In response to the 2019 Development of National Languages Act, this study addresses the challenge of preparing secondary school teachers for Taiwan’s endangered Austronesian languages. Many student teachers initially possess limited proficiency and struggling with intricate linguistic structures, which hinder effective instruction. This research develops Second Language Acquisition (SLA) strategies to equip educators with the proficiency required for professional teaching.
Adopting a Participatory Action Research (PAR) design, the researcher synthesised linguistic treatises from over a dozen linguists into a pedagogical framework centered on three core SLA strategies:
• Focus on Form (FonF): Developed 150 online pedagogical videos across 10 languages. By converting complex academic grammar into simplified formulas, the study reduced cognitive load, enabling student teachers to "teach the core with simplicity" through enhanced comprehension.
• Comprehensible Input: Produced 100 advanced videos analysing high-level national curricula and proficiency examinations. Student teachers mastered complex affixes and derivations—the nexus of Austronesian morphology—through the active process of recording these instructional resources.
• Language Output: Guided students to develop oral proficiency using cross-linguistic universal scripts. This experience-based training facilitated success in national impromptu speech competitions, where 17 participants secured 36 awards.
The results demonstrate that tailoring pedagogy to national curricula—through simplified audiovisual resources and advanced structural breakdowns—effectively bridges the gap between linguistic theory and classroom application. This systematic approach empowers future teachers to revitalise endangered languages through a structured, output-oriented framework.

Authors:
Chein-Lung Wang, Department of Education, National Taitung University, Taiwan
Ju-Hui Chang, Department of Education, National Taitung University, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Wang Chien-lung is a professor in the Department of Education at National Taitung University in Taiwan. His academic expertise lies in indigenous language teacher education. The current research project is "Indigenous Language Teacher Education".

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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