Saturday, May 14, 2016
His Life: Introduction of Teacher David Temple
1. You have taught many immigrants in your job as a teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Where have most of your students come from? What were the main differences among them?
Response: In almost forty years of teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) I have met thousands of youngsters from all over the world. Of course, all of the students I have taught in Taiwan for twelve years have been speakers of Chinese. I have not yet had the pleasure of teaching aboriginal students. Over all, students in Taiwan have shown more respect than students I have taught in America; perhaps it is your Confucian upbringing and respect for teachers that makes this so. In New York City,where I taught at two high schools and a junior high school for twenty-five years, the students came mostly from the Caribbean Islands, South and Central America, Eastern Europe (Russia, Albania and Azerbaijan) and Southern China; mostly Fujian and Guangzhou, but also from Vietnam and Cambodia. The last ten years saw a great influx of students from Bangladesh and Pakistan. Most ESL students were well-behaved when they first immigrated to the U.S. but they were quickly influenced by "homegrown" kids; kids born in the U.S. who were generally naughtier and less interested in educating themselves; there was a lot of peer pressure to be "cool" and many immigrant students dropped out of school, some of them to get jobs to help out their poor immigrant families.
What is the difference between teaching ESL/EFL to children or adults? Could you explain how you would teach them?
Response: Children have less interference from problems of daily life, such as earning a living or dealing with family problems. Children are biologically faster to acquire second language skills, and are capable of speaking it without an accent so long as they begin learning before puberty when changes in the brain structure make it difficult to lose an accent. The Natural Approach to Language Acquisition, where a child first learns to understand a second language before having to talk, read, or write, can be employed with youngsters. For adults, who require more direct and faster results, the Natural Approach is compromised by educational systems or bushiban business. When language learners are required to have language arts and spelling skills, the acquisition process is slower. However, the biggest hindrance to teaching adults English is undoing the errors "fossilized" in uncorrected instruction from past teachers; it is harder to break old bad habits than learn new ones. "Pride" hinders adults from admitting they are making errors. However, with enough time and a proper attitude towards accepting mistakes by developing a monitor to correct what comes out of their mouths, adults can learn, too. For adults and children, engaging in challenging class contests and activities is the fun way to learn English.
3. How about your life in New York City? How was it and what is the difference between living there and in Taichung? Which do you like more?
Response: Naturally, I like living in Taichung, Taiwan, or I wouldn't have moved here when I retired. It is more expensive to live in NYC but the life of a teacher and student in Taiwan is more difficult than in NYC with long hours and large classes of homework to mark, and little room for creating your own lesson plans. I don't think it would have been as much fun teaching here as it was teaching in New York City. Also, teaching ESL in Taiwan is not as lucrative and protected a job as in New York City where teachers have a very strong workers' union. That, and the fact that a private English education for my four children would have been too expensive, was the main reason I left Taiwan after I moved here in 1984.
Life in NYC is more inconvenient than in Taiwan. There are more rules to follow, and the police are stricter. In Taiwan, the rules are not always enforced and the police are friendlier. For safety, NYC is more dangerous with people with guns, and more thieves and schemers than in Taiwan. On the other hand, the variety of food is better in NYC than in Taiwan.
I miss the four seasons of cold and snow in winter, heat and beach in summer, fall leaves falling, and spring flowers blooming . I also miss the clean air to breath; air pollution in Taiwan is a drawback. But, generally speaking, I like living in Taichung better than living in NYC. Though I miss my four grown children who live in America, I keep in touch with them and my good friends, thanks to the internet, free international phone calls, and on-line
Interesting Facts about Teacher David
After listening to your presentation we have come to some realizations:
1. Learning English is not confined to a textbook and tests; English is a living language.
2. Your father could fix airplanes but he couldn't fly one; we though that was interesting.
3. Your father had a large family; three sisters and five brothers.
4. You like the night markets in Taiwan with stinky tofu, cherry tomatoes with a dried plum slices, and barbecue chicken tails your favorite snacks.
Thank you for giving us your presentation. It was a good experience!
3A: Interfacing with International Organizations: Charities
Taiwan has joined many international organizations such as political, economic, charitable, environmental, health, and technological, though most are outside the auspices of the United Nations which we are no longer permitted to contribute to because of their policy that favors recognition of The Peoples' Republic of China over Taiwan's Republic of China.
Our group's main interest is understanding the workings of charitable organizations that Taiwan can contribute to or be assisted by. Do those charitable organizations really make this world better? What is the nature of their contribution?
We think World Vision (30 Hour Famine) is the best charity because we can experience second-hand the feeling of hunger that some people in Africa suffer. We plan to contribute to this fund-raiser in the future. We could donate shoes and clothing to those people but we wonder if it really helps much. We think teaching people to care for themselves is better than giving them handouts. Questions About Charities
1. Which charity do you admire the most?
Response: The best charity is the one that takes the least money for itself and directs the most money to programs for victims and people in need. The help should be unpolitical and aids all equally.
2. What do you think about the influx of refugees into a new territory?
Response: If companies are permitted to cross borders to find better opportunities to make profit, people should also be permitted to cross borders to get a better standard of living. It is especially unfair for nations that create chaos and grief for common people in other territories, militarily destroying their homes and displacing families, to then deny these refugees permission to enter their lands so they can reconstruct their lives. The U.S. was founded on immigrants from other lands. The U.S. and other countries should never deny refugees permission to settle their; refugees should be welcomed and helped because immigrants make countries great by bringing in new ideas and culture.
3.Please tell us what benefits we will get by contributing to charities.
Response: First, let me say that "charity begins at home." You must help your family grow stronger and safer before helping others. This means raising the standard of living by educating yourself and seeking out the best opportunity, and starting or joining a worker's union to improve your work environment. Once you and your fellow workers have some security, reaching out to help others in need is essential to making a great society. Most people are victims of natural disasters or government and business policies. It will bring peace to us all if we reach out and help our neighbors. It will decrease the chance of our neighbors turning to a life of crime or drug abuse, too.
4. We know charity has benefited many people, but can it make the world a better place?
Response: If the charity is non-denominational (not religious) and not political (only helping a selected group of victims) then it can certainly help make the world better. On the other hand, some charities are like big businesses; they only help themselves and people who donate to them. Some charities only help people who are the sane religion or nationality as their organizers. That is very wrong and selfish. Never contribute to a charity until you investigate who they help and under what conditions. Make sure that they don't keep most of the money contributed for themselves, then the world can become a better place.
1C: Requirements For English in Taiwan: Notes and Feedback
Team 1C Notes and Feedback
1.Do the requirements for English really help students to learn and raise their ability?
2. If so, why do many students have such poor fluency?
3. Is there a problem with the educational system?
4. Do you thin Taiwan's exams can successfully evaluate a students' English ability?
5. How can exams be improved in the future?
6. Why do Taiwanese students have lower TOEFL grades than students in Japan or Korea?
English instruction isn't only for the learning of grammar and vocabulary but to use the language for communication. If a student doesn't pass an English examination, it doesn't necessarily mean his or her English ability is poor; it may just be the test is misdirected.
Notes and Feedback
In the first half of the presentation, Mr. David Temple told us about his life in New York and Taiwan but said we might be more interested in other topics he prepared. "English is not a test; it is a language that you use. In fact, using English is important but so is the result of English tests you have to take." Perhaps we can change the focus on the tests we take instead of doing without them.
During the second half of the presentation, Mr. Temple answered questions that we had in mind:
Question: Why do women in America choose to take their husband's family name when they get married?
Response: The teacher said he wasn't sure. Perhaps they think it is good for their families. Women do have a choice to keep their maiden name. If there is inequality for women in Taiwanese society, he said, women have to keep trying and never give up to make changes.
Question: Why does there seem to be such serious racism in the U.S.?
Response: In the media (television, radio, newspapers, internet, etc.) the big business ruling class in the government influences people and puts bad ideas into our heads. They do not want people to get together and organize against them so they divide us. People follow the incorrect news thoughtlessly.
Question: Are there any "green" buildings in the U.S.?
Response: It depends on the city and area. In fact, in many ways, Taiwan as a whole is "greener" than the U.S. despite U.S. business moving many pollution factories and industry here to protect our own environment and ruin Taiwan's. Generally, Taiwan still recycles more than in the U.S. For example, while leftover food in markets and restaurants in the U.S. are discarded, they are collected in Taiwan either for compost or as food for farm animals such as pigs.
Quotes of Encouragement
1. "To understand is hard. Once one understands, action is easy." Sun Yat-Sen
2. "I walk slowly but I never walk backward." Abraham Lincoln
3. "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." Mahatma Gandhi
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Saturday, May 7, 2016
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