SDG10
NCKU Teacher Education Center’s Overseas Internship Program at the Taiwan School in Jakarta, Indonesia
In response to globalization and the promotion of Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy, the Ministry of Education has launched several international exchange initiatives. The National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Teacher Education Center has previously organized cooperative teaching practicums and Schweitzer programs with overseas Taiwanese schools. Some teacher candidates, after participating in these activities, continued to demonstrate a strong desire to further explore opportunities abroad. As a result, together with Professor Hsu-Ying Tung (董旭英) from NCKU’s Graduate Institute of Education, they successfully secured this overseas teaching internship program.
This program focuses on multiculturalism and bilingual education as its core themes, sending four NCKU teacher candidates to the Jakarta Taipei School (JTS; 雅加達臺灣學校, hereinafter “JTS”) for a 60-day overseas teaching internship. JTS implements trilingual education in Chinese, English, and Indonesian, teaching Traditional Chinese using curricula from Taiwan and assessing learning outcomes through reading exercises, composition, and competitions. English courses are designed with both practical application and exam preparation in mind, balancing international exposure with academic advancement. The school also integrates the Indonesian education system and multicultural elements, including courses on religion, Pancasila (the five foundational principles of Indonesia), and traditional arts.
During the internship, the teacher candidates designed courses on the Mid-Autumn Festival and traditional children’s games to promote cultural exchange. They also visited local attractions such as the Shadow Puppet Museum and volcanic sites, deepening their understanding of local culture and heritage preservation.
This overseas teaching internship provides teacher candidates with not only hands-on teaching experience in a multicultural and multilingual environment but also opportunities to cultivate global perspectives, cross-cultural communication skills, and professional adaptability—essential competencies for educators in an increasingly interconnected world.
Implementation Strategies and Exploration of Language Education
The Jakarta Taipei School (JTS) implements trilingual education in Chinese, English, and Indonesian. A key feature for international enrollment is the use of Taiwanese textbooks for teaching Traditional Chinese. JTS comprises a kindergarten, elementary school, and secondary school, and has invested significant effort in curriculum design and teacher recruitment.
For Chinese language instruction, students begin by learning Zhuyin phonetics and tonal differences, gradually progressing to character reading and comprehension. Once a solid foundation in Chinese is established, students are encouraged to participate in domestic and international Mandarin competitions. The school also regularly organizes activities such as essay writing, speech contests, reading comprehension, and recitation competitions, providing structured opportunities to assess and reinforce learning outcomes.
JTS’s English education differs significantly from the approach in Taiwan. The school has established an International Language Department, where dedicated English teachers train students for international English debate competitions. Through systematic training, JTS students have achieved notable results in competitions worldwide. To enhance both practical English usage and exam readiness, English courses are divided into two streams: application-focused classes taught by foreign teachers, and curriculum-aligned classes taught by Taiwanese teachers, targeting standardized examinations. Exam design also references IELTS and Taiwan’s university entrance exams, striking a balanced approach between practical communication and academic assessment.
While aligning with the Taiwanese curriculum, JTS also follows the local Indonesian education system by incorporating courses on religion (including introductions to Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam) and Pancasila (the five foundational principles of Indonesia). Some courses, particularly in the arts, are taught by Indonesian teachers and integrate local customs. For example, music classes introduce traditional Indonesian instruments, and scouting courses teach students to create Batik patterns or cook local desserts made from durian. Although JTS centers its curriculum around Taiwanese culture, it maintains respect for multiculturalism and actively promotes cultural heritage and preservation.
Mutual Prosperity and Inclusion in the Wave of Multiculturalism
In addition to closely observing the language education strategies at the Jakarta Taipei School, the program also considered the diversity of students’ nationalities and religious affiliations, establishing “multiculturalism” as another core focus of the internship. After discussions among the teacher candidates, it was decided to implement in-class lessons in the form of a “Mid-Autumn Festival Cultural Course” and a “Taiwan Traditional Children’s Games Festival,” allowing students to engage with Taiwanese culture from different perspectives. They were also encouraged to connect these cultural elements to their own experiences, reflect on whether they had encountered similar traditions, or share comparable local festivals and customs, thereby promoting cultural exchange between the two countries.
Additionally, the teacher candidates organized multiple cultural visits and learning activities during weekends and national holidays. For example, they visited the Wayang Museum, which showcases traditional Indonesian shadow puppetry and wooden puppet culture. The styles and motifs of these puppets vary by region, reflecting local characteristics and deep cultural and historical significance. The interns also accompanied local volcano guides on excursions to Mount Ijen and Mount Bromo near Surabaya. Mount Ijen features the world’s largest acidic sulfur crater lake and one of only two sites of blue fire globally, while Mount Bromo offers sand seas and scenic sunrises. Through these cultural visits, the interns not only gained a deeper understanding of cultural diversity but also developed an appreciation for the importance of preserving and maintaining both tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
This program focuses on multiculturalism and bilingual education as its core themes, sending four NCKU teacher candidates to the Jakarta Taipei School (JTS; 雅加達臺灣學校, hereinafter “JTS”) for a 60-day overseas teaching internship. JTS implements trilingual education in Chinese, English, and Indonesian, teaching Traditional Chinese using curricula from Taiwan and assessing learning outcomes through reading exercises, composition, and competitions. English courses are designed with both practical application and exam preparation in mind, balancing international exposure with academic advancement. The school also integrates the Indonesian education system and multicultural elements, including courses on religion, Pancasila (the five foundational principles of Indonesia), and traditional arts.
During the internship, the teacher candidates designed courses on the Mid-Autumn Festival and traditional children’s games to promote cultural exchange. They also visited local attractions such as the Shadow Puppet Museum and volcanic sites, deepening their understanding of local culture and heritage preservation.
This overseas teaching internship provides teacher candidates with not only hands-on teaching experience in a multicultural and multilingual environment but also opportunities to cultivate global perspectives, cross-cultural communication skills, and professional adaptability—essential competencies for educators in an increasingly interconnected world.
Implementation Strategies and Exploration of Language Education
The Jakarta Taipei School (JTS) implements trilingual education in Chinese, English, and Indonesian. A key feature for international enrollment is the use of Taiwanese textbooks for teaching Traditional Chinese. JTS comprises a kindergarten, elementary school, and secondary school, and has invested significant effort in curriculum design and teacher recruitment.
For Chinese language instruction, students begin by learning Zhuyin phonetics and tonal differences, gradually progressing to character reading and comprehension. Once a solid foundation in Chinese is established, students are encouraged to participate in domestic and international Mandarin competitions. The school also regularly organizes activities such as essay writing, speech contests, reading comprehension, and recitation competitions, providing structured opportunities to assess and reinforce learning outcomes.
JTS’s English education differs significantly from the approach in Taiwan. The school has established an International Language Department, where dedicated English teachers train students for international English debate competitions. Through systematic training, JTS students have achieved notable results in competitions worldwide. To enhance both practical English usage and exam readiness, English courses are divided into two streams: application-focused classes taught by foreign teachers, and curriculum-aligned classes taught by Taiwanese teachers, targeting standardized examinations. Exam design also references IELTS and Taiwan’s university entrance exams, striking a balanced approach between practical communication and academic assessment.
While aligning with the Taiwanese curriculum, JTS also follows the local Indonesian education system by incorporating courses on religion (including introductions to Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam) and Pancasila (the five foundational principles of Indonesia). Some courses, particularly in the arts, are taught by Indonesian teachers and integrate local customs. For example, music classes introduce traditional Indonesian instruments, and scouting courses teach students to create Batik patterns or cook local desserts made from durian. Although JTS centers its curriculum around Taiwanese culture, it maintains respect for multiculturalism and actively promotes cultural heritage and preservation.
Mutual Prosperity and Inclusion in the Wave of Multiculturalism
In addition to closely observing the language education strategies at the Jakarta Taipei School, the program also considered the diversity of students’ nationalities and religious affiliations, establishing “multiculturalism” as another core focus of the internship. After discussions among the teacher candidates, it was decided to implement in-class lessons in the form of a “Mid-Autumn Festival Cultural Course” and a “Taiwan Traditional Children’s Games Festival,” allowing students to engage with Taiwanese culture from different perspectives. They were also encouraged to connect these cultural elements to their own experiences, reflect on whether they had encountered similar traditions, or share comparable local festivals and customs, thereby promoting cultural exchange between the two countries.
Additionally, the teacher candidates organized multiple cultural visits and learning activities during weekends and national holidays. For example, they visited the Wayang Museum, which showcases traditional Indonesian shadow puppetry and wooden puppet culture. The styles and motifs of these puppets vary by region, reflecting local characteristics and deep cultural and historical significance. The interns also accompanied local volcano guides on excursions to Mount Ijen and Mount Bromo near Surabaya. Mount Ijen features the world’s largest acidic sulfur crater lake and one of only two sites of blue fire globally, while Mount Bromo offers sand seas and scenic sunrises. Through these cultural visits, the interns not only gained a deeper understanding of cultural diversity but also developed an appreciation for the importance of preserving and maintaining both tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
NCKU teacher candidates participated in arts and cultural learning activities, experiencing traditional rattan weaving (left). In addition to observing classes in the secondary school division, the interns also visited lower-grade elementary classes to observe how students learn Chinese.
The interns conducted an in-class Mid-Autumn Festival cultural lesson (left) and organized a Taiwan Traditional Children’s Games Festival, guiding local students through a tangram activity (right).
Exhibits at the Wayang Museum (left) and a shadow puppetry performance (right).
Sulfur workers on Mount Ijen and the scenery of Mount Bromo.
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