Taiwan
Visiting Chinese Language Assistants Program
Background:
Taiwan
is world-renown for Chinese language teaching and learning. In order to promote
international educational exchange, the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan,
in cooperation with State school districts in the U.S., sponsors the “Taiwan
Visiting Chinese Language Assistants Program” and implements
training programs to help prepare teachers and assistants for teaching posts
overseas.
This
program encourages Taiwan’s professional Chinese language teaching
assistants to teach in American school districts. The teachers are highly
qualified, having attained undergraduate or postgraduate degrees, as well as
certificates for teaching Chinese as a foreign language, issued by the Ministry
of Education in Taiwan. The assistants have all
received professional training and will complete their undergraduate or
postgraduate degrees on return to Taiwan.
The general
practice of the program is outlined as follows:
I Application Procedures:
Interested
school districts submit requests for the program to the nearest Taiwan
representative office (TECO), which will be forwarded in turn to the Ministry
of Education in Taiwan. These requests should include the following details:
job description with qualifications, Chinese program overview, curriculum,
teaching hours, salary, hiring period, application deadline, etc.
Upon
approval from the Ministry of Education, the request for eligible Chinese assistants will be forwarded to the appropriate agencies for selection
and recommendation. The recommended candidates’ applications will then be sent
to the inquiring school district for approval. If possible, interviews may be
arranged in Taiwan via phone or over the internet, for example.
II Provisions from the Participating U.S.
School District
(1) The
U.S. school district pays the assistant’s salary in accordance with
the teacher salary schedule and other relative regulations that apply in the
school district. In the case of assistants in districts where no such salary
schedule applies, it is suggested that the U.S. school district considers
offering a living allowance.
(2) The
U.S. school district assists the assistant in obtaining their U.S.
visa.
(3) The
U.S. school district offers the assistants professional teaching
counseling upon arrival.
(4) The
U.S. school district helps the assistants prepare for any state
teaching certificate exams that may be applicable.
III Grant from the Ministry of Education:
The
grant from the Ministry of Education includes:
(1)
The pre-departure training program, which all assistants must complete
before they leave Taiwan.
(2)
Round-trip airfare.
(3)
An exceptional living allowance of up to US $600 per
month to cover minimum living costs is available for assistants only and
awarded on a case by case basis.
IV For further information, please contact:
Education Division, TECO in Houston
E-mail: houston@moetw.org
Tel: (713) 871-0851
Fax:(713) 871-0854
