◎Division of International Affairs Office of Research and Development

Each semester, exchange students from our school's international sister schools not only enroll in courses at our university but are also arranged to observe teaching at elementary schools. This semester, at the end of November, eight exchange students were arranged to visit National Taipei University of Education Experimental Elementary School for a week-long practicum. This opportunity allowed the international exchange students to familiarize themselves with the Taiwanese teaching environment and methods, and it also served as a platform for them to showcase the unique characteristics of their respective countries.

The exchange students included Juliette from the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in France, Denise and Christina T from the University of Education Vienna in Austria, Jennifer from the University of Education Freiburg in Germany, Jonas from the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin, Elias from the Thurgau University of Teacher Education in Switzerland, Ivan from the Bern University of Teacher Education, and Kara from the Zurich University of Teacher Education. They introduced their native cultures, cuisines, festivals, traditions, and languages to students of different grades.

Juliette from France vividly described and showcased France's geographical location, the beauty of Paris, and France's unique cultural customs, such as the elaborate dining sequence and rich festive traditions. Her presentation included famous French cuisines, like appetizers and desserts, and also covered the origins and celebrations of "Kings Cake Day," sparking students' interest in exploring French culture.

Denise from Italy used engaging stories and images to explain the significance of the colors on the Italian flag: green symbolizing landscape, equality, freedom; white representing faith, and snow; red signifying love and the blood of war. She also talked about the importance of family in Italian culture, common greeting customs like cheek kissing, and special hand gestures to express appreciation for delicious food.

Christina T from Austria focused her presentation on Austrian history and cultural heritage, intricately introducing Austria's flag and coat of arms. She took students on a journey through Austria's famous landmarks, such as Salzburg, Mozart's birthplace and the filming location for "The Sound of Music," providing rich historical knowledge and showcasing Austria's natural beauty and cultural allure.

Jennifer from Germany brought an introduction to German culture and arts. She narrated stories and showed pictures of famous German castles and churches, like Neuschwanstein Castle and Ulm Minster. She also introduced traditional German foods, such as Haribo gummy bears and Brezel（pretzels）, and deepened students' understanding of German culture through a custom-made German memory game.

Similarly, Jonas from Germany emphasized German football culture and the atmosphere of winter markets. He described Germans' love for football and life scenes in winter evening markets, allowing students to feel the unique rhythm of life in Germany. He also shared his nostalgia for traditional German bread and thanked the classroom translators for their assistance in making the presentation smoother.

Elias, Ivan, and Kara from Switzerland introduced the cultural diversity of Switzerland from various angles. They talked about the different language regions in Switzerland, such as German, French, Italian, and Romansh, and introduced traditional Swiss culture and natural landscapes, like the Alphorn, the world's longest musical instrument and a Swiss cultural icon, and the Swiss yodel echoing through the valleys. Switzerland and Taiwan share stunning natural landscapes, which Elias and Ivan used to design a "guess the location from natural scenery" game. Kara brought traditional Swiss cards and coins and conducted group activities on the playground, letting students experience authentic Swiss charm.

Amélie from France started her presentation with creativity and enthusiasm, beginning with a student singing "Do You Hear the People Sing?" to express their impression of France. She cleverly introduced France using a world map, highlighting France as a country composed of diverse cultures and languages. She introduced representative foods from various regions in France, such as Bourgogne-Franche-Comté's beef bourguignon and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes's raclette, as well as famous French films and artworks, like "The Little Prince," "Amélie," and the iconic oil painting "La Liberté guidant le peuple." She ended with an interactive French number rapping lesson, immersing students in the atmosphere of French culture.

Victor, also from France, narrated French culture from a different perspective, emphasizing that France extends beyond the European continent to include overseas islands. He shared the multicultural and multilingual nature of France, comparing language learning situations in France and Taiwan, highlighting the importance of cultural preservation. In terms of food, he specifically introduced the rich variety of French cheeses and, as a cheese enthusiast, taught students how to express their love for cheese in French （J'aime le fromage）.

The success of this international cultural exchange activity reflects our school's commitment to building a platform for multicultural learning environment, allowing them to experience and understand a rich and varied range of content right on campus.

For the participating exchange students, this event was a unique opportunity for teaching experience and cultural sharing. They not only showcased the unique cultures of their countries but also learned how to communicate and teach in a multicultural context. For the students at National Taipei University of Education Experimental Elementary School, this activity enhanced their understanding and respect for different cultures worldwide and sparked their interest in foreign language learning and cross-cultural engagement. For both our school and National Taipei University of Education Experimental Elementary School, it strengthened the community cohesion between institutions and laid a solid foundation for future interaction and cooperation.

Our school will continue to promote international educational exchanges and actively develop innovative and diverse educational activities. We are committed to enriching teaching content and methods and continuously striving to provide a comprehensive learning environment. This effort aims to cultivate our students' international perspectives and cross-cultural communication skills, assisting them in becoming global citizens with broader worldviews and enhancing our school's influence in educational innovation and on the international stage.