[ LETTER ]

While I appreciate that Gerhard Erasmus, an expert in Taiwan’s educational field, took the time to respond to my letter, I would like to clarify what I said.

The phrase “children are like sponges” was meant to highlight something specific: Someone exposed to a language continuously from a young age would generally have a much stronger grasp of it by adulthood than someone with little or no exposure who has to begin learning it at an older age.

Research on additional-language acquisition has consistently shown the importance of sustained exposure to a second or additional language. That does not mean there are not challenges that also need to be recognized and addressed.

If Taiwan develops a genuine bilingual education system from a young age, students would enter university with a stronger foundation in Mandarin and English. They could continue their education in Taiwan, primarily in a Mandarin environment, while developing the ability to understand and use increasingly complex academic concepts in both languages.

That is very different from expecting university professors to bring students up to a required level of English before they can teach their subject using complex English.

I did not state that Taiwan should simply copy Ontario’s French-immersion system. I used it as an example of how students can receive substantial education in a second language while continuing to learn and function in their primary language. Ontario demonstrated that students can continue into fully French-language universities and programs. Experts, such as Erasmus, could take what they learned from Canada and other countries and develop a uniquely Taiwanese public bilingual education framework.

I also did not state that someone with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate is academically or professionally equivalent to a fully certified teacher, such as someone with a Bachelor of Education or a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages qualification. My point was that Taiwan already has a pool of local and foreign English-language teachers with degrees, English proficiency and classroom experience. Some might have exceptional teaching ability. Rather than dismissing teachers because they do not yet possess every qualification required by the Ministry of Education, Taiwan could invest in those who demonstrate the ability and willingness to become more qualified teachers.

Bilingual 2030 needs a proper structure from primary education through secondary and higher education to become a reality, and I see professionals such as Erasmus and from other disciplines making this a reality.