Upon arrival in Taiwan, ALC teachers undergo two weeks of orientation and training. The first week consists of sitting in on classes and becoming familiar with our materials and method of teaching. The second week begins by teaching in tandem with an experienced ALC teacher. We have found that practice teaching is the most effective way for new teachers to identify any questions or difficulties they may have. During this period, you will be instructed in class preparation, presentation, classroom management, teacher effectiveness and the particular obstacles faced by students learning English as a foreign language.
In the final days of training, you will prepare and teach classes on your own, but in the presence of a supervising teacher. At the end of each class, the supervising teacher will offer comments and suggestions.
ALC teachers are provided with an organized curriculum of books, games, flashcards, slides, tapes, tests and various outside materials. Class size does not exceed twenty students.
80% of the Chinese in Taiwan are Taiwanese Chinese, which means that their family has been living in Taiwan for approximately 300 years or longer. Although many families still speak Taiwanese at home, the official language used in the government and schools is Mandarin.
The local university offers instruction in Mandarin at their Chinese language center. Students at the language center receive ten hours a week of one-on-one instruction. For those who prefer greater flexibility in choosing their instructors or in determining the amount of instructional hours per week, private language tutors can easily be arranged.