Teaching English in Taiwan

Cultural Differences

Most schools are privately owned, with parents paying tuition and exerting substantial influence on curriculum and school policies. A great deal of focus is on academic performance, even at a very young age. Sometimes a student's poor performance is seen as the result of shortcomings of the teacher. The main goal of much of ESL programming is for the child to quickly demonstrate the ability to say something in English; little emphasis is placed on genuine learning. For example, young students sometimes memorize a book instead of actually learning how to read.

Taiwanese students are usually respectful in class, but may not always be so with a teacher who is a foreigner. Problems can arise because Taiwanese children are unfamiliar with the more relaxed and open style of foreign teachers. To ensure class discipline, it is important at the outset to explain your expectations and the rules that students must follow. Support staff should be in place to help, and they should be used when a Chinese-language speaker is required. Trying to regain control in a confrontational or challenging manner is not effective. Adult classes will offer different kinds of challenges: students are older and often come to class tired from a long day of work.