Working in the gap: empowering local educators in Taiwan’s bilingual education policy

Abstract

Focusing on Taiwan’s bilingual education policy, this study explores the complex relationship between top-down policy and local educators' agency. It highlights the role of a professional development (PD) program for bilingual teachers in shaping the interpretation and implementation of bilingual education policy through a case study at an Elementary School in southern Taiwan. This study draws on Hornberger and Johnson’s (2007, 2011) ethnographic conceptualization of language policy. Through semi-structured and focus group interviews with bilingual teachers, it investigates how the PD program acts as a catalyst in shaping participants’ language ideologies, language use, and pedagogical practices. The research also explores the tensions and challenges faced by local educators in bilingual education. The findings underscore the significant role of language policy arbiters, including the PD program and the local educators, in addressing the conceptual gap in Taiwan’s bilingual education policy and carving out the ideological and implementational space for an inclusive approach to bilingual education. They also demonstrate the agency of local educators in interpreting and appropriating bilingual education policy. Overall, this study provides insights for policymakers, educators, and researchers in the field of bilingual education, shedding light on the dynamic interplay between policy and practice in non-English speaking contexts.

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