Using Contemporary Psychological Perspectives in Re-Understanding Taiwanese EFL Development: Observations and Implications for Tertiary Education
Title
Using Contemporary Psychological Perspectives in Re-Understanding Taiwanese EFL Development: Observations and Implications for Tertiary Education
Using Contemporary Psychological Perspectives in Re-Understanding Taiwanese EFL Development: Observations and Implications for Tertiary Education
Keywords: EFL, Psychology of Learning, Cognitive Psycholinguistics, Taiwanese EFL Students, EFL Teaching
Authors
Joseph Anthony Narciso Z. Tiangco, Ph.D.
Applied Foreign Languages Department of Shu-Te University in Taiwan
Joseph Anthony Narciso Z. Tiangco, Ph.D.
Applied Foreign Languages Department of Shu-Te University in Taiwan
Bio Data
Dr. Tiango started his career 12 years ago as an English teacher for elementary school students in the Philippines. Later he joined the Department of Psychology of De La Salle University-Manila, Philippines. Currently, he is affiliated with the Applied Foreign Languages Department of Shu-Te University in Taiwan. His research interests are cognitive psycholinguistics, psychology of learning, philosophical issues concerning language and identity, and cultural postmodernism.
Abstract
The paper argues that EFL teaching and learning in Taiwan can be enriched by integrating contemporary perspectives in psychology that deal with the areas of psychology of learning and language development to help Taiwanese college students in their study of the English language. Specifically, the first part of the paper is a discussion regarding the implications of both the Information-Processing Theory and Social-Behavioral Perspective alongside the author’s experience in handling Taiwanese students at the tertiary level. The second part of the paper focuses on the author’s recommendations with the hope of improving the plight of EFL teaching in Taiwan and in developing the general English proficiency of college students. As a whole, the paper argues for the consolidation of EFL language policies, the language curriculum, and teaching strategies within an espoused and viable theoretical paradigm other than focusing on the traditional approaches utilized in the country. This is meant to boost efforts to internationalize the human resources in Taiwan towards national and global competitiveness.
The paper argues that EFL teaching and learning in Taiwan can be enriched by integrating contemporary perspectives in psychology that deal with the areas of psychology of learning and language development to help Taiwanese college students in their study of the English language. Specifically, the first part of the paper is a discussion regarding the implications of both the Information-Processing Theory and Social-Behavioral Perspective alongside the author’s experience in handling Taiwanese students at the tertiary level. The second part of the paper focuses on the author’s recommendations with the hope of improving the plight of EFL teaching in Taiwan and in developing the general English proficiency of college students. As a whole, the paper argues for the consolidation of EFL language policies, the language curriculum, and teaching strategies within an espoused and viable theoretical paradigm other than focusing on the traditional approaches utilized in the country. This is meant to boost efforts to internationalize the human resources in Taiwan towards national and global competitiveness.
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Category: Main Editions, Volume 7 Issue 1
