The in-service professional development workshop is held annually in January. FETs meet in the National Academy for Education Research to share their teaching experience and ideas. The three-day workshop enables FETs to reflect their teaching strategies and class management skills as well as acquire numerous efficient techniques from their counterparts.
In addition to experience sharing, FETs are also invited to have discussions about current policies on English education in Taiwanese schools and detailed plans on training more local English teachers. All of their suggestions and comments are well-recorded to be reviewed by the authorities at the Ministry of Education. This makes the workshop not only a valuable one for FETs to improve themselves but also a precious resource for the government to make English education in Taiwan better.
Every summer, new FETs from all over the world arrive in Taiwan and get together at the National Academy for Education Research (NAER) to be well-prepared for their life-altering journey in the new academic year. Newcomers are welcomed at the airport and escorted by their future colleagues to the NAER before the orientation starts.
During this five-day training, new FETs learn the general policies and curriculum for English education in Taiwan. They visit local schools to observe authentic in-class activities, exchange teaching ideas with school faculties, and build networks with veteran FETs along with school faculties. Not only is the professional knowledge for teaching reviewed, new FETs’ personal concerns, including the culture shock and language barrier issues, are also well taken care of in the orientation. The orientation also provides a walking tour for FETs to get involved with local people, foods, and culture.
From what they experience in this training, new FETs are expected to start their new teaching career in Taiwanese schools with joy and confidence.
Updated: 2021-04-09