I really enjoyed every single day in Sheffield

I was an English teacher in South Korea for 5 years. Through the Language and Education course at Sheffield, I wanted to establish a firm understanding of the theoretical framework of language education, because I’ve always believed that good theory makes good practice.

I also believed it is simply beneficial that I myself have more exposure to, and develop my knowledge of, English language and culture, both for my own use, and to apply in the classroom.

I really enjoyed every single day in Sheffield.

Nahyoung Seo

Education: Language and Education MA

I’ve been in education for almost a decade including as a learner in a university of education and I’ve never seriously thought about what education is.

Through module1, I was able to think about several issues that penetrated education from various perspectives away from the narrow classroom scene. Also, through module 2, I dealt with the foundations of language learning and second language acquisition.

It perfectly met my needs and expectations. I really enjoyed every single day in Sheffield.

To be honest, I spent most of my days studying in the Diamond. It might sound monotonous, but I really enjoyed reading various articles at my desk.

The numerous questions I had as a teacher appeared in these reading sessions and acquiring knowledge felt like a personal journey. I could understand what it is like to learn a new language from the perspective of learners.

Also, as a teacher, I considered a lot about what would be the best method or approach of teaching language and I realized a perfect method for all may never exist because every method has its own strengths and weaknesses and learners are all different.

Through this kind of broad reading, I could seek answers to the questions that I had as a teacher.

My immediate hope will be to return to my hometown of Daegu to teach in the “global center”, the city’s centre for English language education where the highest-level students and teachers are found.

In the longer term, I hope to eventually study for a PhD in the UK, with a focus on the psychological aspect of language learning, to help better the national English syllabus in Korea.

I have a belief that having a strong psychological foundation for the curriculum will help improve the state of English education in Korea.