Xiaoying Li- Bachelor of Education (TESOL)

“It was the perfect opportunity to fulfil my wish. With the renowned scenery of New Zealand and the reputation of the University of Auckland, I couldn’t wait to start my exploration there and decided to apply for this programme.

“Looking back on my undergraduate years, what I enjoyed most were the provided opportunities for teaching practice. In most of my courses, I learned about TESOL theories and so the chance to practice teaching made those theories more interesting and less abstract.

“Taking microteaching as an example, it was a wonderful opportunity to put theories into practice. Even though I was not standing in a real classroom, I have experienced the teaching process as a teacher. I prepared my lesson plan and teaching tools, presented my lesson to the group members, received feedback from the audience, and most importantly, reflected on my teaching.

“Even though my microteaching turned out to be not as perfect as I had planned with many unexpected moments, I appreciated the imperfect parts, as I could learn from them and could make improvements in future practical teaching.”

Xiaoying says the most rewarding part of studying at the University of Auckland was the change of her perception of English teaching and learning.

“It was not until I arrived in Auckland as an international student that I understood learning English, or rather learning a language, is not only about learning the language itself, but also its culture. It also involves developing learners’ intercultural competence. As intercultural citizens, we could take English as a power to express ourselves and to share our culture. I realized through the TESOL programme that an English teacher should not just focus on teaching a language but on a broad concept.

“The broad understanding of this field that I developed through the programme should be of great support for my future study and career as an English teacher. For instance, by learning about language teaching approaches, I understood the strengths and the shortcomings of each approach. Therefore, when I carry out my lessons in the future, I can adapt those methodologies to meet the optimal outcomes, based on my learners’ needs.”

Xiaoying is preparing to further her knowledge through postgraduate study and is currently teaching IELTS part-time at an English training institute.

“The University of Auckland offered a large amount of support for my studies. As an international undergraduate studying in an unfamiliar country, I benefited a lot, both in my study and my life. When my TESOL group first arrived in Auckland, there were orientations that helped us familiarise ourselves with the country, the university campus life, the library system and so on. For academics, there are also plenty of workshops available, such as the academic writing workshop.

“The TESOL programme also held regular meetings for us to provide solutions or suggestions for any problems we encountered. When studying offshore, the university provided technical support to improve our online learning experience. Moreover, an assigned study buddy would contact me regularly via phone or email to get in touch with me and help when needed.

“I highly recommend this programme to those who plan their career as English teachers. I believe this programme will benefit you a lot, as it did for me. The courses related to education and children’s development have also provided me with deeper insights beyond English teaching. In short, this programme proved to be more valuable than I expected, and it is worth participating in.”