Eighty-three people took the Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) Listening and Reading Test on Thursday, July 18, 2024, in the Innovation Hub at Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC).
The test-takers, composed of adults and students, have been learning Mandarin in Saint Lucia from their two Mandarin teachers Ms. Nana Lin and Mr. Andres Chi from the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM). The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) introduced the teaching of Mandarin to Saint Lucia some years ago for a better understanding of each other’s culture.
Mandarin is the official language in Taiwan, but it is more than just a language; it also opens the door to a vast job market in all countries where Mandarin is the language used in commerce.
Ms. Nana Lin, Mandarin teacher, explained the importance and benefits of teaching Mandarin in Saint Lucia, and what the response has been so far from those learning the foreign language.
“Students and parents alike have shown a keen interest in integrating Mandarin into the local curriculum,” Ms. Lin stated. “The response has been exceptional, with students eagerly seizing the chance to become proficient in the world’s second most spoken language. I look forward to seeing these students continue their studies and become fully fluent in Mandarin.”
Meanwhile, before and after taking the TOCFL Test, some test-takers spoke about their experiences learning Mandarin, all of whom were optimistic about taking the advanced level test in the future.
Nkrumah Lucien is one of the teachers at St. Mary’s College who opted to take the Mandarin course. He said Mandarin has some similarities to kwéyòl in terms of structure, especially in conjugation.
“I felt it would be interesting to learn a new language and get an opportunity to interact with the culture, whether through travel or media,” said Lucien.
Jeanique Louis, who is employed with the Government of Saint Lucia and is one of this year’s recipients of Taiwanese scholarships, said, “I decided to start learning Mandarin in 2022 to increase my language skills. Taking the Mandarin course has prepared me for when I do get to Taiwan.”
Amani John, a Form Three student at St. Mary’s College, said he started taking Mandarin classes in Form One as a new integrated subject.
“At first, I didn’t find it an easy language to learn, but I soon found that it is indeed interesting and I ended up liking it more and more,” John stated.
Urith Cox, a student at Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, said she has been learning Mandarin with Mr. Andres for one term now.
“I took up Mandarin because I wanted to do something new, something different,” Cox said. “At school, I did Spanish and French, so I thought choosing Mandarin would be nice so that I can learn another culture and how they live.”
Rosa Emmanuel, a Form Three student at St. Joseph’s Convent, said she started learning Mandarin in Form One after developing a liking for it at primary school. Taking the TOCFL, she said, has boosted her confidence in Mandarin.
“It’s been a great experience learning the language,” said Emmanuel. “Sometimes it’s difficult, but I’ve been pushing through. Taking the TOCFL was easier than I thought it would be.”
Since the TOCFL was launched in December 2003 in Taiwan, it has been administered in many countries across the globe, including in Saint Lucia. The TOCFL is designed for non-native Chinese speakers and test-takers who meet the requirements will receive a certificate issued by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan which can serve as a Chinese proficiency credential for various reasons, including (1) applying for the Taiwanese Scholarship and (2) applying for admission to the academic programmes at colleges or universities in Taiwan.