The Study in Taiwan E-Newsletter August Issue

The Covid-19 pandemic has severely limited opportunities for face-to-face learning, so learners require access to a wide range of high-quality learning materials through digital platforms. In the August issue of its Study in Taiwan e-newsletter, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Australia introduces some of the free online learning opportunities, educational programs, and initiatives that Taiwan offers.  

An article titled Taiwan’s FREE online Mandarin Learning Resources outlines high quality courses designed by educators in Taiwan for language learners at different levels that are available through a number of global platforms such as Coursera, Future Learn, YouTube and podcasts. Details of these are also available from the Office of Global Mandarin Education.

Another article is My Mandarin Learning Tips from Beginner to TOCFL level 5 by Ben Fisher, a 2019 Huayu Enrichment Scholarship recipient and a 2021 MOE Taiwan Scholarship recipient. TECO invited Ben to share his Mandarin learning tips. Ben considers that Taiwan is a great place to study Mandarin, for students of any level. He describes himself as having a more traditional approach to language learning: getting immersed in the native environment, speaking as much as possible and not relying too much on technology. That can be hard in this digital age, but he assures readers that ‘it’s worth the effort’. 
He recommends two useful aids for intermediate and advanced students: 1. Mengdian, the MOE’s free online Chinese-Chinese dictionary. It’s based on the Revised Chinese Dictionary of the Ministry of Education and it’s easy to navigate. 2. He advises people in Taiwan who are preparing for the advanced TOCFL Level 5 and Level 6 proficiency tests to register for the TOCFL pre-test. This will give them a better understanding of their personal strengths and weaknesses.

These are just two of the interesting items. You can download the full version of the August issue of Study in Taiwan and read it all here.