2013 – Present, English Language Teacher, Changsha University, Changsha

Taught English in the School of Foreign Languages. Key responsibilities included:

• Designing and teaching a course in Western Culture to first-year English Language majors.
• Designing and teaching a course in Practical and Academic Writing to final-year English majors.
• Teaching a preparatory course in functional oral English to a class of high school graduates in advance of their taking up university places in New Zealand.
• Writing, conducting and marking examinations.
• Providing extracurricular assistance to students, including helping with personal statements and projects, and participating in sporting events.

2012 – 2013, English Language Teacher, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha

Specially commended for performance among the 15 English teachers. Key responsibilities included:

·         Teaching English Speaking and Listening courses to undergraduate students.

·         Instructing postgraduate students in IELTS exam preparation both through classroom teaching and in tutorial sessions.

·         Designing and teaching a course in Oral English to faculty staff.

·         Writing, conducting and marking examinations, including mock IELTS tests.

·         Creating lessons for an interactive video course in functional oral English.

·         Providing extracurricular assistance with scientific papers, English corners and drama productions.

2011 – 2012, English Language Teacher, Various Positions, Beijing, China

Taught English to a number of students on a one-to-one and group basis. Students included adults wishing to improve their Business English skills, middle and high school students involved in exam preparation for foreign study (English GCSE, IELTS and SAT, plus Mathematics GCSE), and larger groups of service staff needing to improve their communication with customers. Responsible for preparing and delivering lessons in line with curricular, personal and business needs, and carrying out ongoing monitoring and assessment of students’ progress.

2002 – 2009, Technical Director and IT Consultant, Fifth Dimension Media, Ltd, London, UK

Held full responsibility for the technical output, training, personnel and infrastructure of this digital media agency. Led development teams and client liaison on a wide range of products, including large-scale Web and DVD-based ESL learning courses for the BBC and Oxford University Press. Successfully introduced a number of industry best practices to the company, including regular team-training sessions and reviews, team-based project tracking, formalisation of processes and documentation, and standardising the use of productivity tools.

1998 – 2002, Technical Director, Interesource New Media, Ltd, London, UK

Directed the agency’s technical team in developing Web and Multimedia products for clients including the BBC, The London Stock Exchange, Honda UK and News International. Worked closely with clients to ensure that products were delivered on-time to their requirements and expectations.

• Cambridge University CELTA Certificate – International House, Newcastle, UK, Feb 2012
• MSc Optoelectronics – University of Northumbria (Newcastle Polytechnic), UK, 1993
• BSc (Hons) Physics with Astrophysics – University of Birmingham, UK, 1992
• 4 GCE A-Levels –  (Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry), Whitley Bay High School, UK, 1988
• 11 GCE O-Levels – (inc. A-grades in English Language, English Literature, French and German),
  Whitley Bay High School, UK, 1986

Interests

I have a very keen interest in learning Mandarin Chinese and have progressed to being able to read some Chinese literature. I also have a strong passion for the English language, am an avid reader, and enjoy writing short stories myself. My other main interests lie in music, including my ongoing attempts to learn to play piano and guitar. I enjoy cycling locally and travelling more widely in China, and find taking part in the vibrant social life of China’s cities to be a great way to relax, meet new people and improve my Chinese language skills.