(By a 1st grader student)

Here in Tainan, kids start learning the alphabet system from 2nd grade and they will spend a year to get familiar with it. Unfortunately however, having only two classes for English per week, students here lack of chance to practice their English. At the same time, the common media available are dubbed and subtitled in Mandarin. So even though they spend a lot of time observing ‘foreign cultures’, they lack of exposure to the language itself. That being said, a number of kids in upper grades still have trouble with both written (spelling; reading) and spoken English.

Another challenge I am dealing with is the fact that the kids are not only studying English. They have other compulsory subjects they have to learn, and the last thing they want me to do is give more lessons. On top of that, some of the English sessions are hold during their recess time. As a result, before giving any session, I have to consider if it is the right level and if it is fun enough to keep them engaged. More importantly, I believe it is more important to leave a good impression of studying the language rather than making sure that they improve their English skills. My role here is to encourage them to like to learn (English).

Asia