About Us
LEAP English Education Labs is a U.S. Department of State-funded initiative supporting English acquisition for socioeconomically disadvantaged students in Taiwan. Through free, volunteer-operated supplemental education, LEAP aims to mitigate disparities in English learning opportunities across the country.
Application. Retention. Motivation.
Our Story
Taiwan's pursuit of bilingualism by 2030 underscores the imperative of equitable access to quality education. However, the prevalence of cram schools, primarily accessible to affluent families, exacerbates socioeconomic disparities in educational opportunities. In response, the Learning English Application Program (LEAP) English Innovation Labs aims to bridge this gap among underprivileged K-12 and university students across Taiwan. LEAP Innovation Labs offers free, volunteer-operated, hands-on supplemental instruction to enhance English acquisition among socioeconomically disenfranchised students.
The program comprises three key ‘arms’ designed to foster application, retention, and motivation for English learning: (1) Weekend "Content and Language-integrated Learning (CLIL)" Workshops, which leverages augmented reality and virtual reality software applications to create immersive English-learning environments that are both engaging and tangibly relevant, allowing students to explore content-rich subjects while simultaneously enhancing their English language proficiency; (2) 1:1 Tutoring (both virtual and in-person), which allows our program to support students in their coursework while catering to diverse learning styles; and (3) Hybrid field excursions and a tandem English-Chinese language partnership, in which LEAP students are partnered with American students at one of our seven partner institutions for weekly virtual English conversation practice and cultural exchange. Ultimately, through the creation of LEAP Innovation Labs, we aim to narrow the educational gap by providing equitable access to high-quality English education and fostering cultural exchange opportunities for all students, regardless of socioeconomic status.
LEAP serves socioeconomically disenfranchised K-12 and university students who are financially unable to access supplemental English education in Taiwan. Given our experiences as Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (ETAs), we have developed close observations, strategies, and relationships to accommodate the growing needs of our students. A significant portion of our student-family communities cannot financially afford supplemental education, lack the time to dedicate to after-school programming, and/or lack access to effective interactive supplemental education that best fits their learning style. We support these students and their families who can benefit from a more accessible, hands-on curriculum by providing tailored programming that meets their diverse learning methods. LEAP aims to improve these students’ application, retention, and motivation for learning English and aid their educational trajectory.
The creation of LEAP Innovation Labs has been deeply inspired by our experience as Fulbright ETAs. We spent our grant forging valuable connections and ties with the local community, including fellow ETAs, local educators, and community leaders who can provide crucial support and resources for this initiative. Through our Fulbright grant, we have gained an invaluable skillset that will help us facilitate this project, including knowledge of effective teaching methodologies, proficiency in cross-cultural communication, and an extensive understanding of Taiwan's educational landscape. We hope to build upon our exchange experience by providing a platform that would directly address the educational challenges we observed during our tenure teaching in Taiwan. This project represents a continuation of our commitment to promoting educational equity and cultural exchange.