Parents’ attitudes toward the english education policy in Taiwan

Taiwan, like many other countries in Asia, introduced considerable changes in English education policy in response to the need for English communication in the global market. During the process of implementing the new English education policy, the Ministry of Education (MOE) of Taiwan encountered several problems. Although researchers have examined other issues concerning the implementation of the English education policy, such as the shortage of trained English teaching personnel, the selection of textbooks and the difficulty of teaching a class of heterogeneous learners, parental attitudes toward or expectations for the English education policy itself remain unexplored. Parental opinions about English education and the extent to which parents support English education reform play a large role in the success of the implementation of the policy and are important factors for the government to consider when shaping future education policies. The perspectives of parents, therefore, should be included in a research-based examination. This study surveyed the opinions of Taiwanese parents on current English education policy and practice.     

HIV/AIDS School-based Education in Selected Asia-Pacific Countries

This paper describes findings from a recent UNAIDS-funded study of how education systems in selected countries in East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific are responding to HIV/AIDS-related education. Data were collected by means of postal questionnaire and key informant interviews in Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Vietnam. Sources of information varied but included ministries, non-governmental organisations and other interested bodies. Findings suggest that the education provided is largely information-based, but with a developing emphasis on life-skills such as assertiveness and negotiation. Specific sexual practices are rarely discussed in the region's schools, except in a somewhat mechanistic way, focusing mainly on human reproduction and anatomy. However, those countries most affected by the epidemic are beginning to re-think their approaches. An increasing openness about sexual and drug injecting practices, and how to communicate these issues with young people, is beginning to become apparent.     

Imagining school autonomy in high-performing education systems: East Asia as a source of policy referencing in England

Education reform is increasingly based on emulating the features of ‘world-class’ systems that top international attainment surveys and, in England specifically, East Asia is referenced as the ‘inspiration’ for their education reforms. However, the extent to which the features identified by the UK Government accord with the situation within East Asia is problematic. This paper examines the relationship between the English representation and the ‘reality’ of East Asian education systems, using school autonomy as an illustrative example. We focus on Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai, which are cited extensively to legitimate policies providing greater autonomy for schools in England. We argue firstly that the English representation has been largely discursive and inaccurate; has failed to recognise the variations across the region; and has been selected to endorse the Government’s ideological preferences. Secondly, the scope, form and nature of school autonomy vary markedly, and are operationalised in each society in ways reflecting the prevailing sociopolitical priorities.     

Bridging East and West educational divides in Singapore

In Asia, we are witnessing an era where the pendulum of power is swaying towards the East with the rising economic strength of China and India. Singapore is at the ‘crossroads’ between the East and West of these most populous nations on earth. Although Singapore may appear the most Westernised country in Asia, she is nevertheless a multicultural Asian society. Having the most open economy in the world, Singapore is affected by the process of globalisation. This takes on an added dimension and speed as nations compete for talent and find ways to internationalise and transform their education for sustainable competitive advantage. Singapore's education system, regarded as one of the best performing in the world, offers a unique opportunity to explore the issues where East and West culture, values and systems meet. This article discusses and highlights what happens when East and West converge. In particular, the discussion will focus on the themes of East and West schism, globalisation and Singapore's aspirations to be a global hub, rankings and branding in education, and the use of the English language.     

Research and Exploration of College English Teaching

College English teaching reform has been one of the hot issues of higher education.The reform of college English teaching in recent years has made some achievements,but still there are many problems.This paper mainly focus on the following questions: What are the problems in college English teaching.The corresponding measures are proposed in this paper to address these issues.     

Typical practices of lesson study in East Asia

As countries worldwide aim to reform their education systems and improve teaching and learning, lesson study (LS), which originated in East Asia, has recently attracted great attention. In order for international educators and policy makers to better understand the history and the state of the art of LS in East Asia, this article introduces three typical models in Japan, Mainland China and Hong Kong. First, they are described with regard to their distinct features, historical origin and development, goals and objectives, mechanisms of implementation, actual achievements, and structural constraints. Their commonalities and differences are then compared, and especially how and why these differences emerge in the specific sociocultural contexts of the regions. Finally, policy implications are discussed to provide insights for the other education systems in their policy making and implementation of similar reform practices.     

Institutional barriers for adults’ participation in higher education in thirteen European countries

As the demand for international education increases, middle-income non-English speaking countries, such as South Korea, play an increasing role in hosting the world’s students. This mixed-methods study compares the different motivations and experiences of international students within and outside the East Asian region. Based on findings, this paper suggests the possibility of Korea developing its position as a regional hub for education in East Asia. It also discusses related issues such as English-Medium Instruction in Korean higher education as well as strategies for international student recruitment.     

高等教育国际化背景下的全英文课程建设

文章旨在探讨在高等教育国际化背景下,中国高校的全英文课程建设的现状、定位,以及存在的问题。中国研究型大学鼓励双语教育,设立了纯英语教学项目。全英文课程需要考虑专业、授课教师资质、教学效果、学生满意度、双语课程教材以及民族情感等多种问题。我国全英文课程尚处于初步发展阶段,需要研究和完善之处还有很多。     

Factors influencing the higher education of international students from Confucian East Asia

Higher education, especially that leading to a degree from a high-prestige university, is strongly related to social status and employment opportunities in East Asian countries. This is a consequence of both traditional Confucian attitudes to education and the social and economic changes accompanying industrialisation. Since the number of places available at high-prestige universities is limited, competition is intense. Successful entry to such a university is not only an important achievement for the future career of the student, but also a victory for the family. In contrast, failure to do so is often seen as shameful for the family, sometimes resulting in psychological problems or suicide. This background affects the international education of East Asian students, who often have a high level of family support, with correspondingly high expectations of their success. Motives for international study vary, from avoidance of the hyper-competitive domestic system, pursuit of an overseas degree as an ‘easy option’ of moderate prestige, to an expectation of more up-to-date teaching and content. Understanding this background can be a first step for Australian or other Western educators to better meet the needs of East Asian international students and to attract students from East Asia in the long term.     

大学英语“事例教学”的应用与分析

从学生实践型、教师讲授型、师生共同创造型等几个方面对＂事例教学＂这一教学方法的具体形式与内容进行了详细的阐述,并从文化知识、素质教育、引经据典、背景知识、教师现身说法、事实等几个方面对教师讲授型＂事例教学＂进行了重点解析,对＂事例教学＂中存在的诸如＂事例＂选取的质与量、师生关系、受益群体等问题进行了探讨。     

高职高专大学英语教学现状调查与分析——以贵港职业学院为例

伴随信息时代的到来,各个国家和民族间的文化交流日渐频繁。英语作为当今使用最为广泛的语言,在国际交流中扮演着重要角色。大学英语教学质量水平的高低将直接影响大学生步入社会后的英语使用情况。在当前以学生为本新型教育理念的指导下,如何培养出优秀英语方面的人才成为当务之急。以贵港职业学院为例,通过探讨当前地方高职高专大学英语教学现状和面临的问题,提出教学改革的思路。     

东亚货币合作的新发展及未来前景

经济全球化和区域金融一体化的迅速发展,给东亚地区提出了一个现实的紧迫课题:作为世界经济的重要一极,东亚各国有必要加强本地区内的金融协调与合作,东亚区域货币面临着重新整合的必要与趋势。本文从东亚货币合作的发展状况和特点出发,分析了东亚货币合作的原因及其可行性,以此为基础提出要发展和推动东亚货币合作,应当走先建立亚洲货币基金,再实行汇率联动机制,最后过渡到东亚单一货币区的循序渐进之路。     

Exploring the lives of non‐native speaking English educators in Sri Lanka

This paper uses in‐depth interview data to explore aspects of the lives of non‐native speaking English educators working in the state education system in Sri Lanka. In so doing the research focus is on the educators themselves and the paper will discuss such issues as: careers as English teachers—motives for entering teaching, career progression, becoming a teacher educator; professional self‐development; beliefs about teaching, learning and teacher education; and the wider socio‐educational context of English teaching in Sri Lanka. It is hoped that the paper will offer insights into the development of non‐native speaking TESOL teachers—by making more visible features of practice in particular contexts—as well as providing ‘snapshots’ of teaching and learning in state systems beyond the western world which may inform thinking more broadly about international English language teaching and learning.     

4MAT教学体系及其在英语教学中的运用(英文)

Bernice McCarthy在吸收教育学、心理学、神经学及管理学等领域研究成果的基础上,于1972年创立了4MAT教学体系。该体系在西方许多国家被广泛认可和使用,历经数十年仍然受到教育者的厚爱,成为开发课程、保障教学质量的最有效的教学体系之一。其强调教学是一个探究问题、训练双脑以适应不同学习风格,以及有效开展教学评估的过程。文章在详细介绍该该体系后,结合英语教学实践对其进行示范说明,在文中展示了如何运用4MAT进行英语教学的实例。     

International education policy transfer – borrowing both ways: the Hong Kong and England experience

This paper analyses how the impact of international student achievement studies and the recent economic crisis in Europe are influencing the development of educational policy transfer and borrowing, from East to West. This is contrasted with education reform movements in East Asia, which have long legacies of borrowing from so-called ‘progressive’ discourses in the West. England and Hong Kong are used as case studies. Since 2010, England’s coalition government has prioritised its determination to look to jurisdictions like Hong Kong to inspire and justify reforms that emphasise traditional didactic approaches to teaching and learning. In contrast, Hong Kong’s reforms have sought to implement practices related to less pressured, more student-centred lifelong learning, without losing sight of strengths derived from its Confucian heritage culture. Conclusions highlight factors that underpin English interest in Hong Kong education policy, values and practice and point to the need for further attention to be given to these multidirectional and often contradictory processes by researchers concerned with the study of policy transfer.     

The role of secondary education in explaining competitiveness

The literature establishes that education drives economic performance, but the extent that education is associated with a country's competitiveness is empirically untested. Our study analyses Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data from 63 countries to ascertain education's role in explaining the competitiveness of a country. Strong correlations were found for reading and science (each 53% shared variance) and mathematics (50%). Educational achievement explains 54% of Competitiveness. Regional differences were found with East Asia performing strongly both academically and in competitiveness, ahead of Europe, the rest of Asia, and South/Central America. Anglo-Saxon countries rank second academically behind East Asia, but in terms of competitiveness, the Anglo-Saxon cluster ranks first. We show that Anglo-Saxon countries' leadership in education and competitiveness have been challenged by East Asia. Our diachronic analysis shows that together with Competitive Industrial Performance, the cultural dimensions of Uncertainty Avoidance, Long-term Orientation and Indulgence Restraint, Education contributes to improvements in Competitiveness. The strength of East Asia in educational achievement will have implications for the region's future competitiveness compared to Anglo-Saxon and European countries. Our empirical findings support theoretical arguments for education's role in driving competitiveness. For education policy, the study emphasizes the importance of investments in reading, science and mathematics education.     

建构主义教学理论对高职院校培养英语创新人才的启示

科学技术全球化和人才的全球化使得综合素质高的复合型人才成为高职院校的人才培养目标。英语作为高职学生文化素质教育的一个重要的组成部分,高职院校的英语教育更加注重学生英语实际运用能力的培养。然而事实上,高职院校的英语教育存在着很多的问题,本文以建构主义教学理论为基础,对这些问题进行深入的分析,进而提出高职院校培养英语创新人才的有效策略。     

Issues surrounding English,the internationalisation of higher education and national cultural identity in Asia: a focus on Japan

The English language is significant to the internationalisation of higher education worldwide. Countries in Asia are proactive in appropriating English for their national interests, while paying attention to associated national cultural identity issues. This article examines the ways in which the role of English is interpreted and justified in different countries in Asia, with a particular focus on Japan, as these nations attempt to internationalise their higher education within the broader processes of regionalisation and globalisation and their own nationalist discourse. Through critical analyses and discussions of Japan's two major government initiatives, the Action Plan 2003 to ‘Cultivate Japanese with English Abilities’ and the ‘Global 30’ Project 2008, the article investigates how cultural national identities are shaped, are altered and are put ‘at risk’ in policies and practices for the internationalisation of higher education and the overemphasis on English. It argues for the importance of understanding the intersections of English language policy, the internationalisation of higher education and national cultural identity and also considers how the over-promotion of English in the case of Japan has been energetically driven by the nation building agenda that tends to undermine local languages and what this might mean for internationalisation.     

Tradition, globalisation and language dilemma in education: African options for the 21st century

This paper addresses the dilemma of language in education in African countries with particular reference to Burundi. African languages are still marginalised by colonial languages such as French and English. Looking at other African countries in general and at the case of Burundi in detail, an analysis is made of the adopted policies aimed at promoting the use of the mother tongue as a basis for knowledge acquisition and cultural integration. Burundi has gone through a series of educational reforms both before and after gaining independence in 1962, with French and Kirundi competing as curricular teaching languages. After the integration of Burundi into the East African Community in July 2007, English and Kiswahili were added to the curriculum, complicating education policies. This article places particular emphasis on the contextual challenges that tend to impair the full implementation of the adopted policy reforms. The paper concludes by advocating for a multilingual approach in which the indigenous mother tongue serves as the basis for the acquisition of other languages in the curriculum.     

Beyond the polarization of pedagogy: models of classroom practice in Tanzanian primary schools

Debate on teaching in low‐income countries has tended to assume an over‐simplified conceptualization of pedagogy as either teacher‐centred or learner‐centred. If theory is to address itself to the complex challenge of improving the quality of teaching within under‐resourced education systems then it will have to move beyond this polarized view of pedagogy. This paper applies Basil Bernstein’s performance and competence modes to the findings of fieldwork in Tanzania. It thereby arrives at a more nuanced understanding of primary school teachers’ classroom practice, which allows for teachers working with a mixed palette of techniques and ideas. Bernstein’s pedagogic modes were constructed from his studies of education in Britain. Their application to the Tanzanian setting, however, highlights the limitations of analytical frameworks developed in western contexts. It is argued that appreciation and critique of pedagogy in low‐income countries could be deepened through linking with comparative literature that compares across English and non‐English‐speaking countries.