To increase English speaking knowledge amongst TKU staff and to encourage a bilingual speaking environment, the Personnel Office proposed a plan for a “Staff English Training Course.” Last Friday, the office drafted out the plan which will be reviewed by the university authority. Once approved by the TKU President, the plan will be realized in the following semester.

The PO sees a pressing need for the administrative staff of the university to be equipped with the ability of using simple but competent English to talk about their work and workplace to foreign visitors. With the English training course, staff are expected to get to know their job better, and, hopefully, to develop a sense of being in an international community. The first pilot course will be attended by one of two staff members from each unit, recommended by its senior director(s). There will be 15 of them to join the class every Wednesday and Friday noon. The instructor for these classes will be Prof. Lin Yi-ti from the Department of English.

Contents of the classes should evolve around day-to-day phrases and dialogues in various contexts. Accuracy in pronunciation and fluency will be particularly emphasized at the beginning phases of the course, whereas phrases for more specific topics, such as the history of TKU, the nature and businesses of different administrative and academic functions of the university will be focused at the more advanced level. In addition to this, to possess a good command of English skills in reception, telephoning, meetings, and presentations will be one of the eventual goals of the course.

It was also agreed by the key members of the PO that participants will receive a certificate upon the completion of the course and earn an extra point in their annual employment assessment. Those who miss classes for no apparent reasons, on the other hand, will be reprimanded. ( ~Ying-hsueh Hu )