How it all got started…

Outstanding graduate – Teacher Li Heng Ling (Ms. Li)

It has been a tradition for Yu-Tsai Elementary School to invite its graduates back every year during school’s anniversary to visit their teachers or junior schoolmates. On this special day, outstanding graduates are recognized with awards. During Yu-Tsai’s anniversary in 2011, former Principal Tang Chang Hong got acquainted with Ms. Li, who was been honored as outstanding graduate at that time. Principal Tang learned from chatting with Ms. Li that she had been working on the promotion of the art of Shuo-Chang for years. He then invited Ms. Li to return and introduce Shuo-Chang to Yu-Tsai’s students. This invitation from Principal Tang got Ms. Li started thinking about returning to Yu-Tsai and teaching her junior schoolmates.。

Invitation by the Alma Mater

Ms. Li retired from her previous teaching post in 2013. Principal Pan Ching Hui, current principal of Yu-Tsai, thought it was an opportune moment for bringing our students in regular Yu-Tsai classes more distinguished language classes. Therefore, the school invited Ms. Li back to teach and promote Shuo-Chang, in order to raise the students’ proficiency in language. Even though there were five other elementary schools and two junior high schools that offered Ms. Li the same opportunity to promote Shuo-Chang, Ms. Li chose her alma mater to continue her legacy. She hoped in two weekly Shuo-Chang classes, she would be able to train Yu-Tsai’s students in the art of Shuo-Chang, and this would in turn improve their ability to express themselves both orally and through body language.

The Art of Shuo-Chang Lifting Off

The twice-a-week Shuo-Chang classes offered in regular Yu-Tsai class stirred up interests from students in bilingual classes. Many of them expressed interests in taking Shuo-Chang classes. As a result, the school organized “Little Shuo-Chang Experts” as an extra-curricular class this year to allow more students to take part on learning the art of Shuo-Chang. This class allowed students in different grades and classes to learn clappers and cross talks together. They even got to perform outside of school with Ms. Li at different venues. Every performance they gave brought a different learning experience to the students, and they all became more confident in expressing themselves orally.

Source: Interviews with Principal Pan, Director Tsai, and Ms. Li｜Text: the Original Artsy Shuo-Chang Posse │ Pictures: Ariel and Jenny