New Taiwan Agreement Opens Borders to International Education for Cerritos College Students

Student teaching English in TaiwanCerritos College and the Taiwanese government entered into three new agreements that gives current Cerritos College students and recent graduates an opportunity to teach English to elementary school children in Taiwan. Funded by the Taipei City government, the 2018 Taiwan Experience Education Program provides students with a tuition free, all-expenses paid internship. Students will serve as teacher’s aides to teach English at Taipei City elementary schools three days a week. Cerritos College students can also take courses offered by Taipei University.

The College’s agreements with New Taipei City and Tainan City allows students to choose a six-week program to Tainan City starting June 1 – July 6, 2018 or July 9 – August 10, 2018. All three programs include home-stay lodging with a host family, free Chinese language lessons, cultural classes and local trips. Part of the program’s objective is to develop English-integrated teaching materials and assessment tools that promote English learning to young Taiwanese students. In 2017, 11 Cerritos College students participated in a Tainan study abroad program in Taiwan.

“We are excited about our partnership with Taiwanese government for the Taiwan Experience programs because it gives students a once-in-a-life-time cultural experience abroad,” said Dr. Jose Fierro, president/superintendent, Cerritos College. “Part of our core mission is to make our students global citizens and to expose them to rich cultural experiences and opportunities that will have lasting effects on their academic development. Giving students a chance to see the world and learn from other cultures makes them more competitive in the job field.”