Challenges in the teaching of native southeast asian languages in taiwanese junior high and elementary schools: Analysis of supporting instructors’ perception

Hui Fen Yang, Te Yung Chang*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

The new immigrant language curriculum has been officially included in Taiwan’s education system following the 12-Year Basic Education Curriculum guidelines enforced in 2018. Accordingly, the government plans to train immigrants from Southeast Asia to teach their mother tongue. The trained immigrants will then be hired by junior high and elementary schools as supporting instructors. This study evaluated the occupational training policy for supporting instructors of Southeast Asian languages in Taiwanese junior high and elementary schools; this study employed a qualitative research design and performed purposive sampling to conduct in-depth interviews with 14 participants (seven supporting instructors experienced in language teaching and seven supporting instructors who were receiving training and had no experience in language teaching). Subsequently, these supporting instructors’ perception of challenges in teaching were analyzed. This study concluded that although supporting instructors recognized that the occupational training policy was established with good intentions, their perceived challenges concerning the policy included their deficient basic language ability and professional capacity and the lack of job recruitment transparency and job opportunities. Moreover, the following challenges concerning teaching content and practice were identified: the instructors were not vested with adequate authority for comprehensive classroom management, schools had insufficient facilities and funds, teachers lacked peer support and avenues for professional growth, and students’ learning attitude in a course was affected by their motivation to enroll in the course. Accordingly, administrative agencies should emphasize professional training for acquiring basic language abilities, improve the design of instructor training, enhance instructors’ ability to innovate their teaching by utilizing computers, establish a legal framework and relevant supplementary measures for consolidating the identity of these immigrants, and construct an open and transparent resource-raising platform. Schools are advised to improve their classroom teaching facilities and increase their financial support to such courses, thereby creating a diverse, respectful, and friendly learning environment.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-28
Number of pages28
JournalJournal of Research in Education Sciences
Volume65
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Keywords

  • Professional skills
  • Supporting instructors fluent in native languages
  • Training policy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Challenges in the teaching of native southeast asian languages in taiwanese junior high and elementary schools: Analysis of supporting instructors’ perception'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this