Ethnic cultural legacies and learning English as a foreign language: a social-cultural study in Taiwan

Learning English in Taiwan has become a primary economic concern as industries have recognized the need to compete within global markets in which trade is predominantly carried out in English. The growth in demand for, and supply of, English language education in school settings is escalating. The National Curriculum of Primary and Secondary Schools (Grades 1-9) in Taiwan designated English as a school subject as early as primary level grade 5 (age 10) in 2001 and introduced it even earlier, in grade 3 in 2005 reflecting a public recognition of the importance of learning English.