1. To set up the English graduate requirement

(1)Requirement of basic English ability：To raise students’ English ability and respond the global competition, we set up the Yuntech: Implementation of requirements for University students’ English proficiency. Also, we build the Sign up system for English proficiency test to understand the condition of our students.    

(2) English Elite Program implementation act：To provide the other way for students from other department who have better English proficiency and have interest in English. The total credits are 20 credits. Students who finish the program can get the certificate of English Elite Program. For students who do not finish the program, the credits can be counted as the graduated credits for other department.

(3) English exemption rules (Appendix III)：The English exemption rules were established in 2001, and were modified in 2007.The students who have passed the GEPT intermediate level before enter the school can exempt from taking the English course for freshman or join the exemption test. According to the level, the students can exempt from taking the courses for 2-8 credits. For students in two-year program can exempt from taking Practical English.  

2. To Hire full-time lecturers

Our school hires the full-time lecturers since 2006 academic year. For students who have better English proficiency, the foreign teachers lecture in English and make the students get used to think in English. For students who have lower proficiency level, the Chinese teachers motivate the students’ and reinforce the basic English skills.

3. Placement of freshmen English course and unify the teaching material

　　According to the grades of General Scholastic Ability Test, Language Center implement the placement for “Vocabulary and Reading” course and “Oral-Aural Training in English” course which are divided into four groups based on four time-slices: College of Management, College of Engineering A+ College of Humanities and Applied Science, College of Engineering B, and College of Design. Then, each of the four groups has three sub-groups which are A, B, and C, and the materials and the extra reading are chosen by the teachers based on different level. As can be seen in table 11, there are the syllabus, teaching points and the objectives for Freshman English, Sophomore English, English Elite Program, and the ESP courses. As can be seen in table 12, there are the content of the courses.

(Table 11)  Table of syllabus, focal point, and goal for each grade

(Table 12)    Table of curriculum for each grade

4. To merge the content of English proficiency test with English course for freshman

    To improve and reinforce our students’ English proficiency, our school merges the content of English proficiency test with English course for freshman and chooses the material of English proficiency test since 2004 academic year. Since 2009 academic year, we let the teachers to choose the teaching material for English proficiency test. In addition, the score of online GEPT is 10% for final grade. Since 2009 academic year, the online test was changed from GEPT to New TOEIC test. Moreover, teachers would also make the students to take other test which was 20% of the final grade. By doing these policies, students would understand the importance of the English proficiency test. To go with the reward of the “1+4 project”, the teachers encourage their students to sign up for all kinds of English proficiency test and apply for the reward.

5. To implement the simulated English proficiency test in school

    Since 2002 academic year, the online simulated GEPT intermediate level (including listening and reading) was implemented for whole freshman, and the GEPT was change to New TOEIC test which was implemented two times in a year in 2009 academic year. By implementing the simulated test, teachers can understand their students’ conditions; modify teaching strategies to improve the teaching quality.

6. To strengthen students’ ability for career field by carrying out the ESP courses.

    ESP courses focus on the professional skills for career. By taking the ESP courses from other departments, students can be trained for their professional skills and learn how to use English to communicate and know the professional knowledge. In addition, by modify the teaching material and teaching method, teachers can develop their professional skills and discuss to each other. Therefore, it becomes an efficiency way to improve the teaching quality and the professional images of teachers.

7. E-Learning

    The Language Center not only establishes the online learning platform but also buys the online English learning resources to provide the good learning material for our students and teachers, such as My ET online oral course, Easytest, online test for GEPT, TOEIC, TOFL, IELTS, LIVE ABC, Funday. To improve students’ English ability, the Language Center promotes the self-learning project and encourages freshman and sophomore to use the online learning system two hours a week (32 hours per semester).

8. English remedial teaching

    During the semester, English remedial teaching course is opened for students who have learning difficulties to help them raise their learning motivation, retrieve their confidence and make them keep up with other students. To understand the proficiency level of the students, they have to take pre-test. After finishing the course, they have to take the post-test to evaluate whether they improve or not. Then, the students who have reached the standard of improvement can join other courses for English proficiency test or use the online resources. For the students who have not reached the standard, teachers would understand the conditions of the students and modify the teaching method to provide the students diverse English courses, resources, and environment. Therefore, these students can join the remedial teaching continually and improve their English learning.

9. English learning groups

    To raise students’ learning interests and achievement, the courses are merged with learning groups. The Oral-Aural Training in English is merged with learning groups to achieve teaching diversity and authenticity. To take “Oral-Aural Training in English course” for example, teachers take the constellations, the Guidance to campus, and World Exposition as theme topic to design the lesson plan and make the students divide into groups for collaborate learning. By learning groups, students can interact with each other and enhance their learning motivation to raise their ability of communication. In class, students have to make the group presentation to learn how to make a presentation in English and enhance their competitiveness for future career.

10. English contests and activities

    Language Center holds the English Speech Contest, Listening Contest, Dictionary Usage Contest, English Recitation Contest, Story Telling Contest, and English Songs Contest to improve students’ motivation in learning English. By holding every kind of English contests, activities, students can have more chances to practice and improve their learning energy to gain the confidence of getting certificate. The students are also encouraged to participate in the contests outside the school. To integrating with the Yuntech: learning passport, students who participate with the English contest can get the learning passport sticker; if they reach the standard then they can get the reward. With this reward policy, the students can be active, and can be aroused their interests in learning English.

11. To build the outstanding foreign languages learning environment

(1) To build the outstanding foreign languages learning environment: To improve the learning environment of Language Center. In July 2007, the space of Language Center have been adjusted and improved. In addition, the office of professional lecturer, the classroom, the office of director, the office, reading area, and the situated teaching area all have been improved. Moreover, teaching space, English teaching audiovisuals and books all have been expanded. Then, Language Center establishes English situated space and renews the computer equipments of language professional classroom

(2)To make the students feel how English relates to personal learning experiences and raise the learning motivations, the corridor of Language center have been decorated with bilingual materials, such as the constellations, the 12 Chinese Zodiac animals, and the resorts in Taiwan.