National Taiwan Normal University’s Mandarin Training Center has issued a new series of six Chinese language textbooks with a focus on contemporary usage in Taiwan.
The center, founded in 1956, is the oldest of its kind in Taiwan. Over 3000 students from overseas enroll in the center’s program every year.
The new books, released Wednesday, replace a series that the center had used for 15 years. The new books introduce Taiwanese culture, including the culture brought to Taiwan by new immigrants. Unlike previous textbooks, which adhered to a Mainland standard, the new series of books has been adjusted to reflect certain Taiwanese usages.
As center director Chen Hao-Jan explains, the new textbooks account for changing realities.
"There used to be something called 'sending a telegram'", said Chen. "Now, there aren’t telegrams anymore. In the past, when was there ever anything like a “mobile device” or a “data cloud”? [And] for example, in the past, we didn’t introduce many of Taiwan’s regional foods or scenic spots. [Our books] are now become more and more practical and more able to connect with the times."
The series is designed to bring learners up to a “C2” on the CEFR proficiency scale.