Taiwanese Elementary School Research Articles

Challenges in implementing English-only instruction: Insights from EFL student teachers in Taiwan

English-only instruction is promoted intensely by the Taiwanese government as an effective method to enhance students’ English language skills in primary schools. Determining how to effectively employ English-only instruction is a major concern for many English educators and authorities in Taiwan. This study explored the challenges encountered by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) student teachers in their English language proficiency while providing English-only instruction in an English language teaching practicum at a Taiwanese elementary school. A qualitative research design was employed in this study. The participants of this study consisted of 11 EFL student teachers. Lesson plans, class observations, and reflective journal entries were the sources of the research data in this study. A thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data of this study. The results indicate that EFL student teachers’ English language proficiency gave them challenges while employing English-only instruction due to inappropriate and inadequate English usage, poor presentation, and infallible native speaker models. Moreover, there is no clear link between EFL student teachers’ English proficiency and their teaching effectiveness. The results also imply that the challenges encountered by EFL student teachers regarding their English language proficiency in employing English-only instruction are related to micro (classroom) and macro (Taiwanese society) relations. The results further provide insights for those involved in designing English-only instruction training programs to be more critically concerned about designing effective pre-service or in-service training programs for EFL teachers.

Building a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Program with Backward Design

Research has shown that high impact practices improve the quality of student learning, experience, retention, and academic success, particularly for underserved students. The teaching and learning practices that have been extensively tested and have been shown to be beneficial for college students include study abroad and field-based service-learning projects. In Summer 2019, a group of four undergraduate pre-service teachers at a Hispanic-serving university from the United States participated in a 10-day faculty-led Taiwan Study Abroad Program. One of the components of the program was a service-learning project – a 2-1/2-day English Language Camp in a Taiwanese elementary school. Using this study abroad program as a model, this article discusses how to develop and implement a program with the end in mind, including the respective academic preparation including the pre-travel, on-site, and post-travel assignments. The backward design framework provides instructors a planning structure and process to guide curriculum, assessment, and instruction.

Three Taiwanese elementary school English teachers’ pedagogical and collaborative practice of glocalization in CLIL lessons

ABSTRACT This case study explored three Taiwanese elementary school English teachers’ pedagogical and collaborative practice of glocalization in content and language integrated learning (CLIL) lessons. Based on the framework on English teachers’ designs and implementing glocalized CLIL lessons, the thematic analysis of the documents, observations of classroom practices and post-observation conferences, and interviews reached the following conclusion. Firstly, food was the major glocalized CLIL topic. Secondly, these three English teachers had positive attitudes towards their multimodal presentations of glocalized CLIL lessons. Thirdly, these three teachers possessed different levels of English language skills in their collaborative lesson planning. Fourthly, these teachers faced challenges in providing their learners with authentic tasks for pushed output (learners’ production of the language of learning and content knowledge for contextualized and meaningful use) and using English as the medium of instruction.

Facilitating Taiwanese Elementary School English Student Teachers’ Learning Through Text-Based Protocols

This study used online responses, observation fieldnotes, and interviews to analyze eight student teachers’ learning through text-based protocols on news analysis during their practicum, a core component for beginning teachers’ competence construction, in a language teacher education program in the northwest of Taiwan. This study revealed that student teachers regarded the text-based protocols as useful pedagogical tools, particularly offering a clear focus on reading and analyzing the news. Through face-to-face and Facebook discussions on 33 news reports, student teachers became familiar with the latest policies and trends on English education, constructed their pedagogical competence in English instructional strategies, and examined the gap between policies and practice on the co-teaching model. Suggestions on effective implementation of the text-based protocols on discussing education news are provided in terms of preparation of a variety of news or issues, selection of the appropriate text-based protocols, and integration of theories on news analysis and discussions.

Relationship between digital game experience and problem-solving performance according to a PISA framework

The authors recruited 267 Taiwanese elementary school students to play digital games in order to investigate the influence of prior game play experience on problem-solving performance, with specific focuses on self-regulated learning, problem-solving processes, problem contexts, and problem characteristics. Data were acquired using a self-regulated learning scale, a game experience questionnaire, a problem-solving process evaluation instrument based on the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment, a computer-based survey focused on seven problem-solving scenarios, and four digital games. Our results indicate a positive and significant effect on problem-solving performance among study participants with seven or more years of game play experience, and positive feelings toward game learning as reflected in negatively skewed self-regulated learning scores. We also found that the “representation and formulation” stage served as a significant performance predictor, the “planning and execution” and “monitoring and reflection” stages were significant predictors of dynamic/technical problems, and the “exploring and understanding” stage was a predictor for static/non-technical problems. Our data indicate significant differences in problem-solving cognitive processes across ranges of contexts and characteristics. We believe our findings will be useful for researchers studying the potential use of digital game frameworks to measure specific learning mechanisms.

A Case Study of the Adaptive Learning Platform in a Taiwanese Elementary School: Precision Education from Teachers' Perspectives.

This is a case study on precision education (PE) in a school using the Taiwan adaptive learning platform (TALP), established by the Ministry of Education of Taiwan. TALP can be viewed as a form of PE because it can identify students’ learning deficits, offer various learning materials, and provide feedback. There are limited studies on PE. The ways in which TALP enhances teaching and learning is meaningful for educational technologies, and to help improve TALP and applications of PE. Three fifth-grade classes in a Taiwanese elementary school were selected to participate in this study, comprising a total of 76 students and two teachers. Pre/post tests and regular tests were conducted. The quantitative data were analyzed with nonparametric statistics by using the Kruskal–Wallis Test and the Median Test, which did not show significant differences. However, based on the qualitative data, teachers confirmed PE could help them identify students’ learning deficits. Further, this study suggests that TALP and PE may enhance students’ learning to identify students’ learning challenges and offer feedback. Future research should focus on a longitudinal methodology and additional PE application studies; furthermore, research should also collect students’ observations and interviews.

Taiwanese elementary school english teachers’ practice of teacher leadership in professional dialogue

ABSTRACT This study uses document, observation, and interview to analyze ten Taiwanese elementary school English teachers’ practice and exercise of leadership among other colleagues during professional dialogue and to examine what influenced the practice of leadership. This study has the following major findings. First, participants’ leadership was mainly centered on improving colleagues’ teaching and learning practices, rather than traditional leadership in terms of power and authority. Secondly, lack of time, negotiating with administrators, consensus among teachers, and expertise in English instruction affected participants’ effectiveness in leading the meetings and discussions. Suggestions on effectively exercise leadership in professional dialogue are provided.

Taiwanese novice elementary school English teachers’ perceptions of critical friends

ABSTRACT This survey research with follow-up interviews explored sixty-two Taiwanese novice elementary school English teachers’ perceptions of critical friendship models as an avenue for professional development. The major conclusions were drawn. First, these participants had consistent and static perceptions of critical friends as ‘sharing ideas and knowledge’ and ‘supporting each other’. Secondly, external factors such as teaching hours and teaching status affected these novice English teachers’ perceptions of critical friends and their motivation to be involved in this type of professional development activity. Suggestions on implications for practice on critical friendship models as an avenue for professional development were provided in terms of attributes and factors of critical friends as well as extended circles of critical friends.

Analysis of elementary school English teachers' designs and implementations of comprehensible input to output

This study analysed 31 Taiwanese elementary school English teachers' designs and implementations of inputs and outputs in a required course of an endorsement program for in-service English teachers. The analysis of the lesson plans, peers' comments, participants' reflections, and interviews reached the following findings. Firstly, participants regarded the input and output as comprehensible when they designed the dialogue on contexts relevant to their students' lives and experiences. Secondly, learners could produce comprehensible output in the tasks that were diversified, interactive, authentic, and even explained using explicit instructions. Thirdly, designing the topic-based dialogues on a meaningful context as the input and speaking tasks as the output was challenging for the participants due to their lack of competence and experience. A framework on effective designs and implementations of comprehensible input and output were provided for language teachers.

Elementary School English Teachers’ Beliefs and Classroom Practice Regarding Alternative Curricula

ABSTRACT This study analyzes interviews, observations, and documents to explore eight Taiwanese elementary school English teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices regarding the alternative curriculum, the school-based curriculum of alternative learning required courses under Taiwan’s 12-Year Basic Education plan. A conceptual framework on curriculum innovation based on empirical studies is proposed and the study has the following conclusions. A lack of congruence between government intention and the delivery in classrooms in pilot schools occurs due to English teachers’ beliefs. Four major problems are raised during the design and implementation of the alternative curriculum, including teachers’ conflicting beliefs about subject matter content knowledge, curriculum knowledge, language for instruction, and assessments. Trainings and professional learning for fostering teachers’ professional identity and competence are recommended for effective designs and implementations of the alternative curriculum.

Perceived Enjoyment and Attractiveness Influence Taiwanese Elementary School Students’ Intention to Use Interactive Video Learning

ABSTRACT Some platforms such as EDpuzzle, PlayPosit and HiHaHo, were developed to support interactive video-based learning. These programs enabled teachers to provide interactive ways to enhance students’ active engagement and participation with prerecorded video learning materials. However, little research has been done to investigate students’ intentions to use such video learning. In this study, a hypothesized model incorporated “perceived enjoyment” and “perceived attractiveness” into a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to explore the factors that influence elementary school students’ intentions to use interactive video learning supported by EDpuzzle. Data collected from 151 sixth-grade pupils at two elementary schools in North Taiwan via a questionnaire were tested against a hypothesized model by using structural equation modeling. Overall, this model predicted a 68.2% variance in behavioral intentions, and 76.4% of the students would have positive attitudes toward using EDpuzzle. The results indicated that perceived attractiveness and perceived enjoyment were determinants that should be considered in explaining elementary school students’ behavioral intentions of using EDpuzzle. Some valuable implications were discussed for researchers, practitioners and educators in understanding the determinants that could influence students to use interactive video learning in an elementary education setting.

Analysis of blended learning training sessions for Taiwanese elementary school English teachers

ABSTRACT A series of blended learning training sessions including two face-to-face and four online training sessions on professional identity were implemented among 19 elementary school English teachers in a northwest city in Taiwan. Data analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data was based on the conceptual framework on Neumeier [2005. “A Closer Look at Blended Learning—Parameters for Designing a Blended Learning Environment for Language Teaching and Learning.” ReCALL 17 (2): 163—178.] and Oliver and Stallings [2015. “Preparing Teachers for Emerging Blended Learning Environments.” Journal of Technology and Teacher Education 22 (1): 57–81.]. This study had the major findings. First, participants had a positive attitude toward the series of training sessions in terms of access to the materials, learning at their own pace, appropriate time on the sessions, amount of the workloads and assignments, and their expectations of the training. Second, participants’ status had a significant influence on their perspectives on the appropriate time that they spent on each online training session and the reasonability of the workloads and assignments. Six suggestions were discussed in order to design effective blended learning training sessions for English teachers.

The use of Communicative Language Learning (CLL) to Teach Speaking at a Taiwanese Elementary School: Implementation and Students’ Responses

Speaking is one of the important skills to master. The importance of learning speaking skills helps people to share their ideas, agreement or disagreement, compliment, and so on to others. Some students feel a lack of practice in learning English because they don't have enough support, including those in Taiwan. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to investigate how Taiwanese teachers apply CLL in speaking activities and the students' responses towards speaking activities which implement CLL at an elementary school in Taiwan. Data for this qualitative study were gathered from semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. The participants were one Taiwanese English teacher and 32 elementary school students. Data from the semi-structured interview were recorded, then transcribed. After that, themes were drawn based on the transcribed interviews. Based on the data, it was found that the Taiwanese English teacher applied CLL to teach the English language. Some activities such as group discussion and Think-Pair-Share were done. These activities were found useful because students could gain more vocabulary, a fun atmosphere created inside the classroom, and better fluency and pronunciation.

Native-English-Speaking Teachers: Do They Bring Values to EFL Learners? A Study on Listening Proficiency of Taiwanese Elementary School Students

Native-English-speaking teachers (NESTs) have not been examined to the same extent as the non-native-English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) in research. A summary of research results focusing on NNESTs was found (e.g., Moussu & Llurda in Languae Teaching, 41(3), 315–348, 2008) while no such an article can be found on NESTs. However, in reality, the presence of NESTs in English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) classrooms continues to be evident in different countries. As such, a gap exists between language teaching research and practice. This study addresses this gap by focusing on the influence of NESTs in EFL classrooms with a particular focus on learners’ listening proficiency gain. The large sample size of 1025 Taiwanese elementary school students allowed this study to compare students’ listening performance before and after receiving listening input from NESTs for 1 year using a standardized English listening test as a measurement tool. It was found that students’ listening performance improved significantly. In addition, when comparing listening proficiency of students across different geographical regions, it was found that NESTs helped improve significantly listening performance of students from the East region, an area of Taiwan known to be low achieving. As well, this study captured a dynamic pattern of listening proficiency gain when comparing learners of various proficiency levels. The results of this study suggested that the use of NESTs as a provider of listening input can be one effective method of improving foreign language students’ listening ability.

The Representation of Global Issues in Taiwanese Elementary School Science Textbooks

In today’s heavily science-dependent global society, science education should be the key to learners more fully grasping global issues. A content analysis of 24 elementary school science textbooks in Taiwan was undertaken to examine how global issues were represented. The results revealed that about half of the content was related to global issues, yet it was limited to the conventional subject knowledge of science. Most of the related units covered environmental sustainability and global systems. Multiculturalism and human rights, social justice, and conflict prevention were seldom mentioned and lacked intellectual depth. In the temporal dimension, global issues in the related units were mainly presented as existing in the present period, while there was less emphasis placed on the future or the past. Regarding the spatial dimensions, global issues in the related units were mainly presented in the classroom and family contexts, rather than in the broader social or global context. To prepare our students for an inclusive and sustainable world, science textbooks should adopt a broader perspective to include more underrepresented global issues and expand the temporal and spatial dimensions to facilitate students’ future thinking and public engagement. This study is the first step toward this goal with practical suggestions for front-line teachers and teacher trainers, and for developing science education materials that better represent global issues.

A Study of Taiwanese Elementary School English as a Foreign Language: Teachers’ Beliefs, Advantages, and Difficulties of Using Interactive Whiteboards

A Study of Taiwanese Elementary School English as a Foreign Language: Teachers’ Beliefs, Advantages, and Difficulties of Using Interactive Whiteboards

Workflow and Strategies for Recruitment and Retention in Longitudinal 3D Craniofacial Imaging Study.

Longitudinal epidemiological studies are considered the gold standard for understanding craniofacial morphologic development, but participant recruitment and retention can be challenging. This study describes strategies used to recruit and maintain a high level of participation in a longitudinal study involving annual three-dimensional (3D) craniofacial soft-tissue imaging from healthy Taiwanese Chinese elementary school students aged 6 to 12 years. The key aspects for project delineation, implementation, and the initial three-year practical experiment are portrayed in an integrated multistep workflow: ethics- and grant-related issues; contact, approval, and engagement from partners of the project (school stakeholders and parents); a didactic approach to recruit the students; research staff composition with task design; three station-based data collection days with two educative activities (oral hygiene and psychosocial interaction stations) and one 3D craniofacial imaging activity; and reinforcement tactics to sustain the longitudinal annual participation after the first enrollment. Randomly selected students and teachers answered an experience satisfaction questionnaire (five-point Likert scale ranging from one to five) designed to assist in understanding what they think about the data collection day. Measures of frequency (percentage) and central tendency (mean) were adopted for descriptive analysis. Six of seven contacted schools accepted participation in the project. All parents who attended the explanatory meetings agreed to join the project. A cohort of 676 students (336 girls) participated at baseline enrollment, with a follow-up rate of 96% in the second data collection. The average questionnaire-related scores were 4.2 ± 0.7 and 4.4 ± 0.6 for teachers and students, respectively. These 3D craniofacial norms will benefit multidisciplinary teams managing cleft-craniofacial deformities in the globally distributed ethnic Chinese population, particularly useful for phenotypic variation characterization, conducting quantitative morphologic comparisons, and therapeutic planning and outcome assessment. The described pathway model will assist other groups to establish their own age-, sex-, and ethnic-specific normative databases.

Changes in the relationship between ambient fine particle concentrations and childhood lung function over 5 years

BackgroundExposure to ambient fine particles, particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5), is a public health concern. Concentrations of ambient PM2.5 have changed temporally in the past 10 years after a series of action policies for improving air quality were implemented in Taiwan. In this study, temporal changes in the relationship between PM2.5 and lung function among children were investigated. MethodsA nationwide respiratory health survey was conducted among Taiwanese elementary and middle school students in 2011 and again in 2016–2017. A questionnaire was administered to students, for whom forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) were measured using spirometry. During the study period, monthly concentrations of ambient PM2.5 were obtained from the monitoring stations of the Environmental Protection Administration. Lung function measurements were compared with ambient PM2.5 exposure using mixed-effects models. ResultsIn the 2011 survey (mean PM2.5: 40.6 μg/m3), exposure to PM2.5 in the preceding 1–2 months was associated with a 2.2% decrease (95% confidence interval [CI]: −4.1%, −0.3%) in FVC and a 2.3% decrease (95% CI: −4.0%, −0.5%) in FEV1. By contrast, a significant relationship between PM2.5 concentrations and lung function was not observed in the 2016–2017 survey (mean PM2.5: 30.0 μg/m3). ConclusionsAs improvement in air quality over time, the negative relationship between PM2.5 and childhood lung function tend to be not significant.

Quantifying normal head form and craniofacial asymmetry of elementary school students in Taiwan

Defining three-dimensional (3D) normal craniofacial morphology in healthy children could provide craniofacial surgeons a reference point to assess disease, plan surgical reconstruction, and evaluate treatment outcome. The purposes of this study were to report normal craniofacial form and quantify craniofacial asymmetry of healthy children in Taiwan by implementing the 3D stereophotogrammetry technique. Healthy Taiwanese elementary school children (n = 652) aged 6-12 years with no known craniofacial anomaly were recruited. After the 3dMD scanning procedure, 32 landmarks were manually placed on the 3D cranial images. Thin plate spline algorithm based on landmarks and closest point matching was applied to deform a symmetric 3D template into the scale of each scanned images. Skull asymmetry and facial asymmetry were calculated using 3dMD vultus and MATLAB. Average head shape models were also presented. Overall, the mean head transverse width, height, anteroposterior length, and circumferences were 163.02, 220.79, 179.07, and 526.55 mm, respectively. On average, the skull asymmetry and facial asymmetry were 2.47±1.26 mm and 0.96±0.53 mm, respectively, with no significant (all p>0.05) differences found when comparing males and females. In the average head shape model, certain craniofacial areas on the right side were found to be more protruded than those on the left side. This study shows that the baseline craniofacial form of the Taiwanese elementary school children is asymmetric with a tendency of more protrusion of the head on the right side.

NASA Mission X Program for Healthy Eating and Active Living among Taiwanese Elementary School Students

PurposeThis study assessed the effects of an intervention program adapted from the NASA Mission X (MX) program on children's Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) knowledge and behaviors and anthropometry. MethodsThis clustered randomized control trial recruited 8 elementary schools in remote rural areas of Northern Taiwan. The intervention was the 8-week MX program. All the 3rd and 4th graders were invited to the study (n = 245). Children's weight, height, HEAL knowledge and behaviors were measured pre- and post-intervention. ResultsThe intervention group had significantly more improvements than control group in physical activity knowledge score (+0.91 vs. +0.25, p = 0.002), diet knowledge score (+0.62 vs. +0.17, p = 0.044), and score of interests in NASA and space exploration (+0.34 vs. −0.07, p < 0.0001). BMI increased from 18.4 to 18.6 (p < 0.05) for the control group but did not change for the intervention group. The changes in BMI between groups did not differ significantly. Conclusion and practice implicationsThis randomized controlled trial showed that the NASA MX program was feasible and acceptable among children in Taiwan, and improved children's HEAL knowledge.(ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03355131)