Student Profile

I'm Gene Thompson, an MA student in the Department of General and Applied Linguistics at Waikato. I will be completing my MA Applied in 2006 after studying both full-time and part-time by distance since 2003.

I am currently working as a Lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) in Chiba, Japan. Balancing work and study has been difficult at times, requiring careful time planning, but thanks to the support of the faculty and staff of the Department the transition from full-time to distance has been very smooth.

After graduating from the University of Waikato with a BSocSc in 1999, like many young Kiwis I traveled overseas, and found myself working as a language teacher in Japan. After realizing that I wanted to make a career in language teaching, I looked for institutions where I would be able to gain the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge about Applied Linguistics to allow me to work at the tertiary level. I chose to return home to Waikato, where I found the balance of the PGDipSLT perfect for preparing me for the demands of a professional language teacher.

After completing my PGDipSLT at Waikato in 2003, I decided to test the job market and was offered positions at a number of institutions in Japan where I found the PGDipSLT well-rated as a qualification. I accepted an offer from KUIS, where the experience and knowledge I
gained about materials development in 'The Language Programme: Design, Materials and Methodology' and 'Language Teaching: Observation and Practice' have been integral for helping me to create in-class and self-access materials for our learners.

Since starting I have found the MA papers have been ideal in developing my theoretical knowledge about the discipline from a more research oriented approach. As a member of the Kanda English Proficiency Test (KEPT) design committee, my duties also include the creation, administration, and evaluation of our in-house proficiency test. I found the MA Assessment and Programme Evaluation paper 'APPL580 Special Topic in Applied Linguistics' to be particularly helpful in supporting and developing my understanding of testing and evaluation. The structure of the course allowed me to integrate my on-going study and professional practice to maximize my professional development.

My primary goal for the near future is to develop my skills as a researcher, where 'Research Methods: Theory' and 'Research Methods: Procedures', the papers I am currently completing, will be important for arming me with the knowledge and practical experience to move forward with MA dissertation, and perhaps a PhD in the future.

For those interested in studying language teaching, I would wholeheartedly recommend the Department of General and Applied Linguistics. The ongoing support and friendship of my classmates, the lecturers, and the staff of the Department have been the highlight of my time studying Applied Linguistics.

Good luck to anyone else considering a similar path of study! And, I hope to see you around the Department sometime.