two universities to pursue master's degree
I majored in English teaching in a local university in my hometown. Although I have not worked on a professional level previously, I have had experiences in teaching as a voluntary work at two schools. However, I felt that I was lacking in terms of skills which was proven by the fact that some of my students looking uninterested and bored after some meetings in the classrooms. This is what drives my motivation into continuing my study in English teaching. I am confident that by doing this, I will be equipped with more sophisticated teaching skills towards the end of the study. In order to make it come true, I propose two universities to pursue my master's degree.
The first is Macquiarie University, which offers a variety of courses that cater my needs and interests as an English teacher, such as Language Teaching Methodologies, Planning and Programming in TESOL and Practicum in TESOL; as a linguist, such as Genre, Discourse and Multimodality and Pragmatics and Intercultural Communication; and as a researcher, such as Research Method in English Study.
The second is The University of Queensland. The university also offers courses that is tailored for students who want to sharpen their skills in English teaching, such as TESOL Curriculum & Pedagogy: Classroom Strategies, Language Testing & Assessment and Classroom Second Language Acquisition: Theory, Research & Practice.
The subjects offered in these universities are very critical to study in order to become a more skilled teacher, especially in English language which in turn will give me chances to improve my future students' motivation and knowledge by implementing the acquired skills.
I suggest introducing a less formal language in your essay. While essays for applications have a reputation for being formal and straightforward, evaluators definitely appreciate it if you can provide a more personal narrative that will let your personality shine through. For instance, instead of just briefly mentioning how you have witnessed students being uninterested in class, tell a story of a time that one of them inspired you to pursue the career itself. By doing this, you are introducing a more humane side.
Furthermore, I suggest that when you are tackling the technical aspects of these universities (ie. the curriculum, what they offer in terms of academics, etc.) make mention of what makes this different from other institutions. Show a depth of interest in these academic institutions to showcase how proud you are of the work that you do.
If you can tell a story through your narrative, it will build a more intimate relationship and will make you stand out to other candidates.
Don't just tell it how it is. Discuss why you are worth the shot - what makes your background special. Discuss your long-term goals and how attending said universities can help you achieve those.
Thank you so much for the feedback. I really appreciate it. May I post a revision my my essay as a new thread? Nope - it would equal account suspension.
Merged:
TESOL - AAS - master's degree in applied linguistics, question on course/institution choice
Why did you choose your proposed course and institution?
I intend to pursue my master's degree in applied linguistics specializing in TESOL because I aspire to be a teacher or lecturer. I enjoy teaching because it is personally satisfying for me to see the expressions on people's face when they learn something new from me. It can be just a bit of a smile or even a simple nod. Another reason why I want to continue my study and to be a teacher is that some of my teachers and lecturers inspired me to think that education is highly important to have a better future not only for me, but also for others.
I choose Macquarie University to continue my study because it offers a balanced set of courses that range from teaching to linguistics that will broaden my knowledge as a teacher and linguist. In terms of teaching, courses such as Language Teaching Methodologies will provide me better methods and theories of teaching, while Practicum in TESOL will give me chances to apply what I have learned previously by teaching in a classroom. It also offers a course that is very critical in the English teaching field, such as Teaching English for Academic Purpose which will give me highlights of English teaching in an educational setting.
Since I am not only interested as a teacher, but also as a linguist, I am deeply interested in the linguistically related courses offered at the university, such as Genre, Discourse and Multimodality which shows a language from the perspective of social-semiotic; and Pragmatics and Intercultural Communication which teaches about the construction of meaning within the language itself. I think that this is a great bonus of knowledge that I will get alongside the teaching-related skills.
I believe that teaching and educating are good ways to shape people's mind towards a better version of themselves, similar to how some of my teachers and lecturers inspired me to be a better person. I am determined to repeat this cycle with others, but this time, me as the person who inspire others.@Day999
The flow of your essay is sufficient. However, I do have a couple of key suggestions that could better the overall content and structure of your composition.
Firstly, I recommend that incorporate anecdotes into your essay. You can talk about an instance in your life that made you want to be a linguist. If this is absent or too much of a stretch, you can talk about what has driven you to partake in a graduate program. While you have mentioned wanting to become a teacher in the field, it would be better if you could expound this more.
What about the profession excites you?
What has made you choose this profession above all others that are present?
Moreover, I would also suggest discussing why you have chosen the university itself. You have mentioned courses which you believe are impeccable.However, it would also be nice to discuss the overall social and cultural background of the academic institution that makes it stand out.
How exactly do you fit into the environment of the school that would make you a better candidate?
What can you offer to the university?
Lastly, you discussed how you had teachers and lecturers who had inspired you to partake in the program. I would suggest looking into expounding that. Discuss who (specifically) has helped you to realize your dream.
Remember that the more personal your essay is (especially for applications), the more that evaluators can appreciate you. There are a lot of applicants already in the vacuum of the system. Tackle more about what has shaped you to become who you are. Talk more about yourself - not just as a student but as a person who has in-depth aspirations in life.
Best of luck.
Thank you so much, Maria. I will try my best to incorporate all of your suggestions into my essay because the application limits me to only use maximum 2000.