Honestly, my only concern about directing students to Forumosa is that they will inevitably run into posts made by immature posters whose broken-record message, “I hate all things Taiwan, yet insist upon staying here and being miserable”, reveals a tragic lack of self-awareness. I warn them about those types of posters.
I am not the least bit worried about the effect student posters would have on forumosa.
And all these posts in this thread which will make them feel unwelcome in their own country.
Wonder how they will react to that next time they meet a foreigner in a pub. :bravo:
I’m all for students joining this forum. It gives them a chance to see how foreign barbarians constantly bitch about everything that is wrong with Taiwan (real or imagined), nurse greviences about being fired from the DPP, or just the general drivel.
And all these posts in this thread which will make them feel unwelcome in their own country.[/quote]
Forumosa is not ‘their country’. It is a resource for people who are not, by and large, native to this country. It’s a place to ask questions about Taiwan, not a place to ask questions about foreigners.
Within reason, Taiwanese posters on forumosa provide a balance that is needed. They can give ‘the other’ perspective, and of course it is educational for them to read too. It doesn’t hurt to have a few people forcing ‘us’ to examine our own attitudes to Taiwan.
However, Tomas has a point. The rants on this site are not representative of what the majority of people think the majority of the time. And we’ve had numerous occasions in the past where people who don’t have a good grasp of English, and western culture, have got quite upset about some imagined slight. I would rather not have to deal with accusations of racism from students who can’t understand why foreigners get upset about XYZ issue.
Why would they meet a foreigner in a pub? Why wouldn’t they meet a local person instead? Surely they will have more in common and be more likely to be able to relate to each other? Or would they be singling you out because you’re a foreigner?
Why would they be doing that?
I talk to strangers in the pub, be they foreign or local. I don’t assume that because they’re Taiwanese they’re more or less interesting, I don’t judge them by whatever instance of road-rage, bumbling incompetence, or other faux pas has just been reported on these boards.
And I don’t expect them to judge me by the crap they would see here or by the sensationalised reporting they see every day. I don’t want random strangers assuming that I share Mordeth’s attitude and giving me a hard time in the pub. And I don’t want them coming up to me to practise their English.
I want to go out and enjoy a little social interaction with whoever I happen to meet, not with people who are hanging around in the pub to try and meet a foreigner so that they can improve their English. I use this site for the same reason. I get paid to teach, and in my free time I want to relax.
And, while I might take a few chosen students to the pub, I wouldn’t take them all to meet my friends on a night out. My friends are not a teaching resource, they are my friends and they deserve to be able to leave their work behind in their free time.
But fuck it, let’s all invite our students to the next happy hour. I’ll bring 30 or 40 eager, nervous adults who are anxious to make new friends and practise their English. Everybody else can do the same, turning the ‘service to the foreign community’ into a great big LE/speed dating event that is about as useful as ICRT.
This site has a mandate. That mandate should be respected.
I gave the address to one of my students because she is a very intelligent woman who is interested in other outlooks and experiences. In the case of this one, I feel everyone would be lucky if she posted. But I don’t think her English is good enough. So I don’t think she would.
If she did, I’m sure she would be mostly in IP.
It’s a public site on the internet, and anyone is free to join. Would you like to see membership only granted after thorough background checks? How about not allowing search results to f.com from the Taiwanese version of search engines?
What about other non-native speakers who are not Taiwanese?
Man, if I were teaching English, I sure wouldn’t do it, if only because the standards of usage, grammar and spelling are generally so atrocious (and yeah, I mean among the native speakers).
Seriously, are you prepared to deal with something like this:
…when your student brings it in and asks for clarification?
Not me, man.
Good input so far. I introduced this site to some students because I thought it would improve their reading comprehension and help them see things from other people’s perspectives.
For those that object to F.com being introduced to non-English speaking Taiwanese people, why such strong opposition? Is there stuff in here you don’t want to get leaked out to the other people? What, this is some secret society and you don’t want a non-English speaking Taiwanese to hear what Poster A REALLY thinks about them?
When I introduced this to my students, I explained everything to them. I told them this was like those other internet forums in Taiwan, where you type as you speak and grammar and spelling may not be up to par. They are not idiots, I don’t need to shield them from some of the venom spewed here. They make their own judgements. I explained that “Fakkkkk” was actually “Fuck.”
This is public domain. You don’t know how many English learners are reading this site already.
And don’t underestimate Taiwanese students. They’re not stupid enough to type gibberish on topics they don’t know. I wouldn’t log on to a Turkish-speaking forum and start typing shit because someone said, “Canadians all smoke dope.”
Maybe your strong opposition is a reflection of something deeper. Us versus “them” maybe?
This site is also a refuge for me. I’ve met my friends here, I’ve learned who to avoid, I’ve learned which restaurant is the best for Sunday buffet, etc. I don’t think by having more people read this forum takes away anything from me. Maybe I’m just not that selfish.
[quote=“Loretta”]If you turn it into a teaching resource for your students then that will destroy it.[/quote] Give me a break. 
Get over yourself, really. No, really.
I enjoyed hearing other people’s feedback. Only one non-English speaking Taiwanese poster actually answered the question in my first post! 
Edit: I will continue to introduce this site to non-English speakers as I see fit. Going to show my Japanese students, my Vietnamese friends, people in Canada, etc. So far, I’ve only heard good feedback from people I’ve introduced this site to already.
Anyone interested in setting up a forum for language learners here? Seems like it could be fun. Does Dave’s have one alerady… Decided not to be that lazy: eslcafe.com/forums/student/
Maybe I’ll do that… I often wish there was a furom I could direct some students to so they could practice (for fun.) If anyone else is interested, PM me. It takes all of 2 seconds to set one up. Sitting here typing I have a range of ideas about what I could do with it already.
Well…yeah. I thought that was a given.
Fuckin A, bubba. Exactly.
Well, that, together with being kind of embarrassed by the way other Canooks act on here…
Hey, you are NOT responsible for anyone else but you. Laugh along at the embarrassment like we all do. Students need to learn who are the undesirables. 
yyyyou ok thththere 914?
jdssstutter
Chief,
Mistakes are how we learn. The quote you provided would make an excellent “rewrite the sentence so it makes sense” exercise. Then you could have them complete the story. Lemons=Lemonade.
Bullshit. You have not. 'Cos how come I haven’t had a single PM from a newbie begging me for a hot date?
[quote=“Loretta”]
This site has a mandate. That mandate should be respected.[/quote]
Exactly!
That’s what I read when I login: Notice the language in which the greeting is posted:[quote]Nin hao!
Forumosa is an online community about Taiwan. All are welcome - foreign residents, local Taiwanese, those just visiting, and those who simply cannot stay away. [/quote]
In other words you’re out of line.
bobepine
That’s because Tainan Cowboy finally agreed to sell me one of his fine tinfoil hats. Haven’t had any problems since.
bobepine
Hey, you are NOT responsible for anyone else but you. Laugh along at the embarrassment like we all do. Students need to learn who are the undesirables. [/quote]
Do I get a cookie?
[quote=“914”]Students need to learn who are the undesirables. 
[/quote]Or you could just save them time - point me out to them and be done with it.
pah, you’re a shadow of your former self. You need that terrorist avatar to sound semi scary again.