Overseas English teaching volunteer service program starts in Taichung

Taichung, July 9 (CNA) A government-sponsored program for overseas youth aged 17 to 24, offering volunteer English teaching training and cultural exchange, has begun at Asia University in Taichung and will run through Aug. 1, the event organizers said.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the English Teaching Volunteer Service Program, which brings together 418 overseas youth volunteers from 22 countries, according to a joint statement released by the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC), the Ministry of Education, and the Hakka Affairs Council.

These countries include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, several European and African nations, as well as New Zealand, Australia, and others in Asia, the statement said.

An opening ceremony for the program was held online at the Taichung university on Monday as Typhoon Danas hit Taiwan.

At Asia University, the volunteers undergo intensive training provided by the K-12 Education Administration, covering practical teaching skills such as language instruction methods, cross-cultural communication, classroom management and lesson planning, the statement said.

After the training session, the volunteers will visit 68 junior high and elementary schools across Taiwan where they will engage in two weeks of English teaching and cultural exchange. The goal is to boost students' motivation to learn languages and improve their practical English skills, the statement said.

Following the end of the program, the volunteers will participate in a cultural tour to learn more about Taiwan's natural landscapes and cultural diversity, it added.

To date, the program has attracted up to 10,000 youth volunteers from around the globe, collectively serving nearly 50,000 students in Taiwan's elementary and junior high schools, according to the statement.