English instruction is serious business in Taiwan. From textbooks and TV shows to English classes in every form imaginable, the English language instruction industry is a multi-million dollar affair in Taiwan. Currently one of the largest players in the field is the Taiwan Mac Publishing Co. Founded in 1983, the publishing house has now expanded to offering English educational selections that target a diverse readership.
With more and more Taiwanese going abroad to study, English proficiency test preparations materials and classes have become big business. To meet this trend, in 2006 Taiwan Mac approached Babel with the idea of preparing a multi-volume test preparation series for Taiwan’s General English Proficiency Test (GEPT). The GEPT, like other English proficiency tests, tests a student’s reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. However, unlike other test preparation books that cram everything into one volume, Taiwan Mac was looking for an in-depth course that would offer ample instruction and practice in each of the four language skill sets.
To handle this case, Babel brought a total of 12 people on board. In order for the series to be taken seriously and find acceptance in Taiwan’s schools and English training institutes, it had to be written by those with sufficiently strong academic credentials; thus, in addition to the editorial and administrative staff at Babel, the 12 person team also included English teachers and linguistic professors from Taiwan’s top universities who served as both editors and writers for the duration of the project.
From start to finish, the project took about two years to complete and obviously necessitated a large degree of teamwork, organization, and communication between team members and the client. At its completion, the series included 15 volumes, among them were four vocabulary books, two grammar explanation books, and six sample test volumes that focused on either reading, writing, speaking, or listening, as well as three other supplementary texts. The series is currently being sold in all of Taiwan’s leading online or brick and mortar bookstores and stands as a testament to Babel’s commitment to helping its publishing partners publish commercially successful books and teaching aids.
