2024/02/27 

"おはようございます!" On a chilly February morning, the cultural classroom of Yung-Ning Elementary School in echoed with cheerful greetings as sixth-grade students and teachers warmly welcomed their Japanese counterparts on the screen. With Taiwan's unique warmth, the international exchange for this semester set sail.

Through the Ministry of Education's International Education Web - International Exchange Window (IEW), we had the privilege to connect with Nakagawa Elementary School and Oigosuga Elementary School in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, for our first online exchange. Effective preparation was crucial for a precise and fruitful exchange. In late November last year, teachers from both sides held online preparatory meetings to discuss the flow and content of the exchange, aiming to encourage students to speak up within the limited 40 minutes of a class. Aside from the opening and closing, the rest of the time allowed students to run in groups, with each member giving an English self-introduction and asking questions to the other side. To accomplish this, sixth-grade students dedicated their winter vacation to crafting English self-introductions and questions, practicing until they were proficient. Today was the day to assess the effectiveness of their practice.

With enthusiastic greetings like "おはようございます!" and "こんにちは!" opening the exchange, Japanese students in front of the camera responded with a hearty "你好!" in Chinese, energetically waving their hands. Despite being the first meeting, the atmosphere was surprisingly familiar and friendly. Yung-Ning students used a presentation to introduce distinctive campus features like the "Egg Sound," students' activities during breaks, memorable field trips, nutritious lunch menus, and the ducklings raised in the school's duck house. Japanese students introduced their hometown's location, city attractions, and various school activities. Japanese schools particularly emphasize physical training, including class physical education, swimming lessons, and school-wide endurance runs.

After the opening, group activities began immediately. "Hello, my name is Sam. My Chinese name is…" The words, akin to the red thread of friendship, connected the students on both sides of the screen. In 7-minute rotations, each student had to introduce themselves to at least three different groups. The students, initially relying on notes, gradually freed themselves from the constraints, delivering smooth introductions. The English self-introductions echoed, and despite shyness, the students showed remarkable courage in speaking English to Japanese students they had never met. When asked what time Japanese students start school, they gestured with numbers "7, 4, 5" to communicate; and when Japanese students inquired about Taiwan's most popular sport, the children answered in unison, "Baseball!" prompting a synchronized "Wow" from the screen. At this moment, it seemed like mutual understanding and recognition were established, resonating with each other.

As the exchange time came to an end, we bid farewell reluctantly through the screen, looking forward to the next opportunity to meet online. Kevin from Class 6B said, "Today's exchange was very interesting, and I'm reluctant to say goodbye to them." Mikko, the Japanese teacher, expressed gratitude for the class sharing and found it genuinely interesting. The students mentioned they would like to visit Taiwan in the future.

Principal Peng stated, "Yung-Ning Elementary School hopes to achieve language proficiency, information literacy, and cross-cultural communication skills through efforts in international education, thereby promoting international understanding and nurturing global citizens with empathy and a worldview. 'When one melody ends, another begins.' Today's exchange experience unlocks international exploration for the children, and we hope that in the future, they will take big steps and bravely step into the world.