan really needs, at a time when it will be gearing up to train a bunch of new teachers in modern methods that are not currently common here?

Many of us are already here, and have made Taiwan our home. We want to stay and contribute, and one of the best ways the government can ensure that we do is to make it feasible for educators to gain dual nationality. Taiwan is a fine place to live as well; surely some newcomers will want to stay. 

It's time for Taiwan to truly open the door to them, and amend its immigration policy to reflect the talent it says it needs. 

Alliance for a Globally-Oriented Taiwan kicks off

If you're reading this at all, you're probably wondering what happened to me all month. Yeah, well, I'm wondering too. I've been doing a pre-Lunar New Year deep clean of our apartment as I'm not particularly busy with work. Also, the election's still got me down.

Not because my "team" "lost" (they didn't, really: the NPP is the closest thing I've got to a team I root for, and they performed better than anyone expected, including perhaps, quietly, the NPP themselves). People I don't like win elections all the time and I don't fret about it for two months.

No, what causes a sinking feeling in my heart every time I think about it is a far bigger problem: that, although it would be political suicide for the DPP to make a big deal out of it, interference from China was real, and terrifying. We can't prove how effective it was, but there sure seemed to be some effect, and if that's the case they will try it again. And again. And they very well may win. Yikes. I just...can't.

So, let's talk about something positive instead.

This past week, a group of 90-100 people, foreigners and Taiwanese, congregated in the Legislative Yuan to have a large-scale discussion meeting about how to implement the 'bilingual Taiwan' initiative (you might know it as 'English as a second official language', announced by former premier William Lai). Heading the meeting were legislators Karen Yu (余宛如) Rosalia Wu （吳思瑤）as well as National Development Council leadership, Professor Louis Chen of Global Brands Management Association, STARTBOARD and Crossroads.TW founder David Chang. The general attendees were a mix of teachers, school owners, recruiters, academics, NGO and nonprofit representatives, a few activists and some journalists.

One thing that was made clear was that the point is not to suddenly start forcing everyone to speak English, or spend their own money to go to cram school to study English, or to have all official documents in English and Mandarin (but not any other languages more native to or historically linked to Taiwan, such as indigenous languages or Taiwanese). The point is to develop Taiwan's international competitiveness by making it more accessible in English, and to increase the general public's familiarity with English, while potentially reforming the educational system to emphasize English proficiency. And over several decades, as that.

Put that way, it sounds quite reasonable.

The outcome of this meeting is the formation of the Alliance for a Globally-Oriented Taiwan, with more specific action items to be developed in the coming weeks. At minimum we're looking at advocacy, advisory status and policy proposals. While it has the potential to be another layer of talk, there's also the potential for it to be much more than that.

That two legislators and the NDC made sure the meeting took place, were there and paid attention to what foreigners were saying is already huge: I'm not sure it's ever happened before. For that reason alone it might have some real effect.

I won't spend too much time going over what was said by the leaders - that's been covered extensively in the Mandarin-language media and basically boiled down to "we're on your side", "we want to do this in a feasible way" and, of course, that the point isn't just to be bilingual, it's a push for greater internationalization.

Instead, I'll spend some time summarizing some of what came out of the contributors in the general audience.

Not everyone got a chance to speak (I did), but I was happy to hear that most opinions were dead-on (some I disagreed with mildly; there were just a few that I simply wasn't on board with). And yes, I do equate "dead on" with "I agreed with it", because in this particular field I will not hesitate to say that I know what I'm talking about.

There was a general agreement that we need to do a better job of teacher training in Taiwan, with ideas for this ranging from bringing in better-qualified teachers to building a teacher-training program in Taiwan from scratch. The latter is an idea I disagree with quite strongly: internationally-recognized and up-to-standard teaching certifications exist already, from teaching licenses/PGCE programs to CELTA/Trinity to Delta and various Master's programs. There's no need to build a program from scratch when...frankly, to mix metaphors, that wheel's already been invented.

The key is to make them more accessible in Taiwan. If you want to improve your teaching through formal training here, it's quite difficult: the government doesn't recognize programs like CELTA or Delta or any online programs; often for Master's programs (even reputable ones) there are residency requirements so a part-time student, even if they attend face-to-face, is going to have trouble. So we have to make these programs both available and recognized, potentially with a sponsorship program to make them affordable, too.

The owners of Reach To Teach, a reputable teacher recruiting company, pointed out that Taiwan has no program through which novice teachers can come here and work in schools (even as assistants), and the only way to work in a school in Taiwan is to come as a licensed teacher. Japan brings foreign teachers into public schools through JET by having them work as assistants as they are not qualified to actually teach; I'm not sure about Korea's EPIK program. What's more, in those countries novice teachers often earn more than trained teachers are offered in schools in Taiwan.

What everyone agreed on was that salaries in Taiwan being low for everyone, including locals, was going to make it hard to internationalize and attract foreign talent, and would not necessarily attract much local talent to English teaching, either. Before this can happen, pay prospects here simply have to get better.

Of course, as someone else pointed out, South Korea and Japan are not bilingual countries. Because, of course, countries where English is more widely spoken got that way through historical (typically colonial) means, but also because those countries routinely employ a large number of local teachers and don't rely on foreign ones.

That's really key, not only in terms of getting enough foreign teachers to do the job, but also cutting down a native speakerist view of English: that English is a White People thing, that White People go to Other Countries to teach Local People, who Learn It. But a country only becomes multilingual when locals are there making it happen. You can't import that kind of culture shift, nor should you.

(Obviously not every native speaker teacher is white, I'm talking about perceptions, not reality.)

There was a huge outpouring of angst, as well. That's not a criticism; I happen to agree with much of it. The notion that Taiwan needs to 'attract' more foreign talent bothered some, who pointed out quite rightly that many talented foreigners are already here, but can't get work outside of English teaching. Some stay and teach because it's all they can do; some leave because there's just no career future here and go to Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, back to their native countries or elsewhere.

There was also an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the lack of readable English information on Taiwanese websites, including government websites. If Taiwan is truly going to become an English-friendly country, at the bare minimum all government websites need to be translated completely into (good) English.

Quite a bit of dissatisfaction was expressed over Taiwan's horrifying national examination system (including from me). I pointed out that research consistently shows that elementary-school language teachers in Taiwan are happy to incorporate more modern teaching methods into their practice, but  junior and senior high school teachers aren't, and the big difference is that older learners need to be prepared for the massive battery of mostly-useless and actively harmful exams that they have to take. The teachers themselves have said this quite clearly. There is simply no way for a language education program that actually results in English language proficiency to exist side-by-side with those exams.

The issue, of course, is that parents and some teachers fight viciously against any attempt to change the system. The parents think that more accurate assessment is somehow 'less objective' (not realizing that the tests their children are taking now aren't even accurate or related to real-world language use, and take away so much learning time as to actually harm their overall achievement) and some teachers are afraid they'll lose their jobs if schools suddenly start doing things differently. We need to work with both groups to advocate for change and convince them that there's nothing to be afraid of.

And, as usual, immigration is a massive issue. Those of us who want to stay forever - the well-secured roots of an international Taiwan - are concerned with how difficult it still is to obtain dual nationality or even an employment Gold Card. As a friend of mine pointed out, his employer (Academia Sinica) interprets the dual nationality requirements as stated to mean "we'll do what we need to do to get your application through when you get tenure". Imagine having to be a tenured professor at Academia Sinica before you can even approach dual nationality as an educator! Making it easier to move here and work is important for new immigrants; dual nationality is a core concern of us long-termers. Without it, internationalization can't happen, as we'll always be outsiders.

The downside of the meeting is that a lot of the issues discussed - low pay, lack of career opportunities for foreigners etc - are not easily solvable by the government. Even if they were, there's an entire legislature to convince. Two progressive legislators and the NDC are a good start, but it's not the end. There's a lot to be done and simply "this doesn't work! We can't get good jobs!" isn't something that can be specifically targeted, especially when locals are also struggling in a slow-growth economy.

The upside is that, again, it's huge that the meeting happened at all. People in government are interested, and listening, and that's more than I could say even three years ago. (And for us foreigners, is a big reason to support the Tsai administration). That's something, and we need to turn it into something real.

An internationally-recognized English teaching certification course is now available in Taiwan!

Trinity CertTESOL is coming to Taiwan!

As a teacher trainer myself, I'm very excited about this. One of the biggest flaws in the industry of English-teaching workhouses and abbatoirs here is that, once here, if you don't already have a basic pre-service teaching certification, it's difficult to get one as there were no offerings in Taiwan. No Trinity CertTESOL, no CELTA: two of the only - if not the only two - internationally-recognized programs that include practicum hours. And, as a teacher trainer, the only two that I can personally wholeheartedly recommend.

In addition to tuition fees, that meant leaving the country for a month (and losing a month's worth of income, if you could get the time off at all) and paying all associated costs with living in another country for that month - possibly as well as rent back in Taiwan. I know it was a huge financial burden when we went to do CELTA in Turkey.

Now, that's no longer necessary: on November 5th, a part-time (Monday-Friday, 9:30-13:30) certification course is finally available locally! If you can be free in the mornings, you don't have to leave Taiwan or stop working.

Trinity is equivalent to CELTA, which means that it will be useful to you even if you leave Taiwan. Having not only been through CELTA but also Delta and in the middle of a Master's program in the same field, I can say that it's worth it. The curriculum is sound - and I'm a teacher trainer who has completed an equivalent course herself, I would know - and the practicum hours set it apart from weekend or online courses. You will certainly become a better teacher because of it, if you take what you learn from it and incorporate it intelligently and thoughtfully to the classroom while developing your own style.

It's also important to remember that these certifications aren't meant to create insta-teachers or classroom superheroes. Nothing can do that except experience, reflective practice and consistent, high quality professional development. They are pre-service programs, which means they are open to people who have never taught. They aren't even meant to give you all the skills a professional needs: entire multi-year teaching programs exist for that, and not even they can accomplish it. They're meant to give you the fundamentals you need to be competent in the classroom as a novice teacher, or to improve your practice as a current teacher, with the assumption that you will receive further development and institutional support from your employer (how much institutional support you are considered to need post-certification will vary). They are stepping-stones to higher-level in-service teaching degrees. They get you on the track - they're not the end of the road.

You may be wondering how such a certification can help you in Taiwan. I admit that's a real problem here: the complete lack of any sort of qualifications needed to be a "teacher" in Taiwan, and how certifications are generally not rewarded well, which feeds the cycle of mediocrity and poor teaching practice.

But, better jobs in Taiwan do exist. There are fewer of them, but they are generally only open to teachers who have these certifications, or at least, those who do get their resume pushed to the top of the pile. These jobs tend to be more professional and pay better (though I wouldn't say they are wonderful - almost no job in Taiwan is). You may be frustrated that at Happy Oxbridge Engrish Scholar's Acadamy, you won't get a raise for doing this program, and I'm sympathetic to that.

But, better places to work will actually consider you seriously if you do, and that will come with better pay and other perks, like the ability to request more time off (unpaid) or more time off in total (perhaps paid).

Oh, yeah, and you'll just be a better teacher for it.