Global English/Local English: The Globalization of English and its Implications for Teachers and Learners in Taiwan

Ian Clarke 1 Abstract In this article I will examine the changing nature of the relationship between power and English within the context of globalization, and the implications of this relationship for language teachers and learners in Taiwan. Critical theory has provided us with important conceptual tools for analyzing the relationship between language standards and power. From this viewpoint it can be seen that language learning is not simply as the acquisition of value-neutral knowledge, but as part of a discourse on legitimate and illegitimate forms of language closely related to systems of difference and power. Historically English education has been strongly associated with normative standards for correct English, related to systems of colonial and neo-colonial dominance of non-native speakers. This usage of English as an international language under Globalization is however fundamentally altering the nature and usage of the language. In a world under transformation by globalization, English will increasingly become used as a medium of communication. In a language under transformation by globalization, the nature of English will become increasingly defined through a dynamic tension between an ever-proliferating variety of localized forms, and the interaction of these localized forms in the transnational arena. This is the world in which both teachers and students in Taiwan exist and the reality to which we must adapt ourselves. Learners will potentially have to adapt to different localized standards of English dependent of their future career and general life paths. They will also have to interact with speakers of different forms of English in a transnational environment in which no single standard exists, and learn an approach to language and communication that will allow them to compensate for this. As teachers we must seek to adapt our educational styles to the challenges of this new global/local English.

Assistant Professor, Department of Applied English, Kainan University

Language and Culture, ESP in Taiwan

Wolfgang B. Sperlich * Abstract Few scholars would argue that language and culture are not connected, especially so in the historical sense. Synchronically however there is the disjuncture in that the language capacity per se has no cultural foundation whatsoever (Chomsky 1968). Nevertheless as we acquire our native and other languages there is undoubted cultural input. It is also clear that the rate of internal language change (commonly calculated at 200 year intervals) is not directly related to cultural change. In recent history cultural change has far outstripped internal language change, what with globalization and English as a global language - and the emergence of hybrid cultures that undergo rapid change. On the other hand there is an alarming rate of language obsolescence with an accompanying loss of cultural diversity. Even so, some scholars (Kwachka 1995) argue that cultures can be maintained even if the associated languages die out. Taiwan as a traditionally multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual society is immersed in the maelstrom of above mentioned changes. Language politics and policies may be reactive rather than proactive. Either way, ESP lecturers in Taiwan face a myriad of challenges and problems, as discussed in this paper.

REFERENCES Chomsky, N. (1968). Language and Mind. New York Kwachka. P. (1995). Language shift and Cultural Loss. Languages of the World 9:19-25.

Assistant Professor, Department of Applied English, Kainan University

Advance Organizers and Bilingual Subtitles on College Students Listening Performance

Li-Hung Chang 2 and Tai-Wei Wu ** Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of movie clips with auxiliary subtitling in combination with the provision of advance organizers on listening comprehension for college students. Seventy-nine freshmen and sophomores participate in this research. Forty-eight of these participants have passed the Intermediate Level (reading & listening) of the GEPT (General English Proficiency Test), whereas others have not. All participants are randomly assigned into one of the two different groups: the group with English caption only (or Group A), and the group with both Chinese and English subtitles (Group B). In the experiment, both groups first receive a Chinese translation and explanation of the vocabulary and phrases, and then they are shown two 20-minute clips of The Perfect Match. After the movie, the participants are asked first to take a series of comprehension tests, second, to fill out questionnaires, and third, to give written feedback. The findings are as follows: (1) group B performs significantly better than group A in the comprehension tests; (2) no significant difference is found between the participants who have and have not passed the GEPT in group B; (3) 94.94% of the participants believe that the advance organizers facilitate their comprehension, although the speed of the dialogue and captions is considered fast for them. The results reveal two reminders for teachers: (1) it is important for teachers to consider the proficiency levels of students before deciding on teaching material; (2) advance organizers are an effective and efficient tool for English teachers.

Keywords: Advance organizers, bilingual subtitles, proficiency level

Assistant Professor, The Department of English, National Pingtung University of Education

Graduate Student, The Department of English, National Pingtung University of Education

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Teaching Multiculturalism in the Freshman English Course

Chang-Chun Lee * Abstract The goal of teaching Freshman English in college is certainly beyond the language level. Due to the mental development of college students, it is absolutely necessary to teach them not only grammar of English but also culture perspectives of English as a second language. With the development of post colonial theory, now more the more English courses begin to emphasize multiculturalism, which hopes learners will be more sensitive to the cultural difference of their own language and English, especially when English is always regarded as a dominant international language. The purpose of this paper is hoping to lead students to learn a very important cultural issue: Globalization. As a popular topic nowadays, globalization is a very good topic for discussing multiculturalism, because of the diversity included within the term itself. The main idea of this paper is hoping to establish a dialogue between an article in the textbook and one short story, which are both related to the idea of globalization. This paper will argue that a literary work usually has three advantages over a prose article. First, short stories usually reveal or explore cultural issues in an implicit and indirect way. This ambiguity can challenge students to pay more attention to subtle cultural issues. The second is some basic elements existing in a story, such as character, symbols can offer students a new perspective to discuss culture. The third one is the life experience students can learn from a story. By comparing their own life experience with the fictional one in a story, students can have a better understanding of their own personal traits. With the intertextuality of these two texts, students will have a better understanding of multiculturalism. Key Words: Multiculturalism, Freshman English, Literature, Intertextuality

Lecturer, Department of English, National Taiwan Normal University

Student Perceptions of Learning Translation: Chinese to English and English to Chinese

Han-Shin Chen * John R. Jenkins ** Ju-Lin Li *** Yu-Chin Lin **** Man-Ming Pang ***** Abstract Translation has become the fifth principle skill in terms of language acquisition in addition to listening, speaking, reading, and writing although the use of translation as an English teaching tool has experienced a somewhat tenuous history. The processes involved in translation analyze the source languages grammatical structure to acquire the meaning of the whole text, and then translates that meaning into the target language through digesting and comprehending the target language (Perkins, 1985). As such, comprehensive translation ability is helpful in developing the students English writing and composition skills. Despite the seemingly obvious benefit of translation as a teaching tool, the study of the theories, principles, and techniques of translation has experienced a controversial history resulting in the inconsistent application of translation as a teaching tool. Because of this relative lack of theoretical knowledge compared to creative writing for example, translation is far more difficult to teach and learn than composition, in part, due to the high level of second language proficiency demanded in translation. Furthermore, translation and interpretation are two sides of one coin. Translation is the cornerstone of interpretation, and only if students make every effort to learn the principles translation will their interpretation skills become stronger through this process. Translation can be seen as a method of learning and a skill to be developed that requires a comprehensive understanding of both languages and cultures involved in the translation process. Students also need to understand the components of quality translation and use those components to enhance their language learning experience.

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Assistant Professor, Department of Applied English, Kainan University Assistant Professor, Department of Applied English, Kainan University Graduate Student, Department of Applied English, Kainan University Graduate Student, Department of Applied English, Kainan University Graduate Student, Department of Applied English, Kainan University

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The purpose of this quantitative research was to identify what perceptions students possessed concerning the importance of translation as a learning tool, determine how students solve translation problems, and to identify what tools and teaching methodologies were considered important by the respondents. Respondents answered 15 questions related to the theory, principles, and to the problem solving methods used in the application of translation techniques scaled from 1 meaning unimportant to 5 meaning very important. Thirteen demographic type questions such as gender, school attended, and age were also included in the survey. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t tests, and stepwise multiple linear regression statistical techniques were applied to the data to analysis the importance of translation for English majors as perceived by the respondents. Differences between gender and school attended were analyzed using independent sample t tests to compare means. Also, linear regression analysis was used to identify variables that significantly influence how important the respondents considered translation for English major students. The 133 respondents were involved in a class size interview format where they were guided in answering the survey questions. Students from the Applied English Departments at one university and one technical college enrolled in 5 different translation classes participated in the survey. All of the respondents have studied English for 6 years or longer. The results of the data analysis indicate that students have a poor understanding of translation theory and the essential components of quality translation. Furthermore, the results indicate that students do not take personal responsibility for their learning, but depend too much on the teacher and class lectures from which they learn translation skills and the English language. The results are alarming in the sense that students appear to be unmotivated to make a serious effort in learning English or learning translation skills while depending on classroom instruction only to improve their English and translation skills. Key Words: Language barrier, Translation teaching methods, Interpretation, Source language, Target language, Geographical barrier, International language

Mathematical Equations in English: An Important Element of ESP for Engineering Majors

Carol Troy * and Syou-Rung Tsau ** Abstract Practical constraints on ESP curriculum developers dictate that they adopt shared vocabulary targets rather than addressing the needs of client departments on an individual basis. Recent research has questioned a key tenet of L2 vocabulary acquisition, that lists of words which are frequent across all academic disciplines can serve this purpose. This raises an important question, whether it is possible to construct core vocabulary lists to serve learners in a narrower range of disciplines, such as closely related fields of engineering. We propose common subject matter, such as the mathematical content that is common to engineering curricula, as a source of core vocabulary. As an illustration, we describe Mathematical Equations in English (MEE), a core vocabulary module currently used in engineering ESP courses at Da-Yeh University. We describe the design of the MEE module in detail and point out directions for further work.

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Lecture, Department of the English Language, DaYeh University Associate Professor, Department of the English Language, DaYeh University