給家長的一封信

親愛的台灣家長們，

來自台灣安吉利國際英語評鑑的問候!

我非常的榮幸有這個機會來簡短的介紹我自己和我們的公司。擔任大中華地區、台灣和香港總監的我，對於台灣的教育，特別是英語能力的程度非常關心。雖然我來自英國，但我已經住在台灣超過18年了，這裡就等於是我第二個家。在過去的幾年裡，我曾經為台灣的學生處理過許多國際教育問題，身為英國劍橋大學國際關係的畢業生，我也非常的關心台灣社會上的所有觀點。

台灣對我有很深的影響，我也很擔心台灣近年來逐漸下滑的英語能力。在過去的五年裡，雖然在台灣有越來越多的語言學校和外籍英語老師，但在亞洲四小龍中，台灣的英語程度卻是墊底的。我相信，我們都知道英語的重要性，所以我們必須搶救台灣的國際英語水準。

許多人認為太早讓孩童學習英語，會在中文學習上帶來負面影響，而且太早給予孩童測驗，也會帶給他們太多的壓力。在台灣，許多學校一直要到小學三年級約9歲的年紀才開始讓孩童接觸英語。我個人相信，從這個年紀才開始學習英語，似乎已經有點太晚了。孩童們需要在他們開始學習新知時，就應該利用簡單的方法、不需太刻意的方式讓他們接受不同的語言。如果孩童從4、5歲開始就有正面的英語學習經驗，他們將會更快速的來學習，並了解其中的學習樂趣，並且可同時學習自己的母語和第一外語。

我們有責任來監督孩童們的成長，並了解他們學習的程度或面臨的困難點。從正面的角度來看，我們可以了解所有孩童學習上的困難，我們也可以馬上做調整。測驗，不應該用來比較或變成一種壓力，而是當孩童們達到目標時，可以成為激發、鼓勵及獎勵孩童們的媒介。最大的問題不應該是︰我們是否應該來評量孩童的英語能力，而是我們 ”如何” 去評量他們英語學習。在安吉利，我們相信一個國際的英語評鑑，是絕對必要的。從年輕時學習並從參加最基本的測驗開始，進階式的激發學習，直到成年時猶如母語般的精通英語能力之目標。

請和我，一起加入安吉利，與我們同為台灣英語教育的夥伴，讓我們共同見證其快速的進步和發展，一起幫助台灣的學生擁有一個正面的快樂學習經驗。

David Clarkson
Director of Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Macau

 

Dear Taiwan parents,

Greetings from Anglia Examinations in Taiwan.

I would like to take a brief opportunity to introduce myself and our organization. As the Greater China, Mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong Director I care deeply about Taiwan education and especially English proficiency. Though I am from the UK I have lived here for over 18 years and consider this to be my second home. I have been involved in international education for Taiwan students for many years and as a graduate of Cambridge university international relations I care about all aspects of Taiwan society.

I have a deep affection for Taiwan and am concerned for the recent decrease in English proficiency in Taiwan. There are many language schools and foreign English teachers here and yet in the last five years Taiwan has continually ranked in the bottom four Asian countries for level of English proficiency. I am sure we all agree that English is important and that Taiwan's international standing is aided through this.

Some feel that learning English at a young age will have a negative effect on children learning their native Chinese language and that testing young learners gives them too much pressure. In some schools in Taiwan learning English can start as late as elementary grade or year 3 at which time most children are already 9 years old. I personally believe this is too little too late. Children need to learn languages at a young age when the soak up knowledge and accept language differences in a simple way with out analyzing or needing to know why. If children have a positive experience of learning English starting from age four or five they will learn quickly and realize how fun it can be to learn their native language and a second language at the same time.

We have responsibility to assess their progress. To see how well they are learning or how challenged they are, as the case may be. By assessing in a positive way we can see any learning difficulties at an early age when we can make adjustments. Testing should not be competitive or pressurizing but motivating and encouraging, rewarding children for what they have achieved. The question should not be IF we should assess children's English but rather HOW we assess them. At Anglia we believe that international English assessment is essential and have worked hard to create tests that take children from the most basic of English learning to adults with near native English proficiency, in a step by step motivational approach.

Please join with me, with Anglia, as we partner with Taiwan English education providers to see the level of proficiency improved and developed. Help us to create a positive learning experience for English students in Taiwan!

David Clarkson
Director of Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Macau