English conversation course needed for elementary schools

Educational institutions here generally lack the resources to offer students satisfactory training in listening and speech. Consequently, the columnist asserted, such a policy as recommended by scholars above, will only result in inequality in education by depriving many highly motivated and yet underprivileged students of their opportunity to receive better education as well as dampening their zeal to pursue advanced studies abroad.

The writer's argument does have some justification. The significance of enhancing the student's ability in listening comprehension and speaking, however, should not be ignored. Since teaching English grammar and vocabulary and teaching how to speak the language differ considerably in nature and methodology, it is, therefore, suggested that conversation courses, apart from regular programs, should be offered at elementary schools so that children may have the best opportunity to learn to speak good English in the early years of their lives when they have the highest capacity for learning.

Discrepancies do exist between urban and rural areas in almost all aspects of human affairs, and education is certainly no different. But, apparently, a responsible government should not treat any group of its residents as “second-class citizens” by providing them with inferior education for any reasons. Thus, the Ma Ying-jeou administration must find ways to staff all elementary schools, wherever they are, with capable English teachers.

All governments in the world have the duty to give all its citizens the best education possible with equal opportunities. It may mean that the authorities concerned need to spend more money on education.

In the case of English teaching in Taiwan, the Ma administration must be ready to bear the increasing cost of hiring more qualified instructors for far-away areas, particularly those with expertise in teaching English conversation, as well purchasing the expensive equipment necessary to support the program. Therefore, the current policy of indiscriminate and staggering spending on free lunches for students should be reconsidered with the money thus saved to subsidize comprehensive and high-quality English-teaching programs for all those who need them.

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