TESOL Alumni
Christine Moore, M.A. TESOL (2018)
Why did you study TESOL at WCU?
I studied TESOL at WCU so that I could enter the teaching profession as a qualified teacher ready to help English language learners to the best of my ability. I chose TESOL because English teaching is in demand around the world. I also knew West Chester University was a great teaching college and felt supported by the TESOL faculty from the moment I submitted my initial application to the TESOL program.
What have you done professionally since graduating from WCU?
Since graduating from WCU, I taught in Philadelphia for three years, in Thailand for a semester, and did freelance tutoring online for eight months. At the start of 2023, I decided to create my own online teaching business, where I teach teenage and adult students. I love what I do, the satisfaction I get from working with my students, and the ability to work from wherever. My website is: https://learningaroundtheglobe.com/english-lessons/
Was studying TESOL beneficial to advancing your career?
Getting my masters in TESOL was extremely beneficial to advancing my career. I have been applying the knowledge I learned from the program every day, no matter where I was teaching. The fact that I have a degree and experience is also important to many of my online students because it shows that I am a qualified teacher.
Alyssa Vuogan, M.A. TESOL (2018)
Why did you study TESOL at WCU?
Before I came to WCU, I had spent several years teaching English abroad. I wanted to hone my teaching skills to be applicable to more contexts. WCU was appealing to me because of the abundance of hands-on experience that is offered through observations and the practicum course. I also appreciated how responsive the TESOL faculty was to my email queries while I was applying for the program. This support continued during and even after my time in the program.
What have you done professionally since graduating from WCU?
I am pursuing my PhD in Curriculum and Instruction in Foreign and Second Language Education at Florida State University (FSU), I anticipate graduating in the Spring of 2024. I will also begin working for the Bureau of Student Achievement Through Language Acquisition (SALA) in January of 2024 where I will be responsible for ensuring that all learners in the state of Florida have the opportunity to become truly bilingual by the end of high school.
Was studying TESOL beneficial to advancing your career?
Yes!!! Studying for my Master’s in TESOL reignited my interest in educational research and using data to inform instructional practices. These are skills that I apply daily in my scholarship at FSU and use to benefit language learners across the state, whether they are studying English as a second language or Spanish/French/German, etc. as a foreign language.
Tim Kochem, M.A. TESOL (2017)
What did you study TESOL at WCU?
Oddly enough, I didn't start in the TESOL program when I joined WCU in 2014 -- I was a Creative Writing major. In my second semester, I took a course in pedagogy, which I had no prior experience with, and I immediately fell in love with teaching. I spent the following summer looking at teaching programs, and the idea of teaching English as a second/foreign language stood out from the crowd. The idea of combining my love of English, writing, and cultural studies with my newfound love of teaching was exactly the fresh start I was looking for after leaving the business world behind.
What have you done professionally since graduating from WCU?
I went straight on for my Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics and Technology at Iowa State University, which I graduated from in Spring 2022, and I now work as a Graduate Lecturer in the English Department while I'm working on my next middle-grade fantasy novel.
Was studying TESOL beneficial to advancing your career?
In more ways than I could have possibly imagined. Not only did the program, and more specifically the TESOL faculty, prepare me for my Ph.D. studies and beyond, but the concepts I learned to use in the classroom also showed me a myriad of angles to engage with readers through my creative writing.
Nicole Achey, M.A. TESOL (2019)
Why did you study TESOL at WCU?
After graduating from WCU with a B.A. in Elementary Education, I taught K-6 English Learners (ELs) in South Korea for nearly two years. While there, I developed a passion for differentiating instruction to support linguistically and culturally diverse students. After I returned to the United States, I landed a K-4 ESL/ELD teaching position once I obtained my PA ESL K-12 Certification. I decided to pursue an M.A. in TESOL to improve my teaching pedagogy and enhance my students’ learning experience and success. Without a question, I chose my alma mater for my TESOL studies. The professors, courses, and practicum experiences at WCU are of the highest quality and challenge you to elevate all aspects of your professional practice.
What have you done professionally since graduating from WCU?
After graduating with my M.A. in TESOL from WCU in 2019, I continued to teach K-4 ELs in the public-school setting. In 2021, I made a shift to teaching ESL online since my family and I moved out of state. Distance learning has allowed me to connect with students from around the world while working from home. Currently, I teach K-6th grade students living in Asia and the United States from a digital platform. I use a variety of resources, tools, and methods that foster their academic and language growth.
Was studying TESOL beneficial to advancing your career?
Absolutely! Studying TESOL has significantly improved my understanding of the stages of second language acquisition. This has enabled me to implement better accommodations and modifications to support my students' varying language proficiencies in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The research-based approaches explored in LAN 581 have influenced my capacity to build communicative competence through implicit and explicit teaching methods. LAN 576 (Curriculum and Materials) and LAN 587 (ESL Practicum) gave me the knowledge, tools and experience needed to create an ESL curriculum that is centered and based on students’ language and individual needs.
Eric Rinehimer, M.A. TESOL (2021)
Why did you study TESOL at WCU?
I chose the MATESOL program at WCU because I wanted to improve my professional knowledge of language acquisition and teaching methodologies. I had previously completed my undergraduate studies at WCU in 2010, and after gaining years of practical experience in ESL classrooms abroad and in summer programs in the United States, I chose the MA in TESOL at WCU as a means of leveling-up my content knowledge in a familiar setting to match my real-world experiences in the ESL classroom.
What have you done professionally since graduating from WCU?
Since graduating from WCU in Spring 2021, I’ve been teaching full-time at Intensive English programs in Philadelphia, and in Maryland and Washington, D.C. as an online instructor. After teaching for two years in my current role at ELS Philadelphia, I’ve recently begun a new role as Academic Director, which includes overseeing the day-to-day operations of the program, supporting a small team of instructors, providing counseling for our international students, and some completing administrative duties related to our academic program.
Was studying TESOL beneficial to advancing your career?
Completing the MA in TESOL at WCU has not only enabled me to expand my professional network and knowledge, but also to take on leadership roles as well as earn a higher wage. In my view, the MATESOL was beneficial as it has enabled me to find teaching opportunities in intensive programs and community colleges, it has encouraged me to be a self-reflective instructor that values student-centered learning, and it has aided me in being up-to-date as regards Second Language Acquisition (SLA), English grammar, and current teaching methodologies.