Abstract
摘要:外語教學暨資源中心在此分項計畫下已進入第十年度,從最初之自學資源與平台建置,經過多年的軟硬體技術改良與資源整合後,現在已經是臺大多項英語線上課程的提供者。從原本的英語補救教學出發,近年逐漸往「學術英語」與「專業英語」兩個面向上擴展,修課對象涵蓋大學部與研究生學生。除了混成式教學(blended learning)之「進階英語」之外,中心線上課程尚有「研究生線上英文」、「高階英語」及「科技英語」。未來仍將持續規劃其它以學習者需求為導向的「專業英語」課程。
除各項課程的開發與經營,中心亦在軟硬體資源的建置與推廣上不斷努力,也固定舉辦各種實體學習活動,讓校內不同類型、目的、需求的外語學習者都能得到幫助。中心之「E-freeway線上外語自學教室」網站建置有多項自學軟體資源,除用於中心的各項線上課程之外,師生只要透過帳號就能使用。中心每兩週發行的英語學習電子報至104年11月已發行285期,內容結合英語學習與最新中心各式外語學習活動訊息,近年來一直為臺大最多訂閱人數之電子報。另外,中心自編之「中級」、「中高級」自學包裹每月固定推出,從早期一般性英語為基礎來編寫,近來逐漸增加學術英語、專業英語的內容,隨著英語學習族群的樣貌與需求來發展。
豐富、多元的各種學習活動也在中心的努力下一一實現,為臺大校園注入英語學習的活力。已有「English Corner午間會話課」、「看影集學英語」、「英語文表達暨簡報技巧競賽」等活動。「e自學空間(中心之多媒體自學圖書資料室)」設置有英日語的「自學認證」辦法。中心也開設六至八週的短期課程,以溝通、簡報技巧等主題為授課內容,亦舉辦演講,提供實用的海外留學資訊。
中心在過去十年來已在臺大建立與累積豐富的英語教學資源與經驗,服務內容隨著學生一起成長,更趨向精緻化與專業化。過去兩年間也積極從事英語教學的相關研究,透過教學研究來不斷提升課程品質,亦是將中心多年累積的教學經驗與成果模組化,能在課程開發與管理上有更廣泛的運用與效益。中心未來將持續推動臺大的英語自學資源強化與各項教學任務,透過有效的規劃與執行,把資源整合運用,提供所有臺大師生最優質的服務。
Abstract: The Foreign Language Teaching and Resource Center has been a core member in this project for ten years. Our mission in the first few years in this project was to build a website that collected the many useful learning resources in the digital world to promote English self-learning. With continuous improvement in both hardware and software facilities and further integration of available resources, the center is now an important provider of online English courses at NTU. We first started our online courses as remedial English classes, and since then we have expanded our online course selection into areas of EAP (English for Academic Purposes) and ESP (English for Professional/Specific Purposes). Both undergraduate and postgraduate students can enroll in our online courses. Along with Advanced English, which is a blended-learning class that combines both actual class hours and online self-learning, the courses we are currently running online include Online English Programs for Postgraduates and English for Technology. In the future, an extended series of ESP courses that target specific learner needs are to be expected.
Apart from developing and running online courses, we spare no effort in building a great self-learning environment. To take care of the needs of learners with different learning goals and learning styles, we regularly hold activities that fulfill individual needs. On our website for online learning, E-freeway, teachers and students can gain immediate access to various self-learning materials with an NTU account. We issue a biweekly center newsletter, on which our readers can get the latest news on foreign language learning events held by the center and start learning by reading the English-learning contents prepared by our center writers. In the past few years, it has consistently been selected as the top newsletter with excellence at NTU and is now boasting a number of subscribers that surpasses that of any other newsletter issued by an NTU affiliation. As of November 2015, a total of 285 issues was issued. Center writers publish an online self-learning package for intermediate and higher-intermediate learners each month. This self-learning package was first designed for the learning of General English, but recently have incorporated more EAP/ESP contents as a reflection of our target learners’ developmental and changing needs.
A wide range of events are constantly being held by the center to boost campus-wide English learning motivation. Besides an English presentation contest, we form English conversation groups that meet weekly to practice English communication and speaking skills. Film viewing events are held to encourage English self-learning. At the center’s multimedia library, E-learning Space, certificate programs are provided to promote self-leaning of foreign languages. We also offer six-to-eight-week short-term courses that foster communication and presentation skills. Guest speakers are regularly invited to give practical information on studying abroad.
The Foreign Language Learning and Recourse Center has accumulated great experience and abundant resources in English teaching in the past ten years. We are constantly reviewing and fine-tuning our services to reflect the changing needs of our learners. With a view to bringing our services and courses to an even higher standard, we have been conducting ESL-related research in the past two years. Based on the results of research, we can transfer years’ English teaching experience into course modules, which then can be applied to syllabus development and yield greater productivity. Our mission in the future is to continue our dedicated efforts to the development of learning resources and courses. With effective planning and execution, we will continue to bring quality services to all NTU members and create an excellent foreign language learning environment.
Keyword(s)
英語自學
學術英語
看影集學英語
英語簡報
English self-learning
EAP
Learning English by TV drama
English Presentation