MA Applied Linguistics and TESOL (DL)

Student profile

Ashley Mendes - MA Applied Linguistics and TESOL (DL)

Having taken my CELTA, I was able to venture out to China for my first English teaching role. After a couple of years, I felt I needed something more, something extra to help me develop my teaching knowledge and skills. It was around this time a friend casually told me of his distance learning MA course in computing that he was studying at the University of Portsmouth. My ears perked up! An MA distance learning course from a reputable university? Is it really possible? Could there be a similar course for TESOL teachers? I was delighted to find from their website the MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL course. The units all looked interesting and useful, with the emphasis on TESOL particularly appealing.

Being able to study for the course from abroad and from the comfort of my home also persuaded me to take it up. I didn’t want to leave China, and having a young family to support meant full-time study was out of the question. The long breaks teachers in the summer and winter would afford me additional time for the required reading and essay writing.

The course itself was a real eye-opener. Whilst the CELTA course had helped give me an idea of what’s involved in language teaching, I had no idea how big and complex the whole field is. The units covered a wide range of relevant topics. A vast amount of reading is required and the essays challenging. Most of the time you work on your own. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. Guidance from lecturers and discussion and contact with other students was always available via Victory. I resourced a lot of material from the library’s online books and journals, and found the librarian particularly helpful.

The course has made a huge difference to the way I teach. Now my teaching style and methods is more grounded in theory. I feel that I have developed and progressed substantially as a teacher. My students as well, I hope, are reaping some benefit. Apart from the financial benefit, completing the course now means doors that were once closed are now open.