First-ever nationwide Taiwanese certification draws large crowds

      Taiwan Church News

      3048 Edition

      July 26~August 1, 2010

                                   

       

      First-ever nationwide Taiwanese certification draws large crowds

       

      Reported by Tan Hui-siok

      Written by Lydia Ma

       

       

      The only center in Taiwan that administers certification for Taiwanese 
language proficiency 

      staged its first testing session open to the public on July 24, 2010. 

       



      National Cheng-Kung University’s Center for Taiwanese Language Testing 
received more 

      than 1,000 applications from people across Taiwan interested in taking 
this proficiency exam 

      and proving their Taiwanese skills.

       



      This test was open to anyone above 16 years of age and held at various 
universities in 

      Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Taipei. Test-takers included those 
interested in Taiwanese 

      language, teachers, foreign brides, and some foreign missionaries. Test 
results will be 

      available in October.

       



      The center had been sought by Chiayi, Pingtung, and Tainan city and 
county governments last 

      year to provide certification for high school and elementary school 
teachers and a testing 

      session was arranged a few months ago for teachers exclusively. 

       



      The testing sessions held this time around were open to the general 
public and a few local 

      governments even announced ahead of time that they would recognize this 
certification 

      program, prompting many people to register for the test.

       



      According to the center’s director, Wi-Vun Taiffalo Chiung, the center 
has been working hard 

      toward promoting Taiwanese language certification, securing recognition 
of this certification 

      from local governments, and providing testing services to those who need 
it.

       



      Based on the score applicants receive on their test, they will be 
certified as possessing a 

      basic, beginner, intermediate, intermediate-advanced, advanced, or 
professional command 

      of Taiwanese language. The test includes listening, speaking, reading, 
and writing components.

       



      Rev. David Alexander, an US missionary who has lived in Taiwan for about 
30 years and 

      currently serves at Tainan Theological College and Seminary, was among 
those who took the 

      test. He strongly encouraged Taiwanese people to get certified.

       



      Rev. Alexander speaks Taiwanese fluently and reported that he had breezed 
through the 

      listening comprehension and speaking components of this test. But the 
writing and reading 

      components were more challenging for him because reading and writing 
Chinese characters 

      required more effort and time. 

       



      Besides offering mass certification, Chiung said his center was also 
working on developing 

      online testing services so that Taiwanese living overseas could also get 
certified. He hoped 

      his center could become a trailblazer in Taiwanese certification programs 
and an 

      internationally accredited institution for Taiwanese certification.

       



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