Ryan has worked in ESL for over ten years. He obtained his CELTA while living in Scotland and has never looked back. During that time he has taught and traveled in many locations around the world. To date, he has taught English as a Second Language in Asia (Hong Kong & Cambodia), the Middle East (Qatar), Africa (Sudan), Europe (Spain & Scotland), as well as in the U.S. In 2003 he obtained a Master of Education (Teaching English to Students of Other Languages) at the University of Edinburgh.
Ryan has worked on teacher training courses accredited by the University of Cambridge on three continents. In Qatar he worked with a team of trainers to set up and run the first ICELT course in the Middle East—a course like the CELTA but designed for in-service (practicing), non-native teachers. Afterwards, he moved to Spain to work at International House in Seville, where he worked as a lead tutor for two years. Ryan emigrated to the U.S. in 2006 and has worked as a teacher trainer and ESL professional in New York ever since. Ryan is also a Cambridge CELTA assessor, traveling to other centers to ensure that CELTA’s high-quality standards are being adhered to.
Ryan still fondly recalls the rewarding work he did as a trainee teacher himself on the CELTA course and maintains his confidence in the quality of the course and its ability to expertly educate teachers in good EFL/ESL teaching practices. He believes the CELTA laid the foundation for what has been an extremely eventful life as a teacher, despite the fact that when he started he never expected his stint as a traveling TEFL teacher would turn into a lifelong career. But after eleven years of teaching, he attributes his continued enthusiasm for his work to the students he teaches. Working with others to achieve their goals, whether learning English or learning to teach English, offers the kinds of rewards and satisfaction that can seldom be found in other jobs.
Some of the highlights of Ryan’s teaching experiences are:
- Working for the American Red Cross in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, helping local doctors write proposals for foreign donors
- Teaching Business English in one of the world’s meccas for commerce: Hong Kong
- The fun of working in a school stationed in the center of the Edinburgh Festival when it was in full swing
- Working in Sudan with a group of local teachers comprising all the major ethnic – as well as conflicting - groups of the country and seeing them work together in a supportive environment
- Teaching English classes in New York which always contain enthusiastic students from diverse backgrounds and nationalities
- Teaching young Spanish learners how to cheer on their soccer team using English!
- Setting up Teaching House
Ryan has a B.A. (Hons.) in Political Science from Liverpool University, a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) for Basil-Paterson College in Scotland and a Masters in Education in Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL) from Edinburgh University.
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Ryan with some of his trainee teachers in Sudan (2006) |
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