When Roberta Diamond volunteered to teach English at a local nonprofit, she “didn’t have a clue about how to make a lesson plan!” Determined to learn about them and other good teaching tools, she enrolled in the TESOL certification course at English for Life. What a difference it made in her life! She says, “Presently, I am teaching 3 classes at English & More, the Language School of Charleston. I teach three students privately and am also filling in for the school’s director while she is on maternity leave. So I guess you could say I learned my lessons well.”
Tell us more about why you sought TESOL certification. I wanted a program that offered a teaching practicum to expand my knowledge of teaching. For example, I now teach pronunciation, advanced intermediate English, and Advanced Conversation and Business English. When some of my students asked, I added materials to help them prepare for the TOEFL exam. English for Life taught me excellent lesson planning practices and I am putting them to use for every class I teach.
What are your teaching goals? I constantly look at different teaching materials and websites for new ideas. It is really stimulating to teach so many different courses. I want to provide the same kind of stimulation for my students.
How has teaching helped you grow? Teaching at a church program and English & More helped me decide that I prefer to teach advanced adult students. It expanded my horizons on the career possibilities in many situations and places. I’ve grown in confidence enough to apply to a Masters program in TESOL with a focus on English for Specific Purposes.
Anything else you’d like us to know? Teaching has been wonderful for me and I truly have loved every single student! Thank you, English for Life!
Like Roberta, you can broaden your career horizons with a TESOL course at English for Life. Teach, travel and transform your world!
