An evaluation of junior high school English textbooks in Taiwan
An evaluation of junior high school English textbooks in Taiwan.
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1. Introduction
1.1. Background
In order to keep up with the trend of globalization, the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan had to outline some proposals for educational reform, including several proposals for the area of English language instruction. Educational reform in the country started in 1997 and is still an ongoing project at present. According to the Nine-Year Integrated Curriculum Guidelines, the MOE initiated a new curriculum based on the Education Reform Action Plan for elementary and junior high schools in Taiwan in 1997 (MOE, Taiwan 2004). For years, English language instruction in Taiwan had been designed to begin in the first year of junior high school. However, with the Nine-Year Integrated Curriculum, English language instruction was advanced to fifth and sixth grade in 2001 and to third and fourth grade in 2005 (MOE, Taiwan 2004; MOE Taiwan 2006). The second change in educational reform was the opening of textbooks for elementary and junior high schools to non-governmental publication. Previously, all textbooks were designed and published by the National Institute for Compilation and Translation. At present, textbook policy in Taiwan has shifted from a unified editorial system to an open examination and appraisal system (Huang 2005).
The MOE of Taiwan (2004) has announced the newest curriculum guidelines for elementary and junior high school. In the English Language Study Area, English learning has been divided into two stages--elementary school and junior high school. The elementary school stage starts at third grade and ends at sixth grade. The junior high school stage, extending from the elementary school stage, starts at seventh grade and ends at ninth grade. There are three curriculum goals for elementary and junior high school students. The first one is to foster students ' basic communication abilities and enable them to use the
Link to this page
1. Introduction
1.1. Background
In order to keep up with the trend of globalization, the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan had to outline some proposals for educational reform, including several proposals for the area of English language instruction. Educational reform in the country started in 1997 and is still an ongoing project at present. According to the Nine-Year Integrated Curriculum Guidelines, the MOE initiated a new curriculum based on the Education Reform Action Plan for elementary and junior high schools in Taiwan in 1997 (MOE, Taiwan 2004). For years, English language instruction in Taiwan had been designed to begin in the first year of junior high school. However, with the Nine-Year Integrated Curriculum, English language instruction was advanced to fifth and sixth grade in 2001 and to third and fourth grade in 2005 (MOE, Taiwan 2004; MOE Taiwan 2006). The second change in educational reform was the opening of textbooks for elementary and junior high schools to non-governmental publication. Previously, all textbooks were designed and published by the National Institute for Compilation and Translation. At present, textbook policy in Taiwan has shifted from a unified editorial system to an open examination and appraisal system (Huang 2005).
The MOE of Taiwan (2004) has announced the newest curriculum guidelines for elementary and junior high school. In the English Language Study Area, English learning has been divided into two stages--elementary school and junior high school. The elementary school stage starts at third grade and ends at sixth grade. The junior high school stage, extending from the elementary school stage, starts at seventh grade and ends at ninth grade. There are three curriculum goals for elementary and junior high school students. The first one is to foster students ' basic communication abilities and enable them to use the