Statement of Purpose: International Education Program

I would like to apply for the International Education program at masters level because, first and foremost, I would like to do what I can in order to help improve my country, and I also feel that it would be a huge step forward in developing my own skills as a linguist and a teacher. The program would give me a valuable insight into other cultures (particularly English-speaking ones) which I could use in my own personal development as a linguist as well as in my English as a Foreign Language tutoring since an increased knowledge of cultural context will not only help me to understand the language better myself, but it will also help me explain metaphors and idioms to my students with more facility.

My entire career as both a student and a professional up until this point has been focused on literature and language – my undergraduate degree was in English Language, my first masters was on English Literature and in my second masters (which I am currently undergoing), I am studying Linguistics with a minor in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. I’m also a volunteer teacher of both English and Egyptian Arabic, and I have three years of experience in teaching and learning different languages.

In 2006, I went to Khaled university in order to study English Language, a degree that focuses on the development of English through the ages, and shows all the influences on it and changes it went through in order to become the language it is today. By its very nature, this course has given me an in-depth knowledge of grammar and syntax, as well as an excellent working knowledge of current-day English. This was the start of my career in all aspects of language, both the English language and others. My choice of degree also gave me a solid base in at least some history, since the English language has been affected by invaders such as the Romans and the Normans just as much as it has been affected by the normal passage of time.

My first master's degree – from Ahmed University – was in English Literature, which I feel dovetails quite nicely with my degree in the English Language because, having focused on language development through the ages, I was now focusing on the use of language through the ages. The program taught me about all kinds of literature, both poetry and prose, which I have found a great help both in understanding the evolution of the English language and in helping my own students understand why the language works the way it does.

I am currently at Seattle University studying a Linguistics major, with a minor in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. I am a volunteer teacher of both English and Egyptian Arabic, with three years of ongoing experience in teaching these languages, and hope that officially studying Teaching English as a Foreign Language will help me to become a better teacher in terms of technique. The Linguistics course, just like the English Language and Literature courses, helps me to understand language better, since it gets right down into the heart of why language is the way it is and also delves into the ways in which language can be changed through different circumstances in a person’s level of education or regional area. I am finding that this is a great help when teaching myself, as I can use my knowledge to change the way in which I teach to try and find new ways of helping students to understand.

I believe that all of the above experience would make me an ideal candidate for the International Education program. The knowledge I would gain from the program would be incredibly beneficial to me, my students and my country, and I hope to be able to do many things with the knowledge I will gain from the program.