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Closing achievement gaps and beyond: teachers’ reactions to the remedial education policy in Taiwan

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Abstract

Educators have increasingly implemented remedial education in elementary and secondary schools throughout Taiwan as a systemic approach toward closing achievement gaps. However, students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those in remote areas have shown little improvement in academic achievement. This issue raises the question of how educators are providing needed learning support to disadvantaged students in school and classroom settings. Thus, this study applies grounded theory to investigate teachers’ reactions to the remedial education policy in Taiwan, to have a reflective assessment on the policy, and to provide suggestions for policy implementation. The findings suggest that teachers’ responses to this government-imposed, centralized approach—classified as “cosmetic compliance,” “professional commitment,” and “try-out participation”—vary widely based on whether their ideological underpinnings are consistent with the government’s policy intent to close achievement gaps, and on whether they are equipped with professional knowledge and practical strategies to support the effective implementation of remedial education. Based on the findings, this study develops an interactive systemic model for more effectively implementing the remedial education policy, which illustrates a conceptualization that educational practitioners can hold professional autonomy while improving teaching and learning for low-achieving students.

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Notes

  1. Based on the exchange rate provided by the Central Bank of Taiwan (2015), the ratio of a New Taiwan dollar to a U.S. dollar was about 31:1.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Chiu-ling Hou, Shannon Lin, Mun-ket Phool, and Hui-quan Ng for their assistance on the data collection for this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, National Taiwan Normal University, College of Education Building, Room 805, 162, Section 1, Heping East Road, Taipei, 10610, Taiwan

    Hsiao-Lan Sharon Chen

  2. Department of Education, National Taiwan Normal University, College of Education Building, Room 902, 162, Section 1, Heping East Road, Taipei, 10610, Taiwan

    Patricia Yu

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  1. Hsiao-Lan Sharon Chen
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Correspondence to Patricia Yu.

Appendix: Qualitative survey questions

Appendix: Qualitative survey questions

  1. 1.

    What are the challenges and problems that classroom teachers and school administrators have faced when implementing remedial education programs?

  2. 2.

    What have been your needs as a classroom teacher or school administrator when involved in a remedial education program? From your understanding, what have been the needs of your colleagues in remedial education programs?

  3. 3.

    In what ways has the remedial education policy been implemented in your school?

  4. 4.

    What are your perspectives and suggestions on advancing the implementation of the remedial education policy?

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Chen, HL.S., Yu, P. Closing achievement gaps and beyond: teachers’ reactions to the remedial education policy in Taiwan. Asia Pacific Educ. Rev. 17, 609–624 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-016-9440-y

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