sample--statement of purpose 3

（邱）

        Like many non-English speakers, I have begun studying English quite late in seventh grade.  To most non-English speakers, learning a new language, English, is both novel and challenging.   Many students may explore English with the curiosity toward a new language and culture; however, they may lose their interest because of inappropriate and rigid teaching approaches, or an unfamiliar/ insecure sense towards a new language or culture.  Learning a new language is not an easy job especially for teenagers or adults who have passed their critical period of language acquisition. Language learning always takes patience; moreover, it needs good strategies, motivation, and a good instructor to help students to overcome the sense of alienation toward a new language or culture.

My teachers started our English education by teaching the alphabets and phonetic symbols.  Interesting games, colorful visual aids, or strategies were used to help raise our interest in learning English and the new culture.  Some activities worked and indeed helped us a lot in training the so-called 「four skills 」 of a language; however, others failed.  Frankly speaking, though I was really patient in learning English and learn it well, I was not a prominent student of English in junior high and senior high schools.  And as an English-major, it happens all the time that my relatives and neighbors would ask me questions such as: 「what do we do to learn English well?  What are your strategies?」 「I got good grades in English, but I have difficulties communicating with foreigners! 」 and so on.   My answer is always: 「oh, English learning takes only patience and practice.」  Though it』s true that English learning takes great patience and hard working, I wish I could offer them more effective ways and share my experiences with them.  But I can』t.  St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.) said, "If no one asks me, I know what it is; if I wish to explain what it is to him who asks me, I do not know."  I  know how to learn English, but I can』t tell people the principles and the reasons why we learn English by using certain strategies or approaches.

  When I came to college and majored in English at National Central University, the linguistic courses helped me a lot in understanding my early language learning experiences.  Inspired by the strong inner call of self-exploration and the will to help my friends, I started to take relevant courses about language learning theories and linguistics, including Phonetics, Linguistics, Syntax, Language Acquisition and Teaching, and English teaching.  I also take courses from the teacher training program in N.C.U. which gave me an overview of teaching methodologies, learning psychologies, and practical training.   In class, some teachers will share with us their teaching experiences, their viewpoints towards the current education system and trends, whereas other teachers shared with us their philosophies of life.  Thanks to their efforts, I have come to realize that teaching is not only the delivery of knowledge, but also the effort to share with, to affect, or to help people.

I have browsed through your website and noticed that your TESOL program has a strong focus on intercultural communication and on the interaction of social behavior and language use.  I have always had great interest in learning new languages and cultures.   Besides English and my mother tongue, Chinese, I』ve studied Japanese and Japanese culture for two years.  I also noticed that several professors of your program master in bilingual language acquisition and teaching.  I hope my experiences in learning English and Japanese may help me move further along this line of research if I have the opportunity to enter your program. 

Six months ago, I was fortunate to have an opportunity to help my teacher to do some research on course planning and evaluation.  During this period of time, I realized that a sound evaluation system will help a lot with continuous course improvement and ensure the quality of teaching.  I also learned some innovative evaluation tools and got positive feedbacks from the students that I tutored for two years.  Teaching is an art and several factors should be take into consideration, including the students』 state of mind, classroom atmosphere, the teachers』 attitude, the  teaching approaches , evaluation methods, cultural factors, and so on.  While teaching English to speakers of other languages, cultural factors and student attitudes towards a new culture should be first taken into consideration.  Besides, course planning should be adjusted or innovated in order to make courses more accessible to non-English students.  In Taiwan, English language learning has become more and more important for the trend of internationalization.  However, because of some inappropriate teaching approaches, students may learn English in an ineffective way or even encounter obstacles in learning English. 

Your program provides sound courses that cover methods of teaching, evaluation, and materials development, as well as engage in fieldwork both as tutors and practice teachers.  I believe the program offered will help me acquire the versatility needed to reach my full potential as an English teacher.  It would be a privilege to be able to secure admission to pursue graduate studies with you.  I am confident that I will match the high standards set by your university.