MA TESOL students deliver free English classes to local community groups in Nottingham

Students studying MA TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Nottingham Trent University have been delivering free English classes to the local community for the last four months. This comes as part of an annual project, which aims to provide postgraduate students with practical teaching experience, as well as to support the needs of the local community.

The English as a Foreign Language (EFL) team have been reaching out to local charities, Nottingham Refugee Forum, local libraries in Radford, Sneinton and St. Ann’s and Nottingham Central Library to encourage local residents to take part in the free language classes. The group also worked with the not-for-profit organisation Begin, which offers free impartial advice for adults about basic skills in English, Maths and EFL.

The classes have been running since January and at the end of the four months, learners received a certificate of completion from Nottingham Trent University. These are very valuable learning opportunities for Nottingham residents who may not otherwise be able to attend English classes. They are able to improve their skills in speaking, reading and grammar as well as meeting other learners in the local area.

The scheme provides MA TESOL students with invaluable opportunities to practice their language teaching skills, classroom management techniques and put their theory into practice. All sessions are supervised and supported by our academic staff in the MA TESOL team. The team assist students with planning, carry out observations and give feedback. This allows students to improve their teaching skills in the supportive environment of NTU, as well as giving back to the local community.

MA TESOL student Phuong Nga Ngo told us more about her experience of the classes: "I was really nervous before teaching at first because I had no experience. Then, it turned out to be really interesting and challenging too. As the level of the students is elementary, I have to re-design all the materials to suit their needs. The students are really supportive and they make me believe more in myself."

"What I enjoyed most about the teaching experience was the fact that I was able to handle unexpected problems happening in the class like a real teacher. I had the chance to test different ways of teaching that I have always wanted to try. The teaching practice helps me visualise myself in the future and I really appreciate that. All of my classmates agreed that this experience was really beneficial for their skills and knowledge. I would love to have even more lessons with the students!"

MA student Maria Thompson added: "I think what I enjoyed the most was the feeling that it helps them in their everyday life. So little time can mean so much to the students. I do believe having the experience of delivering classes helps a great deal as you actually experience real life situations and understand the work that goes into planning and preparation of lessons. 
I think it is without doubt the most helpful part of the course!"

Click here to book onto free English classes starting in Autumn 2019: ntu.ac.uk/englishclasses