ESL Teachers

My name is Keir Goode and I have seen your vacancy advertised on TEFL job centre and I am very interested in the position. I am currently undertaking my 120-hour combined TEFL course and should have it completed by the end of April. I am interested in studying in South Korea as I have visited the country before and fell in love with the people and the culture. I have a degree in Zoo Biology which i completed with honours and achieved a 2:1. I would love the opportunity to use my TEFL skills and work and live in a fantastic country like Korea.

Thanks for reading,

Keir Goode

I am a hardworking and outgoing person, I strive to make sure that my work is done to the best of my abilities while still managing to enjoy myself. In 2014 I moved to South Korea to attend Ewha Womens University as an exchange student, there I became a volunteer English teacher for both Kindergarten and University level students. I enjoyed both the time I lived in Korea and the students that I shared memories with.

I have received my B.A., M.A and have recently completed my 120-hour TEFL. I like working with kids and adults. I believe that having fun while learning English is a key way to retaining students and life-long learners.

I believe that I am a stellar candidate for this role for many reasons. Firstly, I am a native English speaker holding both an MA and an undergraduate degree in English Literature. The results for this period of study (2010-2014) were excellent, achieving a Distinction and a First respectively. I also hold a 120-hour TEFL certificate, comprised of 100 hours of online study and 20 hours of classroom experience. More importantly, however, are the ways that my sound understanding of the mechanics of the English Language has been cemented throughout my current post as an English Teacher, and prior to this as an Editor and Marketing Officer. This practical knowledge has only been strengthened by my passion for the English language in my personal life as a voracious reader and occasional blog writer.

I currently work full-time as an English teacher at a private school in Shenzhen teaching students between the ages of 3-12. Although I have only been in this role for six months, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time teaching in China and believe that it perfectly complements my expertise, knowledge and passion for the English language. It has equipped me with the foundational principles of teaching, and although I am far from the finished article, it has left me desirous of bettering myself as a teacher, a colleague and as a person. I have relished the opportunities I have had so far to dramatically improve my students' language skills, as well as the privilege of being able to fuel a passion for learning English.

I am a champion of planning and delivering engaging lessons. I believe strongly in continuous improvement and regularly participate in training sessions, feedback groups and actively involve myself in our curriculum development as well as extra-curricular events, marketing activities, themed days and promotional classes. I find myself sharing my own lesson plans, ideas or self-made resources with my colleagues on an almost daily basis and I am fervent about delivering the best lesson possible in the time available. This often leads to me spending much of my spare time preparing my lessons and materials out-of-hours.

Living and working so far from home in a country such as China has undoubtedly been an invaluable learning experience for me. I have discovered a lot about other cultures and being sensitive to new traditions and cultural nuances. I believe that many of the new skills I have acquired since teaching here would not only equip me for life in such an interesting metropolis as Ulsan, but would only continue to flourish throughout my time there.

Prior to teaching, my job roles depended wholly on my mastery of the English language. As an e-learning editor at business services conglomerate Capita (and later at Brightwave), my job role was to edit material produced by SMEs and make it fit for the consumption of adult learners. The courses I was tasked with creating content for were initially government-funded, intended to help truly engage learners with education and enhance their employability prospects, much like the primary responsibility of this role. Later, working for prestigious clients such as PwC and Lloyds Banking Group, I was tasked with writing material for in-house training courses. Finally, wanting a challenge, I moved into a marketing role for an aspiring robotics company, where my ability to write content for every visible company platform contributed directly to leads, enquiries and overall company growth.

I hope this short summary has conveyed not only my expertise and experience in, but also my passion for the English language and teaching it to others, as well as conveying my excitement for this incredible opportunity to teach in South Korea.

I’d relish the opportunity to discuss further why I believe I am a suitable candidate for this fantastic role, on Skype or in person. I look forward to hearing your response.

Since completing my Masters in Literary Studies from Newcastle University in September 2012, I have consistently looked for roles and opportunities that have expanded and drawn upon my passion for the English language and literature. In roles ranging from e-learning and content editing to journalism and, now, English teaching, my expertise with the English language and my desire to utilise this expertise on a daily basis have connected all of my post-University vocational experience.

I currently work as a full-time English teacher at a private language school in Shenzhen, China where I teach students aged between 4 and 12 years old. Despite only having been in the role for six months I have relished the opportunity to impart my native-level English abilities to my students and utilise the English Language expertise I have developed from both my academic and professional backgrounds.

On top of this, my current role involves a lot of extracurricular engagement and activities with students outside the classroom. I have been directly involved in the planning and execution of bi-monthly events which have included taking groups of students trick or treating for Halloween, Christmas activity days and other themed events. As well as being enjoyable activities in their own right, exposure to these events has made me a more well-rounded teacher and highlighted the importance of teaching and learning outside of the traditional classroom environment too.

Outside of work, living in China has been an invaluable learning experience for me personally. Not only has it exposed me directly to a very different culture and lifestyle, but it has also equipped me with the necessary resolve and organisational skills to manage a full-time work schedule in an environment that contrasts completely with what I am used to. These are skills and characteristics which I feel would come on leaps and bounds were I to take up a position in Ulsan.

I feel this position ticks all the boxes. Add in the fact that I can confidently provide examples and evidence for all the role’s core competencies, I feel I would be ideally suited for the position and would relish the chance to explain why in a Skype interview or in person.

Please accept this letter in consideration for the position of English teacher at your institution. As a recent Linguistics graduate, I have always exhibited a passion and enthusiasm for language, which has carried over into my passion for teaching as well. Along with my B.A. in Linguistics, I have also earned the TELL (Teaching English Language Learners) certificate from Miami University and TEFL certification. Due to my passion for language, and culture, in addition to my qualifications, I am confident that I could effectively instruct your school’s diverse group of students.

I have had extensive experience as an educator, working with students of all ages in varying intellectual, behavioral and cultural backgrounds in both the classroom, as well as private one-on-one settings. I have experience teaching young elementary aged students ranging from 1st-3rd grade, high school ESL students, as well as adult learners at university level. In addition to my training for the TELL certificate, I have also completed numerous TESOL courses, which have prepared me to specifically teach adult language learners.

Much of my training as part of the TELL program has been focused on incorporating sheltered instruction, so students learn both content and language skills at the same time, ensuring that all students regardless of language proficiency receive the highest quality of education. As a student teacher in the U.S., I have worked collaboratively with my host teachers to design and modify lesson plans specifically for ESL students, ensuring that the content is not watered down, or reduced in any way, but rather adapted to meet the needs of the students. This experience has impacted my own teaching philosophy, and I am committed to incorporating these ideas into my own classroom by designing engaging, interactive lessons and maintaining high standards for every student.

My diverse experiences have connected me to people of all backgrounds. It is my wish to help every student obtain their academic goals and reach their full potential. I believe that as an English teacher at your institution I could reach students with my passion for language and through engaging, and creative instruction to help them achieve these goals.

I have been a tutor for various disciplines since I was in high school (7 years ago), and have helped many students excel in Math, Latin, Chemistry, and other subjects. My command of the English language has always been one of my greatest strengths, but I have not had a chance to teach it in a formal setting. I have proofread essays and given small grammatical pointers to friends, but that is the extent of my English teaching experience thus far. I am passionate about teaching, however, and do not doubt that I would excel as an English teacher despite that.

The strengths of my personality surround my desire to empathize with those with whom I come into contact. I am easily liked by nearly everyone, and have a strong desire to understand why someone does not like me when such a situation occurs. I am intelligent, yet am able to relate to someone who is struggling with something in a way that they do not think that I put myself on a pedestal. Overall, I am friendly and caring, and most people sense that when they meet me.

I have a well-rounded skill set ranging from the know-how necessary to fix common household problems like a leaky faucet or squeaky door to my PADI certification allowing me to scuba dive at my leisure. I am an Eagle Scout, and the greatest gift that the journey to that award gave me was the strong desire to learn as much as I can and to never constrain myself to only learning one family of skills. My friends joke that I am a 'Renaissance Man,' and while it is funny, it is not too far off-the-mark. I hope to continue learning through my time in Seoul.

I am a bubbly enthusiastic individual with a creative and enticing teaching technique. I am easily approachable and understanding of the needs of the students, but also the rules that need to be followed. I am patient and clear with what I put across. I have been involved with private tutoring for 2 years, including tutoring of a student with ADHD. I deal well under pressure (I coach large groups of secondary school children swimming) and I can easily resolve conflict and think on my feet. I am responsible and possess good problem solving abilities. I feel I would be a great asset to your English Teaching institution.

I am a Native English speaker from America currently enrolled in the Winter Course of the English Teacher Training College at the Austrian Bilingual Classroom Initiative, where I am studying to obtain the Trinity College London Cert-TESOL and Cambridge University CELT-P certifications. During this six-month course, I have been teaching full-time at different primary, middle, and secondary schools throughout Austria each week, and have thus far gathered over 150 hours of teaching experience in the classroom. By the end of the course in February 2018, I will have earned both certifications and gained over 300 hours of real classroom teaching experience with students ranging from ages 6-22 and English levels A1-B2. I will also have planned, executed, and reflected upon my own lesson plans with qualified English teachers.

I have had various experiences working with children at volunteer programs, summer camps and academic programs, and fully understand the importance of rapport-building and patience when working with young people. Furthermore, I have just completed a Masters of Science in clinical psychology, and am especially qualified when it comes to working with learners who have intellectual or learning disabilities. Both my previous experiences and background in psychology have equipped me with outstanding traits necessary in the classroom, such as understanding, adaptability, and resilience. I am a firm believer that environment plays a pivotal role in student development, and possess the qualities needed to construct a learning environment which will maximize student potential. I have exceptional organizational skills, welcome constructive criticism, and am always receptive to feedback.

Lastly, I am an avid traveler, always welcoming any opportunity to experience new culture. Having lived in New York, Washington D.C., London, and Austria, I am highly adaptive to different settings and anticipate no problems settling into a new environment. This particular position is especially exciting for me because I grew up in an Asian (Cantonese-speaking) household but have never been to Asia.

I am confident that I can offer you the skills needed to be an EFL teacher that strives to bring out the best in students, both academically and developmentally.

I am currently working and studying in Austria as a student teacher with the Austrian Bilingual Classroom Initiative (ABCi). It is here I am currently gaining over 300 hours of invaluable teaching experience, whilst completing theCertTESOL (TEFL) and CELT-P (Certificate in English Language Teaching – Primary) qualifications, affiliated with Cambridge University and Trinity
College London respectively (expected finishing time February 2018). I strongly considermyself to be an ideal candidate for this position, as throughout the duration of my teaching experience, I have been passionate about motivating, engaging and encouraging my students to achieve their potential. I also have sound interpersonal skills with both students
and staff which, in my opinion, are not only beneficial but vital to bring into a professional teaching environment.

Throughout my teaching experience I have taught a variety of learners. Collectively, I have taught from the ages of 6 to 22 in a variety of different academic institutions. Through teaching a broad age range of students, I have become a highly adaptable and creative teacher. I have also learnt how to be versatile and inventive in the classroom,as no two learners are ever the same and the role of a teacher is to address this issue to the best of
their ability. An example of this is when I was teaching a class of 6 year old Austrian children who had an incredibly limited level of English. By the end of the day, they could identify animals from flashcards and also recite numbers from 1-20, which to this day remains a personal achievement of mine. Later that week, I had the pleasure of successfully teaching a class of 16 year olds how to formulate strong and communicative ideas in the context of a business lesson. Through my teaching experience, I have found that students experience problems whilst learning regardless of age, and it is the role of the teacher to identify these problems and formulate a solution that best suits everyone.

I have also been no stranger to settling into new and different cultures; in fact, this is a prospect I find incredibly exciting! It should come as no surprise to hear that teachers love learning, and one of the things I enjoy learning about most is culture. I always try to broaden my horizons when the opportunity presents itself, and having a broader knowledge and
respect for this is something I consider to be highly important in life.

Regarding my experience, I have volunteered as a 1-to-1 tutor and classroom assistant while at my school. The experience enabled me to recognise the value of creativity in the classroom, differentiating the lesson structure to cater to different learning styles and effective communication. The voluntary role also made me acutely aware of students diverse learning needs. Different students have different ways of learning, and I would, therefore, try to create a lesson that caters to visual, kinesthetic and auditory learners. Whether I am volunteering at my local tennis club or running as the Vice-President for my university's RAG society I have always embraced and learnt from the opportunities I've had to work with young people.

I am an enthusiastic individual with a passion for education, teaching and foreign cultures. I know that I can translate this confidence and enthusiasm over to the class to produce productive and well-structured lessons. Through engaging in public speaking competitions and always pushing myself to improve, I have developed strong voice projection and presentation skills. Moreover, I have a strong work ethic and want to put the hours of work in to deliver the best lesson possible to students.