2024/05/22 

Back during this year’s winter break, Class 503 started a close exchange with Nishiura Elementary School in Osaka, Japan. They first shared music videos with each other. Our Class 503 students performed a recorder piece here, while the Japanese friends performed singing and band pieces.

Next, both sides made self-introduction videos and posted them on Padlet to get to know each other. On May 22, it was finally time for our virtual meeting!

The online exchange started with student representatives greeting each other, followed by speeches from both principals. Principal Peng Wen-zhen of our school shared in English, saying: "Through the international network, we can enter each other’s classrooms and make friends around the world. Thank you to the Japanese students for their introductions, helping us learn more about Japanese culture. We hope to visit your beautiful school in Japan someday."

Then came the highlight of the day: 30 minutes of English conversation between the students. They introduced themselves, asked questions, performed, and chatted. We had prepared extensively for smooth English communication, using prompt cards and online presentations. In the end, the students reluctantly said goodbye, looking forward to meeting again.

After the exchange, the Japanese students shared that they learned a lot about Taiwanese culture and their buddies' interests. They felt motivated to improve their English to make friends around the world and hoped for a chance to visit Taiwan in the future. Our students said they enjoyed the teamwork and preparation, and because they ran out of prepared topics, they ended up playing rock-paper-scissors, dancing, and performing tricks with kendama and Rubik’s cubes. Some students, participating for the second time, felt more confident and enjoyed sharing interests with their Japanese buddies. They eagerly look forward to the next exchange.

The teachers noticed that the students not only became more confident in presenting but also adept at problem-solving. They used online tools to overcome language barriers and supported each other during the group time. Watching the students grow with each exchange was truly touching.

Thank you to all the Taiwanese and Japanese students, teachers, directors, and principals who put in so much effort for this exchange. You helped the children broaden their horizons and experience the joy of a global family.