Amal
Hanashi

Why did you choose to study in the UK, and why did you choose NTU?

“My husband got a scholarship to complete his higher education and he graduated from one of the British universities. He encouraged me to join NTU because of their good teaching quality.”

What route did you take into postgraduate study?

“I worked as an English teacher for eight years in Oman before coming to NTU.”

How did you feel about coming to a UK university?

“I was worried about the support I’d get, since I heard that the teaching style in the UK is very independent. However, I received excellent support and guidance from my tutors at NTU, especially through the course leader Amy Wang.”

What were the key features that attracted you to your course?

“I chose this course because it teaches you how to teach English to non-native speakers. It is helpful for me since I have to go back to Oman and teach English there.”

When choosing a course for postgraduate study, what did you consider it important to have?

“Accreditation is important for my government. For me, work-based learning is also important because I like to learn through working.”

What modules have you particularly enjoyed?

“The Teaching English to Young Learners module was very interesting since we acted as real teachers teaching through stories, drama, songs and poems. We also acted as young learners to understand the process of acquiring a language. I also enjoyed the Exploring English Language Learning and Teaching (ELT) module. I studied various useful methods of teaching English. The most interesting part about the ELT module is the practice we got at teaching in a real classroom under our tutors’ supervision.”

How does the way you study at NTU differ from your previous experience of studying?

“I never used to do further reading on the topics I learned in my previous university. At NTU, I learned how to use literature to support my ideas. I have also been involved in fruitful classroom discussions, which helped me build my confidence.”

Do you receive support from your current employer?

“Yes, I received my full salary while studying in the NTU.”

How will your course benefit your employer?

“I have gained theoretical and practical skills to improve my teaching at my previous school in Oman.”

What do you think about the facilities available to you at NTU?

“The library is great, I can access scientific websites and read helpful articles online. The ability to access NTU anywhere is excellent as I can work and download articles and papers outside the library. Sometimes I worked from home and during the summer holidays, I worked from my home town in Oman.”

Have your career plans changed as a result of your postgraduate study?

“Yes, I am thinking of teaching in the higher education field. I have gained great experience from my Masters course here at NTU. In my country, course accreditation is important as it makes it easier to work in the higher education field.”