Matthew, Job Number 1127 - Full time, teaching Adult in Public School

Dear Recruitment,

I seek employment with your university as a TESOL Instructor. Please find attached a copy of my resume for your consideration. I have recently completed my Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics & TESL at Brock University, am currently an English LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) Instructor with a non-profit in Canada, and am looking for employment at the post-secondary level to apply the wealth of knowledge I’ve gained during my Bachelor’s and Master’s degree studies and subsequent employment.

I’m very interested in the work that your instituition performs, and have theoretical and practical experience relevant to TESOL teaching. I have put my course theory into practice in a variety of ways, most relevantly in the Intensive English Language Program at Brock University. The IELP is a gateway program of sorts at Brock University, where international students improve their English language skills before entry into the bachelor’s degree programs. I am also very familiar with learning management systems; as a teaching assistant at Brock University, I used their Sakai-based LMS to record marks, upload and download documents, produce and mark online quizzes and tests, and monitor forums. I currently teach two, 2.5 hr./per day, Mon-Fri, ESL courses as a full-time Instructor at the Immigrants Working Centre in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. 

My teaching philosophy consists of two key principles; professionalism, or English teaching as a profession with accreditation and expectations of professional development, and reflectivity, the systematic reflection, review, and improvement of teaching practises via analyses of prior experiences, both personal or third party. Professional status is important to the field of language teaching since it is heavily rooted in formal education and subject to evolving practises and pedagogies. A professional organization establish standards and guidelines for both ESL teachers and employers; membership identifies a teacher as a professional who is an expert in their field. Participation in professional development activities is also important to professionalism, as it furthers practical and conceptual knowledge of the field. Reflectivity can be a solitary endeavour or a social activity involving many teachers; the best execution of reflectivity is a combination of both. Many scholars note that when reflectivity is ignored, teachers may neglect to improve and add to their expert knowledge, as well as distancing themselves from involvement in their teaching. When this stagnation occurs, a teacher is at higher risk for burnout. Together, professionalism and reflectivity support the three elements of motivation as per self-determination theory; autonomy, relatedness, and competency. Separately, these three elements are very rewarding to teachers, and combined as motivation these personal rewards position professionalism and reflectivity as the key principles that underlie the professional identity of an excellent ESL teacher.

I feel that my academic experience coupled with my teaching ambitions make me the perfect candidate for this position. If you would like to get in touch to discuss my application and to arrange an interview, you can contact me via telephone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Matthew M. Green, MA., OCELT

Education:

2016 – Present - Ontario Certified English Language Teacher (OCELT) - TESL Ontario, Toronto, ON
2016 – 2017 - Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics / TESL - Brock University, St. Catharines, ON. Major Research Paper Title:
English as the Foreign Language: A Comparative Analysis of Foreign Language Education Policies of Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan
2011 – 2016 - Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Applied Linguistics / TESL - Brock University, St. Catharines, ON

Teaching Experience:

Sept. 2017 – Current

LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) Instructor
Immigrants Working Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

• Responsible for full time LINC classes, from CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark) 1 to CLB 4 level adult students. Tasked with developing and delivering daily lessons, maintaining PBLA tracking sheets and student portfolios, documenting student progress, and making recommendations for CLB progression.

Sept. 2016 – Apr. 2017

Teaching Assistant with the Department of Applied Linguistics
Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

• Managed two seminar groups of 20 students each for LING 1F25 – Introduction to Linguistics. Tasked with leading two, one-hour seminar sessions per week, during which lecture topics were expanded upon with additional readings and assignments.
• Responsibilities included preparing seminar materials, maintaining office hours for student consultations, course grading, online course management using Brock’s Learning Management System (LMS), and other administrative duties.

Sept. 2015 – Apr. 2016

Intensive English Language Program Teacher
Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

• Taught Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5 academic English writing classes as part of my mentored teaching practicum. Tasked with creating lesson plans relevant to school workbooks, and teaching classes unaided.

Sept. 2010 – Aug. 2011

Elementary Level English Teacher
Enlighten English, Shanghai, China

• Taught at three elementary schools under a 1 year contract.
• Employed as a secondary English teacher, I was tasked with teaching and reinforcing material twice a week with 50 min. lesson plans relevant to school workbooks.

Feb. 2009 – Feb. 2010

Kindergarten Level English Teacher
Jiangsu Education Department, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China

• Taught at two kindergartens under a 1 year contract.
• Employed as one of three English teachers at Qiao Yi Kindergarten, managing 14 classes of approximately 25 students each. Tasked with creating 30 min. lesson plans relevant to workbook.
• Employed as the sole English teacher at Wuxi Experimental Kindergarten, managing 12 classes of approximately 25-30 students each. Tasked with creating lesson plans and planning special events relevant to North American traditions.