Careers
MATESOL / MATESL graduates have promising careers in a variety of areas of ESL / EFL teaching and in teacher training in TESL Certificate and MATESOL programs. Alumni are currently working in Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, India, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, France, Switzerland, The Philippines, Germany, Mexico, Uruguay, Canada, U.S.A., and Australia.
TWU MATESOL alumni are involved in writing curriculum and creating materials, teaching immigrant, business, and academic preparation English classes, training ESL and EFL teachers, administering language programs and schools, and teaching in MA programs both in North America and around the world.
The TWU MATESOL prepares graduates to not only teach reading, writing, listening, speaking, pronunciation and grammar, but to develop and adapt materials, design curriculum, administer programs, develop and utilize classroom and formal assessment instruments, and to train ESOL instructors.
Most MATESOL graduates work with adults--university students, immigrants, and business people, but many also choose to work with children and elementary and secondary school students. MATESOL graduates are working as ESL specialists in schools in North America and as classroom teachers in international schools, American and Canadian schools, and boarding schools around the world. An MATESOL combined with a Professional Teaching Year (PDP or B.Ed.) opens many doors for teaching around the world and within Canada. An MATESOL also leads to a higher salary category for Canadian school teachers as well as needed expertise for teaching ELLs (English Language Learners).
The TWU MATESOL leads to TESL Canada Certification Professional Standard Three which allows MATESOL alumni to not only teach in English for Academic Purposes classes, but to train other teachers and mentor TESL practicum students. Our program has recently been accredited by TESL Ontario, so alumni may apply for certification there as well.
Recent TWU MATESOL graduating classes have had an employment rate within the field of 80% within a year of graduation. Approximately 10% of alumni successfully apply for Ph.D. programs. TWU MATESOL graduates are active in the profession, leading workshops and giving papers at conferences such as CELT, BC TEAL, ATESL, TESL Canada and TESOL International.
K - 12 Teachers -- Pay Category Information
TWU MATESOL alumni in the K - 12 system in Canada have been granted pay raises after graduation. Alumni in BC with a B.A. and teacher's certification may be eligible for TQS level 6 upon completion of the TWU MATESOL. For example, a BC K - 12 teacher who already has TQS category 5, would be eligible for TQS category 6 provided she completed the TWU MATESOL with either Ling 640 (Internship) or a thesis. Completion of the program without Ling 640 (Internship) or thesis, would qualify the teacher for TQS category 5 plus.
Because the TWU MATESOL program has 36 credits, including the final internship, other provinces in Canada similarly grant a pay category increase for completion. Prospective K - 12 teachers wishing to take the TWU MATESOL program should have this program pre-approved by their licensing body.
K - 12 ESL teachers in BC are part of BC TESOL.
Where Grads Are Now:
Lise Friesen, M.A. ’05. ESL App Developer, Korea. Lise is developing materials for ESL Colors, which includes more than 650 lessons, featuring 3,300 vocabulary words with games and exercises for the English language learner.
Jurene Breidenbach, M.A. '07. Instructor for TESOL certificate courses and COO of Asia's Center for TESOL in the Philippines.
Beverly Leavitt, M.A. '07. Teacher, Foothills School Division, High River, AB. Bev's work with underprivileged students and teacher training in Mexico has facilitated her ability to teach elementary ELLs and head the ESL program at her school.
Winnie Pang, M.A. ’08. English for Academic Purposes Instructor, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Winnie helps international students develop their English and study skills to prepare for their intense 2 – 4 year professional training at BCIT.
Munassir Alhamami, M.A. ‘11. Ph.D. candidate at University of Hawaii, U.S.A. and lecturer at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia. Munassir teaches EFL and carries out research about English in Saudi Arabia.
Nori Takatsu M.A. '12. English Instructor, Tokyo, Japan. Nori works as an English Instructor in a combined junior and senior high school.
YuYue Zeng, M.A. ’12. English for Academic Purposes instructor, Edmonton, AB. YY is teaching English classes to incoming students at NAIT and researching Intercultural Communication and Identity Development.
Melissa Serena, M.A. ’13. LINC Instructor/PBLA Lead Teacher, Langley, BC. Melissa teaches adults through the LINC program, where she also coaches colleagues on integrating Portfolio Based Language Assessment in their classrooms.
Erin Garnhum, M.A. ’14. Head of English, International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, High School Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University. Erin teaches in and manages the EAL course for Chinese students planning to study at English language post-secondary institutions abroad.