APPLICATION OF TESOL/ELT KNOWLEDGE (academic inputs & experiences)

The practicum offered each of us a marvelous opportunity to reflect on and apply the knowledge we acquired throughout the MATESOL program, highlighting the course's value. The application of our knowledge could be shown in three key domains: pedagogical practices, research competencies, and transferable skills.

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Regarding pedagogical practices, we fully applied the knowledge acquired from different subjects in the TESOL program, particularly Syllabus Design and Material Development, Advanced Teaching Methodology, and Technology Assisted Language Learning. To clarify, SDMD helped us apply the framework of material evaluation to adopt, adapt, and develop tasks in the textbook to better meet students’ needs. Recognizing the textbook content was lengthy and unstimulating, we proposed some supplementary tasks and extra materials to enhance learners’ interests. These adjustments contributed to maintaining learners’ attention and creating dynamic learning environments. Moreover, a great value of this practicum is the opportunity to experience a novel teaching environment, encouraging us to boldly step out of the safety zone with the clever use of knowledge in Advanced Teaching Methodology. As soon as knowing that the practicum would take place in FTU, we had a great deal of meetings to determine the type of students we would teach and their specific learning needs. Because FTU is famous for its education in business and economy, the students are interested in such subjects, which are unfamiliar to any of us, who mostly work with language. With such knowledge, we did some research, read books, and sourced information regarding practical business topics in order to tailor the lecture to the best of our ability. With the lesson plan elaborately prepared before, the lesson could be said to be successful as we observed the students were indeed excited and took away some knowledge of not only the language itself, but also some practical business information that hopefully helped further their interest in this area. Through this experience, we have learned how important it is to have the best preparation before a teaching session, with the understanding of what our students are interested in as the guiding star. We also attempted to take advantage of applications and websites, which we knew in Technology Assisted Language Learning,  to make the lesson more engaging and accessible to the students. 

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Furthermore, we highly value the opportunity to have a class observation in a B1-level class at FTU. In this class, we observed that the students truly engaged in the teaching activities which are designed based on real-life situations. The topic revolved around interpersonal relationships in an office setting. Through several videos presenting some typical problems in a workplace, students were asked to discuss them in groups and state their opinions to the teacher and the whole class. Such activities captured our interest the most as they productively maximize the classroom interactions: teacher-students and student-student. The vibrant discussions may have helped the students see the problems from diverse points of view, and present their opinions freely using the language, thus effectively fostering students’ critical thinking, active participation, and teamwork. It is not gamified activities that we normally implement in the classroom to expect an increased participation of learners; in the university context, it is such a context-based teaching method that sets forth practical problems that effectively encourage students to use the target language and actively get involved in the lesson. We seriously put that under our belt.  
 

In addition to the academic knowledge,  research knowledge gained during the program played a significant role in helping us to successfully complete the practicum, particularly in the seminar and workshop. During the preparation stage, we systematically searched for reliable sources to critically read, comprehend, and evaluate. Based on these readings, we carefully selected and synthesized relevant information from the sources to construct our own articles. The research competencies also enabled us to engage in other articles during the workshop and seminar. We could interpret their arguments, understand their methodologies, evaluate their findings, and reflect on their pedagogical implications. For instance, thanks to the article about factors influencing learners’ oral fluency, we recognized the importance of speaking activities, vocabulary knowledge, and teaching approaches in fostering learners’ speaking ability, tailoring our teaching practices to help learners develop their language skills.

Last but not least, the MATESOL program also broadened our transferable skills, which supported us during the practicum. Early on, when we had chances to study with Ms. Nu Anh, we were equipped with the skills for organizing workshops and seminars. These prior experiences enabled us to smoothly carry out our workshop and seminar. Furthermore, we also transformed the knowledge gained in the subject of Intercultural Communication into the intercultural communicative skills. Though both Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City are located in the same country, the cultures of these two metropolitans are slightly different. From our observations, people in Ha Noi tend to show their subtle communication, social hierarchy, and conventional politeness. Thus, during the interaction, especially with lecturers at Foreign Trade University, we adopt a more formal style than usual. However, we also embraced the friendliness and sociability inherent in our Southern cultural identities. 

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In conclusion, it casts no doubt that the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the TESOL program would be beneficial for us not only during the practicum but also in our future profession. We are deeply grateful to be a part of MATESOL 2023A, where we have received both theoretical insights and practical skills for our ongoing development as teachers and researchers.​