 |
Name： |
Liz Biggs, corporate training division teacher trainer |
| Kai En Center: |
I work in the Kai En Corporate Training division |
| Nationality: |
My nationality is South African / British |
| Education: |
I have a Master of Arts. I’ve also got a CELTA Certificate, which is a special training certificate for qualified teachers of English as a foreign Language. During the course I learned teaching theory, methodology and all aspects of teaching English. |
| Teaching Experience: |
I was trained as a high school teacher of English and History. I spent many years in the Education Department of the National Gallery of South Africa, where I gave special content tours to second language English speakers. After doing a CELTA certificate, I spent four years in Thailand teaching conversational English to all levels of students. I also taught TOEFL, and English for Specific Purposes. Back in Cape Town, South Africa, I did four years of teacher training, in which I was responsible for developing and conducting training and development for English teachers. |
| About myself: |
I have lived and taught in Kenya, Thailand, South Africa and now China. I love to learn about different cultures and despite being a poor language learner myself, I always try and learn the language of the country I am living in. I find this helps me understand and really appreciate the difficulties my students are experiencing. I believe in life long learning and I’m currently completing my studies for a Masters in TESOL [Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages]. When I am not reading (my favourite pastime), I love to socialize with friends, to watch movies and to go shopping. |
| Why I came to China |
| My love of China has been with me as long as I can remember. I have always been interested in the history and the lives of Chinese people. For many years I have been reading Chinese novels, and always dreamed of coming to China. It has taken me quite a long time to get here, but the wait was well worthwhile. It has turned out to be one of those dreams that are even better when realised than they were in the planning |
| Why I chose to work at Kai En? |
| I chose Kai En because of its academic strength and belief in Teacher Development. I liked the fact that quality is a high priority in their requirements for teachers, and that the management is prepared to expend considerable academic resources on maintaining high teaching standards. I think this attitude is good for both teachers and students alike. I believe strongly in a student-centred, communicative approach to language teaching but especially in one that has clear learning objectives. This is exactly what Kai En offers and my experience of working here has reconfirmed my belief that my philosophy of language learning aligns perfectly with Kai En’s. |