Four Consecutive Championships: Bilingual Elementary School of Kaohsiung’s Chinese Academy of Arts Wins Top Honors in English Readers’ Theater Competition!

高雄市政府教育局日前舉辦「英語讀者劇場（Reader’s Theater）」比賽，中華藝校附設雙語小學選派橫跨四至六年級9位學生參賽，並選讀改編自Michelle Lord的同名故事書的劇本《The Mess We Made》，劇本內容聚焦於人類對海洋的汙染與保育行動，學生結合生活經驗來揣摩詩文意涵，藉由劇場演出深刻詮釋故事的情感，充分體驗運用語言的溝通本質與能力，評審認為改編的劇本及表演相當有創意、發音流暢自然，團隊默契佳，給予特優殊榮。

The Education Bureau of the Kaohsiung City Government recently organized an “English Reader’s Theater” competition. The bilingual elementary school affiliated with the National Taiwan Academy of Arts selected nine students from grades four to six to participate. They performed a script adapted from Michelle Lord’s book The Mess We Made. The script focuses on human-caused ocean pollution and conservation efforts. Drawing from their life experiences, the students explored the poetic meaning of the text and conveyed the story’s emotions through theatrical performance, gaining a profound understanding of the essence and power of language as a communication tool. The judges praised the creative script adaptation, natural and fluent pronunciation, and strong team coordination, awarding them the highest distinction.

華藝附小以培養學生人文藝術素養及語言文化能力為教育目標，除課堂學習外，學生透過節慶活動、專題報告、校內拼字比賽、說故事比賽及年度展演等多元方式，深化語言能力與藝術涵養。此次參賽連續四年拿下特優的成績，更是私立學校唯一的特優獎項，再次印證學校以生活學習經驗落實在雙語教育的的卓越表現，不僅能在激烈競爭中脫穎而出，更成為雙語學習的典範與為台灣培養下一代更好的競爭力。

Huayi Elementary School aims to cultivate students’ humanistic and artistic literacy, as well as their language and cultural abilities. Beyond classroom learning, students deepen their language skills and artistic accomplishments through diverse activities such as festival celebrations, project reports, on-campus spelling competitions, storytelling contests, and annual performances. This year, the school achieved an outstanding distinction for the fourth consecutive year, making it the only private school to receive this top honor. This further validates the school’s exceptional implementation of bilingual education through real-life learning experiences. Not only does it stand out in fierce competition, but it also sets a benchmark for bilingual learning, contributing to Taiwan’s efforts to nurture a more competitive next generation.

 「英語讀者劇場（Reader’s Theater）」比賽是不需要背誦、不需要道具、不需要戲服、也不需要背景。華藝附小參賽代表有六年級學生胡詠晴、葉亮彤、許庭瑜，五年級學生劉芯寧，及四年級學生許嘉文、林昕澄、鄭仲甫、黃景優、陳詠善。他們異口同聲表示，我們必須要閱讀劇本中的角色，團隊分工合作，運用自己的想像力，以及口語的表達來表現這些角色，每個人都要展現最好的「聽」、「說」、「讀」、「寫」四大英語技能，才能讓觀眾宛如劇本中的角色一樣「聲」歷其境。

The “English Reader’s Theater” competition requires no memorization, props, costumes, or background settings. The representatives from Huayi Elementary School included sixth graders Hu Yongqing, Ye Liangtong, and Xu Tingyu; fifth grader Liu Xinning; and fourth graders Xu Jiawen, Lin Xincheng, Zheng Zhongfu, Huang Jingyou, and Chen Yongshan. They unanimously stated, “We need to read the roles in the script, collaborate as a team, and use our imagination and oral expression to bring the characters to life. Each of us must demonstrate our best in the four essential English skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, so the audience can truly feel immersed in the world of the script.”

六年級許庭瑜說，能夠代表學校參加英語讀者劇場的選手是件相當重要的事，因為校內的初選競爭十分激烈，我們能過關斬將成為學校代表，就表示自己對這些詩歌文學及生活素養比其他人有更深的理解與體會，而在語言的應用、想象力的運用，以及口語表達揣摩角色的時候，更是比其他競爭人選更能將英語融入自己的生活當中。

Sixth-grader Hsu Ting-Yu said that being selected to represent the school in the English Reader’s Theater competition is a significant honor because the preliminary selection within the school is highly competitive. Successfully standing out and becoming a school representative signifies having a deeper understanding and appreciation of the poetry, literature, and life skills compared to others. Moreover, in terms of language application, imagination, and embodying roles through oral expression, they have shown a greater ability to integrate English into their daily lives than other competitors.

國小部主任顧文華表示，語言學習應融入生活，當孩子們在閱讀、演出以及揣模這些角色的時候，孩子們對這些文就能夠有更深的理解與體會。此次的劇本不但切合學生的生活經驗，也扣緊SDGs中保育海洋生態的用續發展目標，讓學生能從讀劇的過程中，不僅提升學生的發音與口語流暢度，也體會環境保育的重要性，對學生來說是一段珍貴的學習歷程。

Elementary School Director Gu Wenhua stated that language learning should be integrated into daily life. When children engage in reading, performing, and embodying these roles, they can develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the texts. This script not only aligns with the students’ life experiences but also ties closely to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of preserving marine ecosystems. Through the process of reading and performing the play, students not only improve their pronunciation and oral fluency but also gain an understanding of the importance of environmental conservation. For the students, this is a valuable learning experience.

華藝附小是一所培養學生人文、藝術涵養，語言、文化薰陶為教育的學校，學生們除了平日課程學習之外，並透過晨間英語說故事、Spelling Bee英語拼字比賽、閱讀心得報告、劍橋兒童英語認證測驗、小托福英文能力認證等，都是作為提升學生使用英語良好的基礎，以及參與英語學習。另外在萬聖節活動、聖誕節快閃、春秋季展演的中英文兒童劇演出等，都是學校豐富多元的教學活動與生活素養的展現，四度蟬聯高市英語讀者劇場比賽特優，私立學校唯一的特優獎項真是實至名歸，獲得家長會一致的肯定，更是成為辦學績效最好的口碑。

Huayi Elementary School is an institution dedicated to cultivating students’ humanities and artistic appreciation while nurturing their language and cultural literacy. In addition to regular curriculum studies, students enhance their English proficiency through activities such as Morning English Storytelling, Spelling Bee competitions, reading reports, Cambridge English Qualifications for Young Learners, and TOEFL Primary English certification tests. These initiatives lay a solid foundation for effective English usage and foster engagement in English learning.

The school also hosts various vibrant and diverse activities, including Halloween celebrations, Christmas flash mob events, and bilingual children’s theater performances during the spring and fall exhibitions. Huayi has earned the distinction of winning the “Superior Award” four consecutive times in the Kaohsiung English Reader’s Theater Competition, being the only private school to achieve this honor. These accolades, coupled with unanimous recognition from the Parent-Teacher Association, solidify the school’s reputation as a top-performing institution in educational excellence.