Experience a “Fresh” Kaohsiung Meet William and Shiela / 高雄鮮體驗 認識William 和Shiela
Experience a "Fresh" Kaohsiung
Meet William and Shiela
◎Text by Hsin-yi Peng
◎Photo Courtesy: William and Shiela
The "International Village English World" is Kaohsiung City's English education project in 12 elementary schools for 5th and 6th graders. On the eve of Halloween, the students had a chance to experience the fun of Halloween with the help of their Taiwanese and foreign teachers, making Halloween masks, wrapping mummies, and hanging doughnuts on a rope for a game. Through diverse curriculum and everyday scenarios, Kaohsiung City Government hopes to inspire students to become interested in learning English.
The Education Bureau, in cooperation with the Fulbright Foundation for Scholarly Exchange, recruits Fulbright Fellows as co-teachers to teach English in the 12 elementary schools that are part of the "International Village English World". In the International Village, there are simulation hotels, restaurants, and an airport for the children to practice, so that they will no longer be afraid to speak English. For the schools that are not part of the "International Village", the Education Bureau has scheduled "International Village study
Tour camp", which will
Allow an additional 17,000 students to come to the International Village this year to interact with the American teachers and gain more language skills.
The foreign teachers arrived in Taiwan at the end of August and their co-workers are very impressed with their enthusiasm for teaching. William and Shiela are two members of the current team and they are here to share with us their experience in Kaohsiung.
William Billy Fong just graduated from the Colby College. He said he was thrilled to have the opportunity to come to Taiwan and teach, as well as learn about the education system in Taiwan as he gains more experience in teaching. William was assigned to Zuo-ying Elementary School to team with Ms. Chun-yao Fang as co-teachers. Together, they teach English to children between 3rd and 6th grades. William said that he used the website YouTube as a tool for the students to practice their listening comprehension and expressions. His hope is for the students to learn more about the respective cultures of Taiwan and the US, but most importantly, he wants the students to speak with self-assurance, to understand the purpose of learning English, and to increase their confidence in learning English.
The students who attended the "International Village study tour camp" actually practiced beforehand; William remembered one particular incident when he was role-playing as a cashier in the International Village supermarket. He was practicing the conversation with a student when the student unexpectedly took out a home-made coupon! William cracked up right then and there. He enjoyed seeing his student showing their efforts in learning, and that's where most of the fun of this teaching assignment comes from.
William is very impressed with the convenience of life brought by the Kaohsiung MRT. A native of New York, he loves to go shopping on the streets. He arrived in Kaohsiung in August, but already he shops like a native and says that he will "definitely not miss the anniversary sales"! He likes the beach and lighthouse of Cijin District and he strongly recommends the charcoal grilled calamari, a specialty delicacy of the area.
Another teacher here to share her experience is Shiela Lee. She started working in Hua-shan Elementary School only a few months ago, but already she is very close to the faculty and the students, who address her as "Teacher Shiela". Shiela said she is very grateful to the faculty and students of Hua-shan Elementary School. The teachers and students made the transition to Taiwan very easy because they were so welcoming. For that reason, Shiela considers Hua-shan Elementary School the most charming place in Kaohsiung, along with Love River and Cijin District.
Shiela remembered her astonishment when she saw the long lines of motorcycles on the road in Kaohsiung, which is a sight she could not even begin to imagine in her hometown in Colorado. She also shared the memory of her first time sitting as a passenger on a motorcycle, she was so nervous that she squeezed her rider with both arms at full strength. Such unique experiences have left deep impressions in her Taiwan experiences. Shiela likes the convenience of traveling in Kaohsiung City; she hopes to learn more about the customs and traditional holidays and festivals in Taiwan.
Shiela mentions that there are many students with different skill levels that come to the village. When Shiela sees students at English Village, she has to be creative to address the different skill levels. And, she wants to improve the confidence in her students' speaking ability. She likes to teach English through everyday life, such as making Halloween masks, and letting the students learn a different culture through games and experience the fun of learning.
高雄鮮體驗
認識William 和Shiela
◎文／李大衛
◎照片提供／方家樂、李詩媚
高雄市12所設有「全球村英語世界」(International Village English World)國小5至6年級學生，在12位台灣籍和外籍教師搭配進行協同教學下，於萬聖節前夕，動手製作萬聖節面具、包裹木乃伊和串在繩上的甜甜圈等萬聖節相關活動。高雄市政府教育局希望透過多元且生活化的英語情境教學引發學生們的英文學習興趣。
教育局透過與美國傅爾布萊特基金會合作，聘請傅爾布萊特青年得獎人進駐全市12所設有「全球村英語世界」的國小１年，擔任小學協同英語教師，在全球村裏模擬旅館、餐廳、機場等各種情境，讓小朋友們不再害怕開口說英語。對於沒有設置全球村的學校，教育局則安排「英語村遊學體驗營」的方式，預計今年會有17000學生到英語村與這群美籍教師實地互動、學習。
這群外籍老師於今年８月抵台，和他們一起合作的工作夥伴相當稱許這群充滿教學熱忱的老師們，團員中的William和Shiela與大家分享他們在高雄的感受。
剛從Colby College畢業的方家樂(William Billy Fong)表示他很高興能有這個機會到台灣教書，吸收教學經驗，同時了解台灣的教育系統。方家樂被分配到高雄市左營國小，與方瓊瑤老師搭配進行協同教學，教導三到六年級的學生英語。方家樂說他會利用YouTube網站來訓練習學生們的聽力以及表達能力，他希望能讓學生對於台灣跟美國文化能有進一步的認識，更重要的是鼓勵學生勇於發言，讓他們了解學英語目的，增加他們對於學習英文的信心。
前來英語村遊學體驗營的學生事先都經過充份的練習，方家樂談起有回他在全球村扮演超市收銀員的角色，與學生練習對話，學生們出奇不意的秀出一張自備的折價卷，讓他笑翻天，學生們的用心讓他覺得這份教學工作真的很有趣。
他相當稱讚高雄捷運帶來便利的生活，家住紐約的方家樂很喜歡逛街，儘管８月才到高雄，他已經逛到熟門熟路，還樂此不疲地說：「一定不會錯過週年慶的！」除此，旗津的烤小卷是他強力推薦的美食，他也很喜歡到旗津海灘和燈塔遊玩。」
另一位在華山國小服務的李詩媚( Shiela Lee)，她到華山國小才幾個月，卻已經跟華山的全體員工和學生打成一片，學生們都叫她Teacher Shiela，李詩媚說她非常感謝華山國小全體師生的協助，讓她很順利地適應初到台灣的轉折期，也因此，李詩媚說對她而言，龍華國小跟愛河、旗津一樣，都是她心中高雄最迷人的地方。
談起她第一次到高雄看到長龍般的機車，壯觀的機車場景讓她驚訝不已，因為在她的故鄉科羅拉多看不到這樣的場景，她還提起第一次被載在摩托車上，她緊張地緊緊箍住載她的人，這樣特別的經驗深深烙印在她的台灣經驗裏。她覺得高雄市到哪都很方便，她希望利用這一年可以多了解台灣的風土人情和傳統節慶。
李詩媚表示，前來全球村體驗的學生每個人的英文程度都不一樣，因此，李詩媚說面對學生時她必須更有創意地調整教學內容，以達到因材施教的目地。除此，李詩媚也希望能提升學生「說」英文的自信。李詩媚希望藉由生活化英文學習機會，比如製作萬聖節的面具，讓學生從遊戲中認識不同的文化，體會到學習的樂趣。