Hualien's Industry English Proficiency Enhancement Program Sparks New Wave of Learning

(中央社訊息服務20241101 13:03:21)

To boost the English service capacity of Hualien County's tourism industry, the "2024 English Proficiency Enhancement Program," organized by the Hualien County Government under the guidance of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, has achieved outstanding results and widespread acclaim. The program focuses on improving the English proficiency of Hualien's tourism and hospitality industry workers as well as county residents, aiming to make Hualien a more internationally friendly city.

The program began with an industry seminar, inviting representatives from Hualien's tourism sector and related associations to discuss the specific English needs of frontline staff, forming the basis for the creation of the Hualien Industry English guide. This guide, completed in mid-October through joint efforts by the county government and the project team, features practical English vocabulary and situational dialogues covering accommodation, dining, transportation, souvenirs, tours, and agricultural tourism, and has been distributed to nearly 2,000 licensed lodging establishments, schools, service centers, and cultural venues across the county. (Read the eBook online: https://ws.hl.gov.tw/001/Upload/532/ebook/ebook_216476/index.html).

The program also provided 60 English training classes in both the northern and southern parts of the county, offering Hualien residents and tourism professionals diverse opportunities to learn daily and tourism-related English.

To provide more diverse avenues for learning English and to showcase Hualien, the program invited former TTV news anchor Xin-Ping Chao to create bilingual content, including the podcast Tour Hualien with Your English Teacher and a daily English phrase segment English for Hualien. The podcast consists of 15 episodes, each 30 minutes long, featuring bilingual conversations that guide listeners through Hualien's majestic landscapes, rich culture, local delicacies, and key issues such as sustainable development and cultural preservation (Listen online: https://reurl.cc/OryxpD). Meanwhile, English for Hualien offers a daily phrase related to Hualien's unique features, airing on BCC News Network and POP Network from September to November. These concise and practical phrases are designed to help learners gradually build English expression skills (Listen online: https://reurl.cc/0drYXx).

Looking ahead, Hualien County Government will continue to provide English proficiency courses in preparation for more international events and exchanges, inviting the public to stay tuned for upcoming courses and activities.