Immersion programs help students learn Taiwan Indigenous languages

沉浸式課程幫助學生學習台灣原住民語言

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s K-12 Education Administration said it is promoting Indigenous language immersion programs so students can hold natural conversations.

The administration said language immersion places equal emphasis on language and culture, per an Education Ministry press release. By combining each school’s unique characteristics with community resources, Indigenous language learning can be used in daily life, it said. This helps students understand cultural contexts and gradually develop a sense of Indigenous identity.

Neishi Elementary School in Pingtung County has integrated Indigenous language immersion courses into its school-based curriculum, the administration said. It links tribal and community resources and invites tribal youth and traditional skills instructors to assist with teaching.

Beishi Elementary School in Taichung focuses its Indigenous language immersion courses on areas such as daily communication, song appreciation, cultural skills and everyday knowledge, per the administration.

The administration said it will continue promoting Indigenous language immersion courses. Schools with students from multiple Indigenous groups may also plan courses in different languages at the same time, without being limited by the “one class per school” restriction, it said. The aim is to create Indigenous language environments in schools so the languages can be seen, heard, and used naturally in everyday life.