TAINAN, Taiwan.
A group of 8 students and three teachers of Li Ming High School have had an experience within the "International English Enhancement Program" in Tainan (Taiwan). The Teresian Association (TA) works in that Catholic school, run by Franciscan priests. Program activities have taken place in Manila (Philippines) from July 1-12, 2015, with great satisfaction of participants who have requested to return.
The search for a methodology that will attract students to learn English and at the same time acquire a more globalized learning that will equip them to confidently go to different places and speak in an international setting, was the starting point for Mr. Francis Luo, the School Principal, to invite us to join his teaching staff. It happened when we had just finished celebrating our 50th anniversary of our presence in Taiwan, which he and his wife attended. We took it as a challenge for us to have this “new way of being present in Taiwan” for the next 50 years. It was an unusually easy entry to a Catholic school run by Franciscan Friars. The project is assumed by TA members who reside in Tainan City – our first place of residence. We are sure that our Founder, St. Pedro Poveda has “a say” in this new apostolate for young people and to him, we especially implore for guidance and intercession.
Improving skills in English in another country
The IEEP (International English Enhancement Program) started in February, 2014, offering a special English program for students who wish to be fluent in using the language: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The contents are specially designed so that the students can acquire the language skill and also grow in their awareness of global issues and their future task to be change agents of society.
This summer project (1-12 July, 2015) was planned for these students, initially for 12 students and 3 teachers but finally only 8 students went. We aimed to offer an experience of education in another country, have a cultural exchange with other young people, grow in their ability to use the English language and acquire some skills for self-reflection.
Activities in the Philippines
To carry out those objectives, we chose to go to the Philippines, to St. Pedro Poveda College, where the Povedan pedagogy is systematically presented and followed with the values of simplicity, joy, commitment, excellence, and love among others. The main activities included joining regular classes at their academic level distributing them into 4 sections. Every afternoon, they had their own English Conversation sessions for 2 more hours to learn ordinary daily English. They also had four afternoon sessions with facilitators to discover themselves: their talents and giftedness, their capacity to establish relationship and articulate their self-worth and inner feelings using varied media.
Both in Manila and Tagaytay, they visited historical sites and experienced cultural events as well as tasted typical delicious dishes.
Volunteers in the rural area of Tagaytay
One important highlight of this summer program was their service to rural youth in Tagaytay where they shared some Taiwanese practices, learned local expressions, and taught them how to make a popular decoration using colorful “Chinese knots.”
Our last day was a visit to a Catholic parish church to experience the religiosity of Filipino, even if they themselves were not believers.
After all these exposures to a different culture and setting, our participants felt privileged to have had this opportunity which they described as “interesting,” “educative” even though they admitted that the schedule was too full. Several of them expressed having acquired greater self-confidence, appreciating their own giftedness and that of others. Their use of English has been very much enhanced aside from “acquiring more friends” and having “greater understanding of other people.” They came back remembering many positive things and cherishing happy memories which they looked forward to share with their families and friends.
From the organizing point of view, we went through very challenging moments and some logistical “nightmares” with Manila’s heavy traffic aggravated by several constructions along the roads, and the typhoon. But we concluded that it was worth all the effort and the objectives were highly achieved, more than what we imagined (average score of 12.5/15). The whole experience touched our participants much deeper than what we first envisioned, judging from their comments both in writing and orally. There is already a request to do it again next year.
By Cora Mateo, Tainan
One of the 3 accompanying teachers