Evaluating Dual Language Education Programs in Taiwan: Structure, Instruction, and Learning Outcomes

Abstract

Despite the increasing popularity of dual language education programs in Taiwan, limited research assesses their effectiveness. This study evaluated eight English Immersion Programs (EIPs) in Taiwan, representing a dual language education model, using the Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education (GPDLE) framework. Interviews with the management team and a questionnaire for Native English Teachers (NETs) assessed the alignment of program structure and instruction with the GPDLE. A quasi-experimental design, including pre-tests and post-tests, examined the English listening and reading outcomes of 74 fourth to sixth-grade students in two randomly-selected EIPs over a year. The findings reveal that 83% of the EIPs fully adhered to the program structure outlined in the GPDLE, while only 33% of teacher instruction exhibited full alignment, with an additional 57% demonstrating partial alignment. Notably, significant improvements in reading were observed among fourth-grade students, and both reading and listening skills showed substantial enhancements in the fifth and sixth-grade students. The study recommends adopting a financially sustainable, user-paid model for an after-school English immersion program, supporting Taiwan’s 2030 Bilingual National Initiative.