My first few months teaching English in Taiwan have been a tremendous experience. Although I did experience a bit of culture shock when I first arrived (it takes time to adjust to everyone speaking a different language than you) the support and the resourcefulness of the staff and students have made me feel very comfortable teaching here. 

The students are terrific. They are very respectful, hard working and the fact that they see a foreigner as interesting and a little exciting makes my job easier. The one problem I have encountered is students who are uncomfortable making an effort to speak English. This is to be expected when learning any new language. It takes time to become comfortable speaking.

Although I am new to the teaching profession I have spent some time teaching in Canada and have observed a few differences in school operations. The first thing I noticed was the amount of responsibility of the students in the school. They do all the cleaning, serve each other lunch and monitor their own behavior during free time. The students are at an advantage over Canadian students in this respect as it allows them to learn to learn how to get things done on their own.

St. John Elementary School        Perth, Ontario, Canada

Another difference is the time allotted to rest after lunch. In Canada, sleeping at work or in school is frowned upon. The rest time given to the students here in Taiwan in my opinion would benefit their academic performance. How can students be expected to stay alert and learn when they aren’t given proper time to rest. Students work hard enough during the day, they deserve a small rest. That goes for teachers as well.

In my short time here I have made a few insights as to how English should be taught. Firstly, I feel it is important to make the students feel comfortable in class. One way to do this is by acting foolish. If the students see that the teacher is not afraid to act silly it helps them to relax. The students love exaggerated expressions. They are easier for them to mimic. The students have no problems working in their books.  It is the oral portion that they are uncomfortable with. This is where the use of games, chants, and songs are required. If the students are enjoying themselves they unknowingly overcome their inhibitions.  The end result will hopefully be that they will develop a better understanding of the English language.

                                                                     SANTA CLAUS