Some students have parents who speak English fluently and practice with them at home while other students have immigrant parents who speak a language other than Mandarin as their first language, meaning their child is learning English as a third, or even fourth (or fifth), language. Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in Taiwan, but Taiwanese (Hokkien) and many Indigenous languages, such as Tsou or Hakka, are also prevalently spoken in the South. These many layers of culture and language often become apparent in the classroom where students are learning yet another new language: English. The prevalence of English in every public school in Taiwan is mainly due to a government plan called the “Bilingual 2030 Policy” which aims to enhance English proficiency across Taiwan as a whole through investment in English education programs. The Fulbright Program in Taiwan is run through an organization called FSE (the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange), and has received increased government support and investment in recent years as part of Taiwan’s commitment to its "Bilingual 2030" plan.
Despite these intense realities, Taiwanese education is certainly not all testing doom and gloom. Taiwanese students also experience a large amount of freedom and independence in comparison to American students. Schools are open concept and mostly outdoors. There is generally no worry of school shootings or violence towards students here, so safety protocols in the school environment are fairly minimal. I remember overlooking the school grounds one day and seeing 2 girls walking alone outside in the middle of the school day.
