Approved by Ministry of Education last week, Division of Continuing Education, TKU, is going to recruit overseas Chinese students, who want to teach Chinese in American elementary or high schools, to the “Chinese Language Teaching Program in USA.” The enrolling spans from now to May 10, 2007, and the program will start in June.
Learning Chinese is becoming popular all over the world. According to Bureau of International Cultural and Educational Relations, MOE, the American College Association has opened Advanced Placement Chinese Language courses in American high schools since the autumn of 2006, and since then about 2400 schools express the willingness to open the aforementioned courses. Teachers of Chinese language are in impending need, and many abroad Chinese in USA have informed MOE about their intention to participate via Overseas Compatriot Educational Committee, R.O.C. Hence, MOE commissions Division of Continuing Education, TKU, to organize related curriculum and initiate such a program. There are totally 26 credits for such an overseas Chinese language teaching program. During the summer vacation, from June to August, the students can attend classes in Taiwan; while between September 2007 and May 2008, the students will take classes through the web facilities of distance education. Shih Kuo-kung, Dean of DCE, remarks that by combining direct teaching with distance education, this program shortens the studying span from the normal three summers to one whole year, and such a program expand the TKU campus boundary toward overseas areas.
Director Shih adds that in addition to completing the curriculum through both methods, the students have to round off teaching practice in American local elementary or high schools. Presently, TKU is actively negotiating with her sister universities and local relative schools to foster such a license-winning program for overseas Chinese.
The charge for such a program is 3,000 NT per credit, not including the textbook expense. Overseas Compatriot Educational Committee has agreed to provide proper subsidy for the credit expense.
Those Taiwan overseas compatriots with bachelor or higher degree (GPA no less than 2.5), valid Right of Abode in USA, and proficiency in Chinese language are welcome to apply for this program. The examining committee gives priority to the applicant with State-authorized teaching permit. For related information and application form, please visit the website: [http://www.dce.tku.edu.tw]. ( ~Chen Chi-szu )
