What is the current (2019) status of teaching English at Kindergartens?

Hello,

I’ve been browsing the other posts on this question, but not seeing anything too recent so (forgive me, but) I figure I’ll ask:

It is the end of 2019, what is the current status of teaching English at kindergartens?
Still illegal?

Also, I have an APRC with the open work permit. Would that “protect” me if I do work at a place that gets busted?

Thanks.

Short answer: with an open work permit you won’t get deported, but without proper (to the government) credentials you could be fined. I don’t think there’s been any big change lately.

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thanks

I concur with yyy. If they are offering meals and nap time then they function as a kindergarten and should not be teaching English. Perhaps you are a music or dance teacher instead? Any drill practice or letter writing would be proof that the school is teaching English.

Is it the “teaching” a foreign language to kids the sensitive part? Are locals allowed to teach English?
I actually would like a gimmicks that would allow me to teach in kindies to earn a little extra money. Something like being “Uncle Pancake” teaching the little monsters how to make simple pancakes while the teachers and I fry them up.
Or could we just pop in to roll play or model conversations or story time with props not touching any teaching materials.
I really wish the government would join reality.
Do you know my little niece had two learn two versions of her school play. The right way to make my wife and I happy and the Chinglish version for what she thought would make here Teacher’s happy. After all, none of the staff English teaches sounded like us.

I’m sure there are loopholes that could be exploited. The biggest hurdle for kindergartens to hire foreigners is that the teachers need a degree and licence. Difficult for foreigners to obtain.

I think it can be a corresponding foreign degree.

The Statute for Preschool Educators

Article 10
Preschool educare givers shall meet one of the following requirements:

  1. Obtained diplomas from departments, graduate programs, degree programs, or divisions specializing in early childhood education and care offered by foreign junior colleges or above, and having received certification of completion in professional educare courses from the central competent authority.

As explained in other threads, there are multiple issues.

  1. A teacher, if foreign, needs the right to work. A normal work permit won’t be granted for kindergarten teaching, so the only way around that is to have a work permit exemption (e.g. OWP). Otherwise, the teacher can be fined and deported.

  2. A kindergarten teacher (or “educare” provider), regardless of nationality, needs qualifications as in the law Tando cited. Otherwise, the teacher can be fined.

  3. A kindergarten can’t have foreign language classes. Otherwise, it can be shut down.

Curious: How are the huge “Bilingual Kindergartens” operating openly?

Foreign teachers are employed as teachers of a buxiban operated by a same organization but registered separately. Illegal but on paper it is legal.

Kindergarten is registered as a buxiban. Illegal but on paper it is legal.

Foreign teachers are on marriage based ARC or with OPW, but no credentials to teach in kindergarten. Illegal

Foreign teachers are on marriage based ARC or with OPW, and with credentials to teach in kindergarten. Gray zone? But on paper it is legal

Because even the politicians who passed the ridiculous laws send their children to them.

Not teaching second languages from a young age goes against every fiber of linguistic knowledge.

You’re missing one big one, but I’m not going to draw attention to it by posting it here.

If Vegetable English wins a second term, these ridiculous teaching restrictions will hopefully be lifted. They must if Taiwan truly wants to become a bilingual nation.

A long time ago, a friend of mine was caught teaching illegally and was deported. The police officer who was filling in the documents to deport her asked her if she knew anyone who could teach his kid English.

It’s kinda win-win for teachers supposing they aren’t deported like your friend. If they crack down hard on bilingual kindergartens, private tutoring rates will skyrocket.

These parents are already paying $20,000+/mo. They don’t care about paying a foreigner $1,500/hr to do the same thing if need be.

It’s a bit of a head-scratcher why they would outright forbid learning English in kindergartens. Their rational for the law was and still is BS.

This brings to mind a time lining up in the police station on Zhonghua Road, when you had to process your visa extensions there. A cop asked a guy what he had been doing, and he blurted out “teaching English”. I still remember the look of extreme annoyance and disdain on the cop’s face as he answered, almost wailed “why did you tell me that?”

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