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COMPASS MAGAZINE, April 2002

WHERE SHOULD I STUDY ENGLISH?
By Chen Ni-ang Translated by Matt Godsey and Annie Chen

When it comes to learning English, every student in Taiwan has experienced frustration at some point. Three years in junior high school plus three years in high school adds up to six years of study and, if you include four years in college, it comes to a total of 10 years. At a glance, 10 years studying a language seems like an ample amount of time to become fluent.

But, in reality, when students in Taiwan try to communicate with someone, they often find that they can¡¦t get out a complete sentence.On the positive side, there are many methods for studying English, so that everyone should be able to find one that suits their amount of free time, money, willpower and endurance.

When people in Taiwan think of studying English, the first image that usually comes to mind is the traditional English cram school.Some well-known schools are Giraffe American English School, Hess Language School, Jordan Language School, and ELSI. These traditional cram schools, with their focus on grammar, phrases and sentence structure practice, are a good accompaniment to school courses because they give students many more opportunities to practice reading and writing. From pre-schoolers to adults, there are classes available for every age and level. Most cram schools have small classes, with about six to 12 students per class, and range in price from NT$300 to NT$800 per hour.

Some cram schools feature unique philosophies and teaching styles. Mark & Elaine's Language Centre (MELC) (04-24711135) offers courses tailored to students needs. Thus, a number of class sizes and study materials are available. For example, mothers can join a course specially designed to help them teach English to their children through songs and other fun activities. In addition, for those planning to study in England, MELC offers specialized IELTS preparation courses, and is the registration center in Taichung for this test. Spontaneous Language School (04-22345686) believes in stimulating students¡¦ inner ability as a way to improve their English. Shane English School (02-23973996), on the other hand, is run by a group of English businessmen, who teach the English accent in a more formal manner.

Students can choose a one-on-one classes, to allow them more opportunities for practice. One-on-one teachers who will come to your house can usually be found through a cram school, from a classified ad, or through a friend. The rate for one-on-one classes is approximately NT$800 to NT$1,000 per hour.

Of course, to reach an ideal level of English ability, a one or two hour class is not enough, especially for some jobs and professional fields that require specific vocabularies. The traditional cram school is not well suited for this task, nor is the home tutor. Therefore, the English consulting agency was created to fill this void. The consultant or agency can help solve any type of problem your company might have regarding English.

This type of agency has no rigid lesson plan; it can adjust its curriculum to suit the specific needs of each company it serves. The teaching material might be the daily newspaper or it might be the technical vocabulary used in a certain industry.

However, as might be expected, such specialized service comes at a higher price than the traditional cram school. For example, at Columbia American English Consulting Company (0800-032020) for a one-year term the per-month rate is about NT$8,000 to NT$10,000. However, the agency is open from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and help is available throughout the day without appointment. A student can simply come in for English consultation or, if unable to come in, can call and get help from a consultant over the phone. Another recent addition which follows a similar approach is New York New York Learning Center (0800-868-869) opened by The Landis Hotel's parent company, with high-end, business-like facilities. Students pay an annual fee and may come and go as they please, joining small 50-minute classes, on a variety of topics and varying skill levels, throughout the day. There is also Internet access, movies, board games and magazines.

A do-it-yourself (DIY) method is to purchase English learning materials, including a textbook and audiocassettes, which may be used along with a radio broadcast or a class on the Internet. Studio Classroom (02-22118088) and Actual Living English (ALE) (0800-008080) are two well-known companies that provide this sort of multimedia approach to studying. The advantage of this method is that the student can choose the time and place of study. Thus, it is one of the most common methods of studying English in Taiwan.

To match the needs of different students, the materials are divided into different categories, such as travel English, survival English, and business English. The cost of this type of studying is low. Each set of materials might run from NT$500 to NT$800--quite cheap when compared to other methods of study. But, since there is no set time or location for class, this method only works for those who are very self-disciplined. More motivated students can go a step further and attend classes that go along with the materials. ALE, for example, provides a number of courses that allow people the opportunity to use English in an active setting or social events.

Another option is to go to a language exchange center, such as BIZ House (04-23194845, www.bizhouse.com.tw). for the chance to converse with foreigners face-to-face in a relaxed environment, which includes the adjacent Cosmo Cafe. BIZ House does also offer regular classes (limited to 12 per class) on weekday afternoons and evenings (focused more on conversation) and Saturday afternoons (focused on business).

With the language exchanges, however, there¡¦s no need to memorize grammar or to take tests. Students can just enjoy conversing with someone from another culture and, at the same time, teach them some Chinese. While this is not formal class study, it is a good way to practice communicating in English. Through April 30, the center is going one step further, providing free English-level evaluations in the cafe, plus a free two-hour English class, to help students better fit into a suitable program.

Of course, if students have the money, the best way to learn English is to study in an English-speaking country, such as in a short-term language program. By putting yourself in a place where you are completely surrounded by English, you can experience the lifestyle of another country and study English at the same time. UKEAS ( UK Education Advisory Service, 04-23285946) offers information and assistance to students wishing to study abroad during the summer or in a language center in the United Kingdom.

This organization also helps students apply to university programs in England.EF International Language School (02-87732222) offers a study-tour package trip, including airfare, room and board, and one or two weeks of tuition. The minimum cost is NT$80,000 to NT$100,000. The price goes up if students choose to extend their stay.

We should also note that there are many people who have reached a high level of English proficiency without using any of these methods. Perhaps they learned from singing English songs, or read page after page of English articles, teaching themselves word by word, step by step. So, self-analysis is very important. Each student should seriously consider which method best suits their needs and personality, so that learning English becomes a fun and natural part of life.

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