Teaching English to communicate around the world
Eva Yuxiao Li
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages M.S.Ed., 2016
Before Penn GSE: Undergraduate student
After Penn GSE: Teaching English as additional language at an international school in Hong Kong
"The TESOL program gave me an opportunity to be in a classroom from day one, and created a safety net so I could try out the theories I was learning in class. I gained confidence in creating a lesson plan, managing a classroom, and meeting my learning objectives."
Every day I go to work in a school in Hong Kong filled with students and faculty from around the world. It’s a constant reminder of how we can connect through language.
I had never taught anything before attending Penn GSE. But the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program gave me an opportunity to be in a classroom from day one, and created a safety net so I could try out the theories I was learning in class. I worked with students with a variety of native languages, and learned how I could teach English even if we didn’t share a common language. I gained confidence in creating a lesson plan, managing a classroom, and meeting my learning objectives.
Professor Santoi Wagner showed me how different learners coming from different backgrounds have different needs, and how I had to modify my teaching to help them succeed. Professor Anne Pomerantz pushed me because she really believed in my ability. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that encouragement was exactly what I needed.
I did my practicum with the Practical English for Daily Living (PEDAL) program, which offers free English as a Second Language courses to adults. My first year, more experienced students led the class and I was able to see how they put theory into practice. By my second year, I was comfortable co-leading a class.
As an international student, I found Penn GSE gave me the support I needed to succeed. The professors encouraged me to participate and made me feel a part of the university.