TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Education (MOE) on Monday (June 24) announced that 75 Americans will serve as teaching assistants at junior high and elementary schools as part of an English instruction scholarship program. 

To promote Taiwan's Bilingual 2030 policy, the MOE will introduce 75 American teaching assistants starting this August. Through after-school clubs, sports, accompanied reading, and camps these assistants will help create an immersive English learning environment for elementary and middle schools. 

Since the 2021 academic year, the MOE and the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (Fulbright Taiwan) have promoted the English Teaching Flagship (ETF) Scholarship Program. Over the past three academic years, 203 fellows have been introduced, serving 221 elementary and middle schools. 

Schools apply for the program, and the teaching assistants then fill out their preferences, with priority given to rural schools.

Peng Fu-yuan (彭富源), director of the ministry's K-12 Education Administration, told Liberty Times that these teaching assistants are all graduates from American universities or graduate schools. Preference is given to those with education-related majors, previous teaching experience in Taiwan, or those holding teaching certificates.

Peng said the teaching assistants are quite "down-to-earth." For example, at Tainan’s Jiaba Elementary School, ETF assistants facilitated discussions on Taiwan’s ecological conservation and endangered animals such as the Formosan black bear, green sea turtle, and purple crow butterfly.

At Hsinchu County's Beipu Elementary School, the English teaching camp centered on a spring theme. The American teaching assistants led students in sculpting flowers out of clay, tasting seasonal fruits, and understanding the characteristics of spring through English.

In Nantou, the American assistants combined the elements of "sun, moon, and lake" with games to introduce animals from both Taiwan and the U.S. in English. They also made American-style smores made from toasted marshmallows and chocolate sandwiched between two graham crackers, enabling Taiwanese students to experience American culture. 

Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said language is a tool for showcasing Taiwan's industries and academia, and the cultivation of English proficiency should be integrated into daily life. Cheng said the MOE will steadily promote bilingual education policies. 

Chang Hsin-wu (張信務), president of Taiwan's Secondary and Elementary Principals' Association, also praised the program, noting it helps create bilingual environments in elementary and middle schools.