Báo cáo thực tập tốt nghiệp ngoại ngữ teaching assistant and tutoring at evas center

VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH AN GIANG UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES FULL NAME: Lê Bá Tùng STUDENT’S CODE: DTA176199 TEACHING ASSISTANT AND TUTORING AT EVAS CENTER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ➢  It was a great pleasure and opportunity for me to work as an intern at EVAS center, one the most dominant English center in An Giang province which has contributed massively to the education quality in general and the English levels of students in particular First and foremost, I would like to express my deep appreciation to both my father and mother who have always supported me with their love throughout my learning process as well as in my daily life Next, it would be a big mistake if I not mention the devoted assistance of my mentor, Ms Do Thi Ngoc Nhi Without her instruction and test investigation, it is impossible for me to submit this report She is the most conscientious lecturer I have ever met Then, I would like to show my acknowledgement to all the teachers in the Faculty of Foreign Languages, especially to Ms Truong Thi Thanh Nga and Ms Nguyen Thi Nhat Minh who have helped me a lot during my studying at An Giang University Their lessons are quite easy to understand and they are such inspirational teachers After that, I am so thankful to EVAS center for accepting me as an intern Although I did not have much experience, they had taught me so well with every possible detail from making a copy to tutoring pupils There is no doubt that they are so much devoted in their work Last but not least, I wish to convey my profound gratitude to EVAS staff, especially to Ms Tran Au Quynh Tran, Ms Trinh Ngoc Anh My and Ms La Ngoc Huong, who helped me a lot with their training lessons Without their aid, I could not have such a wonderful internship time TABLE OF CONTENTS A INTRODUCTION CENTER I A brief introduction of the center 1.1 Center location 1.2 Center history 1.3 The operating structure of the center II Classes available at EVAS center 2.1 English for kindergartens (EVAS Stars) 2.2 English for children - Cambridge English Young Learners (Starters, Movers, Flyers) 2.3 English for teenagers (KET, PET) 2.4 Communication English 2.5 IELTS + TOEIC learning 2.6 Active English 2.7 Vstep English (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) III Different activities 3.1 Off campus 3.2 Drop in session 3.3 Unleash your potential - A reading day with EVAS 3.4 Holidays activities B INTERNSHIP ACTIVITIES I Internship purposes II Rules and Course of actions 2.1 Rules 2.2 Course of actions C ADVANTAGES AND WEAKNESSES DURING THE INTERNSHIP I Advantages II Weaknesses III Lesson learnt after internship D CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION I Conclusion II Suggestion 2.1 Suggestion for the center 2.2 Suggestion for Foreign Language Department in AGU LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EVAS: European Vietnam Australian English center AGU: An Giang University LXEI: Long Xuyen Education Investment Company Limited IDP: International Education Specialist TESOL: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages KET: Key English Test PET: Preliminary English Test CEFR: Common European Framework of Reference for Languages IELTS: International English Language Testing System TOEIC: Test of English for International Communication ABSTRACT Graduation training, as known as internship, plays a vital role in both study process as well as future career path It helps expanding the relationship network, which will be a huge benefit for us later such as finding a suitable job or even maybe an empathetic partner There is absolutely no harm in getting to know more people Besides, there is a gap between what was learnt in school and what will happen in real situation The theory is not always perfectly applicable and that is the reason why internship is so important - to transform the obtained knowledge into practical actions which can benefit both the trainee and the company Having a desire of working in academic environment, I decided to make my graduation training at EVAS English center, which is one of the most high-quality English centers in An Giang Province I strongly believe that they can offer me the skills I needed for the future jobs This report will focus on the result of my internship Firstly, it will provide some basic background about EVAS center consisting of the location and a brief history Essential information such as classes available and the teaching quality as well as the achievement it gained will also be included Secondly, the internship activities will be presented and be divided into three parts: the purposes, the action committed and the result of the training Finally, the report will come up with some suggestion for both the trainee and the center, guaranteed a win-win situation A CENTER INTRODUCTION I A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE CENTER 1.1 CENTER LOCATION EVAS center has branches in An Giang Province The first branch is located in 815-816 Ha Hoang Ho Street, Dong Xuyen Ward while the second branch is in 79 Tran Hung Dao Street, My Xuyen Ward and the third branch is in 26 Hung Vuong Street, My Long Ward All of them are in Long Xuyen city The third branch, th which is near Nguyen Trai secondary school, was just founded in June 28 of 2020 The number of classrooms respectively in each branch is 15, and If you find it inconvenient to go directly to the places, you can contact through several different ways, such as: Website: auvietuc.edu.vn Facebook: Ngoainguauvietuc Picture 1: Location of EVAS center 1.2 CENTER HISTORY EVAS brand first appeared in Ho Chi Minh city nearly 20 years ago, in 2003 However, EVAS’s headquarters in Long Xuyen city was just founded by LXEI on October 11, 2013 The slogans of the center are “Your English Your Path” and “Build The Future Together” Its aim is to contribute to the English level of An Giang province through teaching students and help them to get a certificate with their true abilities, just like the saying “A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials” Despite the fact that it was not established for too long, now the center has many good co-operation with well-known organizations all over the world such as IDP, Cambridge University and University of Huddersfield Several international exams such as IELTS or Cambridge test (including Starters, Movers and Flyers) were successfully organized in the past few years with a very high rate of passing From these points, there is no doubt about the teaching quality of the teachers and staff here 1.3 The operating structure of the center LXEI'S Director LXEI'S Vice Director Mr Tran Huu Phuoc Mr Hoang Ngoc Hoan Picture 2: the LXEI’s operating structure Ms La Ngoc Huong Headmistress Ms Huynh Thi Bich Van Deputy headmistress Ms Jubail Silva Head of training Ms Tran Au Ms Nguyen Thi Ms Nguyen Thi Quynh Tran First branch manager Du Em Second branch manager Bich Chi Third branch manager Picture 3: the EVAS’S operating structure II Classes available at EVAS center Currently there are different kinds of class in EVAS center which have been listed in the index 2.1 English for kindergartens (EVAS Stars) The teaching courses for kids in kindergarten classes, which are called EVAS Stars, are prepared exclusively by EVAS staff It can not be found in any other language centers There are levels from low to high respectively: TwinkleStars, BrightStars and SuperbStars The students will learn through games and songs, which are proved to be very efficient in the early stage of life 2.2 English for children - Cambridge English Young Learners (Starters, Movers, Flyers) The course is for children who is from to 12 years old The aim is to improve their skills, including Reading, Speaking, Listening and Writing from the very young 10 ages With a well-prepared teaching plan plus righteous materials, the children can easily understand and therefore enhance their English abilities 2.3 English for teenagers (KET, PET) The course is for teenagers who are studying in secondary and high school KET is equal to level A2 and PET is for B1 according to CEFR It is aiming at boosting all the skills but especially focus on speaking Besides, this is a stepping-stone for those who want to take part in international tests such as IELTS or TOEIC 2.4 Communication English As the name has suggested, this class is designed for those who want to communicate in English better The ages can vary greatly from secondary school students to 3x workers There are levels, from low to high respectively: Basic, Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper and Advance At first levels, the students will learn with Vietnamese teachers From Pre-intermediate to Advance, it will be foreign teachers who teach all the course The main focused skill is of course speaking Throughout interesting activities, students are encouraged to express their ideas on specific topic However, it does not mean that grammar, vocabulary or listening are neglected 2.5 IELTS + TOEIC learning These classes are for those who want to get an international degree for different purposes, including studying abroad With well-qualified and experienced teachers, this is one of the center’s strength 2.6 Active English The students of this special class are those whose time is flexible They can study in a dissimilar schedule compared to other classes Besides, the purpose of this class varies as well, from quick learning for obtaining basic knowledge to solving communication problems due to shyness In other words, depend on the student’s requests, the course for this class will be designed as appropriate as possible 11 2.7 VSTEP English (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) Finally, this class is for those that want to get an English certificate to get or keep a job Due to the fact that many companies, even the government requires an English degree to maintain a job, the class is designed for people who want to revise their knowledge since they haven’t learnt in a long time III Different activities Apart from normal learning in the class, there are also some special activities which are organized quite usually to inspire the fondness of learning English of those students 3.1 Off campus Off campus means you will not study in the center but go outside, usually to a coffee shop and speak together It is designed for Pre-intermediate class or above Once a month, the foreigner teacher and his/her class will pick a café, go there, talk about all kind of topics such as dreams, hobbies or giving advices Its aim is to connect everyone, both teacher-students and student-student Picture 4: An off-campus night at HOMIE coffee shop 12 3.2 Drop-in session Drop-in session is held due to the fact that many students want to talk to native speakers to improve their communication skills From Tuesday to Friday every week, students who register before can come to the center and have a quick talk with Ms Jubail, the Head of Training Based on the pupil’s level, the topic can be quite variable, from favorite colors or food to the dream careers in the future 3.3 Unleash your potential - a reading day with EVAS th th This is the latest event which was just held from April It will last until 30 of May With the assist of An Giang Province Library, students of all levels will have a chance to read interesting books of many different types, including history, documentary, textbooks and even comics The purpose of this campaign is to boost the interest as well as to create a reading habit for the pupils, especially to the young learners This is a stepping-stone in becoming a self-learner Picture 5: A reader at young age 13 3.4 Holidays activities The center also celebrates different holidays of the year such as Halloween, MidAutumn Festival, Christmas or Tet The aim is to help students relieve stress after hard-studying days at school Besides, it also creates a friendly environment between teachers and learners Each year different activities are held to prevent the feeling of similarity and boredom Picture 6: Students have fun at Christmas 14 B INTERNSHIP ACTIVITES I Internship purpose After years studying at AGU, every student has more or less obtained a certain amount of knowledge, both basic and deep However, if they not have an appropriate place to practice, there is no doubt that the theory could not be best applied in reality Especially for undergraduate who are major in English language, proper skills such as translation and interpretation or English tutoring are massively crucial to later career path In modern life, every gap in strength can be the lethal point leading to losing a job opportunity As a result, graduation training is hugely essential to every Senior student The duration of months is suitable for them to experience the outside world They will have the chance to become familiar with the working environment as well as the attitude needed of a professional worker Furthermore, they will be able to apply knowledge learnt from school to practical work, therefore eliminate the gap between normal theory and real-life situations After the graduation internship, each student can develop their own sets of professional skills that their jobs require This is the first and foremost step of working since tt is not only get the undergraduate prepared but also provide them with a clearer view of working world, what they need and what they want II Rules and Course of actions 2.1 Rules In every aspect of life, rules always exist to prevent people from doing something wrong or harmful to the society in general Of course, rules at workplace are no exception At EVAS center, the rules are not so complicated and it can be summarized in these following points: + Be on time + Dressed properly, black shoes + white shirt for man and white shirt + black/red skirt + doll shoes for woman 15 + Keep a smile on your face when talking to students and their parents, be cooperative when solving the problems If the problems are beyond your ability, contact the higher position person + No smoking nor gaming in workplace + Protecting properties of the center + When receiving information, make sure to deliver it to the right person within the suitable time … After months of internship, I believe that these set of rules not only express the atmosphere of a competent workplace but also guide the staff to the right thing in the right way 2.2 Course of actions The tasks that were assigned to me during the internship time at EVAS center are as listed below: 16 Assigned tasks Contents - Get acquainted with office work Practice time February 22th to February 28, 2021 - Learning about the company: its vision, aim and system - Invigilate learners during their tests - Supervise and make sure students the test with Throughout the internship time their true abilities, no cheating, no asking - All levels, especially Cambridge English for Young Learners and IELTS classes - Answering phone call and solving parent’s Some particular problems: + Asking for class problems or requirements + Having questions on the -Throughout the internship time fees … Tutoring students - Helping learners who are -From March to left behind or have been absent for a long time - The aspect is usually on March 15 , 2021 - Every Saturday and Sunday from March vocabulary, grammar and 26 st th th listening - Preparing suitable materials so that the work 17 could be as efficient as possible Doing paper work - Doing some office work assigned, including - Throughout the internship time photocopying the lessons for teachers Teaching assistant - Assist the foreigner teachers in communication - Throughout the internship time classes (Pre-intermediate and Intermediate), helping them to express their lessons as much as possible - Sometimes need to translate because there is a language barrier between teachers and learners - Provide the pupils with WordList to help them improving their vocabulary so that they can be more confident in speaking + Organize Off-campus meeting Table 1: Assigned tasks during the internship time 18 C ADVANTAGES AND WEAKNESSES DURING THE INTERNSHIP I Advantages During my practice course, EVAS center has created very satisfactory conditions and environment Whenever I need help, the staff always be there and assisted me with a very enthusiastic attitude All of them were vert friendly and devoted in their work They were like my big brothers and sisters which made me feel warm from deep inside Especially, Ms My, Ms Huong and Ms Tran did help me a lot with their training Their assistance will be listed in the following part On the issue of tasks and students, the tasks were not very tough It just took me a few weeks to get used to it In addition, the majority of students were very cute and obedient, which made my work easier and of course, made me feel happy too II Weaknesses Since this was the first time I had a job, it was unavoidable to encounter some difficulties: Dealing with little naughty kids, misusing some functions of the photocopy machines, … Besides, I found it quite hard to prepare the lessons for tutoring because sometimes I misestimated the levels of the students and most of the time, I couldn’t find a suitable way for them to be more interested in learning III Lesson learnt after internship As I have mentioned above, Ms My, Ms Huong and Ms Tran taught me very important lessons that made me so grateful thinking of it Ms.My taught me when I want to something, I should not start doing it immediately but looking from a different angle to see whether there are any better ways to the job She also guided me in preparing lessons for different classes, including common tenses, relative clauses, etc…Next, Ms Huong taught me how to prepare the lessons and tutor the kids efficiently For instance, instead of revising the lessons in a traditional way (read the words and let the students write), I can use different methods such as using flashcards and images or matching the words with their right definition It has been proved to be very effective as it can catch the attention of learners Finally, Ms 19 Tran was the one who taught me the ways of doing paper work as well as how to answer phone call She also showed me how to use the printers and a lot of other stuff From the bottom of my heart, I really want to thank them once again, for what they have taught me, turned me from a fresh newbie into a good worker D CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION I Conclusion After months of internship, I have obtained some knowledge and lesson which will be very useful in my career path later First of all, I would admit that there is a huge gap between what was taught in university and what can happen in real life The theory cannot be completely applied into reality It is only the basic guide to lead you in the right way Secondly, the work atmosphere is quite different from school The rules are really essential and you can be fined if you break it Last but not least, the attitude at workplace is hugely important, not only to your co-worker but also to the customer, especially when you are working in service industry II Suggestion 2.1 Suggestion for the center EVAS is surely a marvelous language center Almost everything is wonderful, from teaching to organizing new activities to inspire its students to learn However, I think there is a point which could be done better to improve the total quality of the whole system and it is that the center should hold more contests and competition such as book reading or talent, which can connect teachers and learners Maybe at first, it does not have to be big Just some quizzes on Facebook fanpage like they are doing now, the first five correct answers will get some small rewards I think it would create a competitive atmosphere for all the students, especially to those who want to be an achiever Aside from that, I can hardly suggest anything else since everything was absolutely magnificent It was my luck and my honor to have a chance working here 2.2 Suggestion for Foreign Language Department in AGU 20