Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages [MATESOL]

I highly recommend the MATESOL programme as it provided me with both the disciplinary knowledge of theories and the skills to transfer that expertise into practice.

I highly recommend the MATESOL programme as it provided me with both the disciplinary knowledge of theories and the skills to transfer that expertise into practice. This was made possible by a team of highly knowledgeable, supportive, and passionate academic staff who took the time to ensure that not only was knowledge acquired, but that we could see how to apply it into different learning and teaching contexts.

The courses offer a wide variety of options for students to choose from and the teaching staff are easily approachable to discuss any items covered in class. The teaching staff also understand that not all students have a background in linguistics and take the time to ensure that everyone has the necessary foundations to succeed in their learning.

As well as a brilliant teaching staff, there is also a wonderful administrative team and fantastic career councillors, all of whom were reliable and quick to offer assistance. It is this combination that makes the MATESOL at EdUHK something truly special and helped me secure a place as an English Language Teacher in a local secondary school upon graduation.

I highly recommend it to those wishing to pursue a career as a language teacher or as a future researcher.

Studying under the MATESOL programme at EDUHK has truly been a fruitful experience, and I highly recommend it to those wishing to pursue a career as a language teacher or as a future researcher.

Despite having graduated with a bachelor in a non-English related field, this programme has equipped me not only with essential language theory, but also with effective pedagogical skills and research techniques. I have also gained insights into how to use tools such as various language corpora to either aid in research or to use as an innovative teaching tool.

Although the programme is only a year long, it offers an array of topics and specialisms to choose from, in order to fit your needs and interests. Such courses can range from morphology, second language acquisition, phonetics to carrying out a dissertation. All the courses are taught by dedicated professors who are engaging, supportive and who value their students' academic and professional development.

Throughout my time here, I have had the pleasure to work with classmates from all over the world, partake in research projects and participate in events hosted by the department. Now, at the end of my journey at EDUHK, I feel confident that I have acquired the necessary skillset to enter the workforce as a teacher-to-be and ensure that my students receive a quality English language education.

Choosing MATESOL not only strengthens my academic knowledge in the professional teaching field, but also enhances my foundation in academic research.

Many of my friends and relatives did not understand my decision of choosing to study MATESOL in Hong Kong as I received my bachelor’s degree in the USA majoring in TESOL Education. But I aspired to know the Asian education system works as I wanted to pursue my future teaching career in Asia, which was my primary reason to apply for MATESOL at EdUHK. . Meanwhile, EdUHK is the only university in Hong Kong which is devoted to education, thus becoming my ideal choice to continue my study in English Language Teaching.

Courses offered by MATESOL at EdUHK provided me with solid knowledge in language teaching within a one-year study which covers morphology, phonology and research components in language learning and teaching. Corpus learning benefited me the most in English learning and teaching, which inspired me to conduct corpus-based research in completing my dissertation. Meanwhile, the teaching team of MATESOL is professional and responsible. The lecturers, including my supervisor, always encouraged me to solve difficulties and challenges by providing enough patience, guidance and feedback. By conducting research on corpora, I became more familiar with various search functions on corpora which can be further integrated into my language teaching. Now, I work at a local secondary school in Hong Kong, and I still seek help from corpora about the usage of vocabulary in order to answer the questions from my students. I highly recommend the MATESOL programme to those who wish to become a quality English language teacher!​​​​​​​

MATESOL provided me a chance to make my dream come true, I am now an English teacher at a primary school.

Being an English teacher has been my dream since I first provided an English tutorial class to a primary student. With a bachelor’s degree which is not related to neither English nor education, MATESOL at EdUHK provided me a chance to make my dream come true. It not only helps level up my English knowledge, such as morphology and phonology, but also equips me with useful English language teaching skills in classroom. It is also a platform for postgraduate students from different countries to exchange their teaching experience and skills. Thanks to MATESOL, I am now an English teacher at a primary school.

Not only have I consolidated my knowledge and skills in English language teaching (ELT), but I have also learned to do research, which I had never imagined before.

Why MATESOL at HKIEd*?
(**HKIEd has been retitled The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) with effect from May 2016. )

Since I was a little girl, I hoped I could become a teacher like my parents. Becoming a teacher has always been my dream. HKIEd is the only university in Hong Kong which focuses on EDUCATION, which makes it ideal for students who wish to pursue a career in teaching. Before I started my studies there, I was convinced that HKIEd would help me to make my dream come true. The outcome shows that I was right.

In my younger student days, I could not help falling in love with English, and I have always been very eager to communicate with others in English. I thought to myself: it would be nice to be able to combine my dream with my interest, and so I decided to become an English teacher when choosing a major program for my undergraduate studies.

Given my undergraduate specialisation and training in English, it is not difficult to guess why I chose MATESOL at HKIEd. In fact, HKIEd has made me a better person. Not only have I consolidated my knowledge and skills in English language teaching (ELT), but I have also learned to do research, which I had never imagined before. This is amazing! One year is too short for me; I really wish I could stay longer! MATESOL at HKIEd allows every student to choose a specialisation and there are four strands or specialisations to choose from. What you need to do is to define your own interest, set your goal by making a choice, and work hard. I am sure that, like me, you will learn a lot after two semesters’ coursework. The professors there are all professional, caring and approachable. They are happy to share ideas and knowledge with students. Under their guidance, you can clearly feel that you are moving ahead steadily.

Thanks to MATESOL at HKIEd, after graduation, I now work as an instructor of English at the International Education Department of Huang He Science and Technology College – a great starting point for a career in ELT.

Thank you, HKIEd, for making my dream come true!