Linfei Yi
“The ALLEX program impressed me. It is one of the best programs I have joined.”
– Linfei Yi, PhD Student in East Asian Studies, University of Arizona
Host University: University of Mississippi
Program: Two-year degree-seeking Teaching Associate Program
Degree: Masters in Linguistics
Language: Chinese
Motivation for Joining ALLEX
Before applying to ALLEX, I had actually been working as a teacher for twelve years. In China, I was teaching English to college students majoring in English. Through the college where I worked, I was also sent to Florida to teach Chinese to high school students.
I had two goals in participating in ALLEX. First, I wanted to get a master’s degree. I was excited that the ALLEX program would give me a full scholarship to allow me to study linguistics towards my master’s degree. At the same time, I could also get teaching experience. My second goal was to learn the ALLEX pedagogy approach in the summer training program. I was pretty interested in language teaching pedagogy at the time. When I was sent to Florida to teach Chinese, I had received some training in pedagogy. However, that approach was more focused on attracting the students’ attention and interest in learning this new language. For example, we used games. But in ALLEX, the pedagogy focused more on the language and culture itself by putting the students in simulated experiences in which they could use the target language. The focus was on authentic communication. The approach impressed me.
Summer Training Program
The team, which manages the summer training, was excellent. I really appreciated the scientific way that everything was organized. In particular, the program coordinator David did a great job. He helped me not only before the training started but also during and after the training as well.
Before starting, the team helped us arrange accommodation and get connected with our host universities. They also made sure that everything went smoothly with our visas and getting to the United States. The teaching team was very strong. In particular, Professor Noda and Professor Zhang were most important to me. Professor Noda taught us many theories of teaching. Professor Zhang modeled how to be a Chinese teacher in class. I learned so many skills from them, even how to look at a student during class. That surprised me a lot. I had never seen teachers teaching students in such a detailed way.
During the training, we stayed in an off-campus student dormitory. It was very nice. I did not have any concerns about things being broken or unsafe. I could focus on the training, which was very intense. We had to study and teach every day. So, our accommodation was really important to me. The location was excellent. We could easily go places even without a car. I actually liked the area in St. Louis so much, that I have gone back to visit many times.
Benefits of ALLEX
I met so many passionate classmates and also professors. Observing their teaching inspired me a lot. When I joined ALLEX, I was not a brand-new teacher with no experience. I had already been a teacher for over a decade and had my own teaching style. In some ways, I might not have been able to change my teaching approach quickly. The faculty encouraged me a lot. They modeled for me how to be a productive teacher in the classroom. That experience sparked more curiosity in me about language programs. I think it was one factor in motivating me to apply for PhD programs last year. Now I am a PhD student in the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Arizona, focusing on Chinese linguistics.
Looking back on ALLEX, I still remember my first teaching demo. Even though I was an experienced teacher, I was still so nervous when I got on the stage. I had never experienced that level of nervousness before. I was like someone with no experience at all. I felt like a brand-new teacher who had no experience. I only had to teach for five minutes but those five minutes felt very long. During that first demo, you teach one specific grammar point in five minutes. You have to remember all the steps you designed and make sure everything goes smoothly. I cannot remember if I made any mistakes anymore. All I know is that I finished. I survived! That is a very special memory for me.
I would recommend the ALLEX program to others. I think the program is beneficial to students who have just graduated with their undergraduate degree and are interested in becoming a language teacher. They can gain both academic experience and teaching experience. The ALLEX teaching approach focuses on the language itself. When I taught Chinese before to high school students in Florida, the teaching focused more on attracting the student’s interest through games. But in ALLEX, we helped students learn to make conversations in the target language. I feel the program is really outstanding.