Master TESOL - special subjects or skills that you would like to include in your choice? - AAS Essay

Additional Information Essay for AAS

Program: Master TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages)

I would like to enroll in a CELTA or ICELT program to support my future career which might include training English teachers. It can help me equip myself with the latest, practical cutting-edge techniques and knowledge in English teaching for young learners, teenagers and adults. Since they are quite prestigious and exclusive, not many teachers have the opportunity to study them while the courses are crucial to help them understand how language works and how it is best taught to students.

In addition, I am willing to join a program that allows me to experience how English teaching to immigrants take place in Australia. It will provide me a better picture of English teaching with different settings and backgrounds such as religions, races and language barriers compared to the one that we have in my country. I hope by experiencing that, I can implement the effective ways of teaching English where the conditions are also challenging here in Indonesia. Similar to it, I am also eager to have an opportunity to observe the practice of English teaching in Australian schools. Any good points that will emerge will provide a great impact in my dissemination of the knowledge and skills to the teachers and lecturers in my country who I will be working with.

Next, one of the subjects that I am going to take is Supporting Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, the delivery of teaching does not include direct observation of the teaching and learning process to the students with autism disorder. It would be great if I have the chance to do it to support my experience in teaching and observing the students with such condition.

The last, I am willing to learn about the skills of managing a language school. Even though it is not compulsory for an English teacher, I feel that teachers need to have the knowledge and skills on it in order to run their schools smoothly. This knowledge is also crucial for those who are eager to start their own school and I am willing to be part of the people who shares it.

Dany, your second paragraph does not meet the minimum of 3 sentences typical of a paragraph. I suggest you make it up, provided you do not exceed the word limit allowed for your essay, or incorporate it in the first paragraph since you did not introduce any new idea in that paragraph. Remove the 'however' in the third paragraph so that the sentence would read "...an English teacher, I feel..." . This is because the transition phrase, 'Even though', does not require 'however' - another transition word in the same sentence. Delete 'These' and use the singular form 'This' in the last sentence of your essay.

If you are sure that CELTA course is one of the special subjects that are attainable in your chosen university, I suggest you talk about it immediately in your opening statement. Let it form part of your thesis statement. Explain how it will avail to you the experience you mentioned earlier and what benefit the skills will be for you. Some of these information are already in your current draft. All you need to do is to re-organize them appropriately and then include those that relate to CELTA course. If you still have more word limit to your advantage, break paragraph one into two separate paragraphs so that the first paragraph will contain your thesis statement, while the second will explain the points further. If not, then effect the little adjustments I highlighted above.

I do not have clear understanding of what you meant by the statement, "...in the same area with the universities". The fact that you introduce new information in your new draft makes your essay more confusing to the reviewer. Why do you choose to introduce new idea in your essay when you are not meant to rewrite the whole essay? It makes me think that you have not really given good thought to which special skills you desire for yourself, thus making it difficult for us to create a version of your essay that can be used already. That said, I assume that you have finally made up your mind on what you want and you will not introduce new ideas in your next draft. You have stated in your current draft that you want to acquire skills that will help you to teach students with Autism. This information has to appear in your introductory paragraph. Also, do not not say 'CELTA or ICELT', it means you are not sure what you want. You must choose either of the two. The four paragraphs in this draft have four main points in the topic sentences namely: CELTA program, how immigrants are taught English in Australia, subject on Supporting Supporting Students with Autism, and language school management skills. These are the main focus of your current draft and here are my pieces of advice:

1. Create an introductory paragraph that highlights these subjects and skills you hope to acquire. This will form your thesis statement which tells the reviewer what to expect in the next paragraphs.

2. Discuss the subjects and/or skills and tell the reviewer what difference the knowledge will make in your career and how they will help you to contribute in your country. Find a way to connect your points in paragraphs. Then conclude your essay. If the word count is insufficient for your points, I suggest you select two most important skills or subjects and then talk about them. By the time you create a useful draft, I will then work on the grammatical errors. If you want me to continue to advise you on this thread, do not introduce new ideas in your next draft apart from what you have now.

Hi @okorobiadimma14
. . . in the same area . . . means there are CELTA courses in the same city with the uni that I'm proposing. CELTA and ICELT are kind of similar, offered by the same institution (Cambridge). However, I do agree with you that I must focus on two subjects or courses.

Actually, after I consulted with an awardee, we actually can request the subject even though we didn't write about it in additional information, I'll consider this essay done. Thank you for your suggestion.