A Comparative Study on English Curriculum Development for Secondary Schools in Singapore and Junior High Schools in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Yi-Fang Lee, 李懿芳
• Other Authors: Lung-Sheng Steven Lee
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 1998
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/99532870533786752748

碩士 === 國立暨南國際大學 === 比較教育學系 === 87 === The purpose of this study is to compare the development of English language syllabus of junior high schools in Singapore and Taiwan. The main methods used in this study are documental analysis, comparative study and semi-structure interview approaches. This study aims to achieve the following goals: (1) To analyze and compare the background of English education of junior high schools in Singapore and Taiwan. (2) To analyze and compare the English education and the framework of English language syllabus of junior high schools in Singapore and Taiwan. (3) To analyze and compare the procedure of developing English language syllabus of junior high schools in Singapore and Taiwan. (4) To synthesize the above-mentioned and provide suggestions to improve the development of English language syllabus of junior high schools in Taiwan. The main findings of this study are shown as follows: (1) In the background of English education of junior high schools, the relationship of political and economic development in Singapore/Taiwan goes closely with the Britain/America. Taiwan and Singapore countries have various races and languages. They all have centralization system in education and strive to promote citizens’ English ability. However, English acts as official language in Singapore and as the first foreign language in Taiwan. (2) In the English education and the framework of English language syllabus of junior high schools, Singapore adopts bilingual policy (English and mother tongue) with frequent reforms according to intra/inter national situations. The foreign language (English) policy in Taiwan lasts for a long time without significant changes. Nevertheless the communicational approach becomes the main trend in English language syllabus and instruction in both countries. (3) In the procedure of developing English language syllabus of junior high schools, Curriculum Planning Division is a regular institution responsible for the curriculum development in Singapore. The procedure includes the following stages: planning, design, development, experiment, popularization, and evaluation. And there exists a feedback system among each other. The working team of revising English language syllabus in Taiwan is temporarily organized and pays less attention to research, experiment, evaluation and popularization aspects. Finally, this study presents some proposals as follows for Taiwan to improve the development of English language syllabus of junior high schools. (1) To establish a regular institution responsible for the curriculum development. (2) To fulfill the tasks of experiment, popularization and evaluation and to set up a systematical procedure of the curriculum development. (3) To reorganize the related institutions in order to have better link between junior and senior high schools’ English language syllabuses. (4) To strengthen the peripheral coordination of developing the English language syllabus. (5) To establish a regular inspection system to collect direct feedback of syllabus enforcement. (6) To keep the balance of syllabus development among national, school, and classroom level. (7) To attach importance to the formative and summative evaluation of syllabus. (8) To develop the syllabus and the instructional material at the same time.