[quote=“Alien”]
Trust me on this. This GEPT will be obsolete in like 3 years max. Taiwan first of all, keeps changing policies in regards to education, and second of all, since this test is so ‘localized’ the flaws in it are inherent. [/quote]
It wouldn’t shock me if this were true. I do think that the GEPT is being pushed by someone with all the right connections though, it has become a crucial part of getting into the “better” junior high school classes down here. Flawed, but no more flawed than the crap that the MOE pushes down local teachers throats in order to pass the examination to be an English teacher. These guys never learn. 
[quote]It’s already hit its peak and is beginning to slide down into the nether regions here in Taipei, and where you are, it’s not far behind. Call it one of those ‘trends’ they love so much in Taiwan!
[/quote]
It’s only started to go up here and the behind the times schools around here are only just beginning to get in on the act.
I think it may have had a mad rush in the first few years with all those people trying to catch up on their English qualifications and now the rush is over and it’s back to being the poor mans TOFL.
Well, around these parts, the schools love the kindies that have “taught” English (Ahh hem… we all know we can only sings songs and teach about cultural festivals ), because in Taichung county they start English classes in the first grade. Their books are crap though, you know, one with a try hard, cutesy, dinosaur and huge grammar mistake in the name. 
Not to say that we don’t piss them off though. 
Especially when the students point out the mistakes in their English.
So, what I can see is that some of my ideas are a little too local and if I were to look at Taipei or Kaoshiung I may need to do a little re-think.
Hmmm… 3 years you say, that is about the lifespan of what I am using at the moment before it goes up for review to see if there is anything better.