Incorporating an on-line exchange student language program within second language curricula: A case study of Taiwanese primary school students working with Australian students

The planning and promotion of a foreign or second language education in the primary school seems a worldwide trend. English and Chinese, as global communication media, are particularly emphasised recently. In Taiwan, learning English is regarded as a Foreign Language study (hereafter referred to as ‘EFL’), as it is far different from learning English as a Second Language (hereafter referred to as ‘ESL’), or as a First Language (hereafter referred to as ‘L1’). In the learning environment of L1 or ESL, it is necessary to use English in daily life, such as, going to school, going shopping and even watching television. However, in EFL learning environments, learners have limited opportunity to practice English particularly speaking and listening in authentic contexts with other speakers of compatible age and interest. This foreign language learning situation also occurs for Australian students of Mandarin. Therefore, this research project assumed that Information and Communication Technology (hereafter referred to as ‘ICT’) can enhance opportunity for structured practice and development of spoken language, both in and out of the classroom for second language (hereafter referred to as ‘L2’) students, is a potentially powerful application and warrants trial and evaluation.