UiTM TESL Interview (Foundation + Degree)

Assalamualaikum and good day. This entry that i'm going to write here is for those of spm leavers / stpm-level leavers who may have interest in pursuing  TESL. I'd try to tell my experience of what i could recall on my head of the interviews and hopefully, the tips and the experience i will be providing will be helpful.

Let's begin.

First, for SPM leavers to pursue asasi TESL.

There are going to be two sessions of the whole interview. First, you'll need to sit for a writing test which comprises two parts ; comprehension, where you'll given a text / texts and you need to circle the answers that you think might be right from your own reading and understanding. Second, the essay writing where you'll be given a topic and you have an essay on it. I don't remember the words limit  but i guess it's not something you should worry much. Just write as to your convenience. :)

For the interview, here are some of my advice which i hope would be very much of a help for you to go through it. First, they would be asking you to describe yourself so just tell them about yourself, family, hobbies, etc. Or maybe if you have any experience of working during the after-spm holidays then talk abt it as well. Tell them straight and be confident. Don't reflect your anxiety onto your face. Practice talking to yourself  and prepare with the points abt yourself before going for the interview so you would not stutter. i mean, this "tell me about yourself" is like the most basic question ever so try to get it right.

Then, they would ask you on some other topics. Here is when some might be worried if current issues would be asked. So here's another tip. When it was me, i wasn't asked much on such. Instead of current issues, i was asked to explain more on how did i spend my holidays and stuff. So, it is all on you to steer the topics around. When you were asked to describe yourself earlier, try to draw their attention by dragging them into some topics about yourself. For example, as how i mentioned previously, if you have any working experience, explain more on it. They might probably go into this working experience of yours by asking abt how did you deal with customers, what is your worst working experience, etc (if you work at KFC or such).

However, it is still a need for you to be prepared with knowledge of current issues just in case if you are asked abt them. It is fine, you dont have to burden yourself remembering those many exact facts of the issues, just at least know the main idea of it and for the rest, just give out your opinions. For example, if it's about the mh370 / mh17, the most basic facts that i'm sure you would least know are the first one went missing and the latter was shot down. Then, just let your opinion be the massive part of your "speech". Like, 'this saddens a lot of us... touched by how people around the world are so generous to lend help.... hope people will be praying..." just throw in your thoughts, okay.

p/s : Now that i've mentioned of it, let's spend some time praying for the victims and the family. May Allah bless them all insyaAllah.

Okay next, for the STPM-level leavers to pursue degree TESL.

First things first, just to let you know that there are courses that will run interviews for the applicants and there are some that don't. For TESL, it is a sure course that runs interviews. How do you know whether you'll get the chance to enroll in the universities you have applied? For instance, you apply for TESL in UiTM, UM, UIA and UPM but the ones that call you for an interview are the ones that might take you in as a student. Let's say, you got interview calls from UiTM and UM, it means that these are the only two universities that you stand a chance to study in while it's a no for the other two. So you can see that the chance is limited so do it right, okay.

Again, there are two sessions ; the writing test (comprehension and essay - just like before) and the interview. Just so you know that it is only UiTM that runs both writing test and interview. Those other universities only run interview. For those who were in asasi TESL, you should be more knowledgeable on how to write a good essay ; the methods and whatnot because you have learned this in asasi.However, the writing test was only an hour long, so who the heck would be so fussy to follow every single rule of making an essay. Don't worry, just write down what is on your mind. (But if possible, try to insert some small parts of the methods of constructing an essay that you could recall so at least your essay will be better organized than others). Then, the interview.

There will be list of documents that will be pasted somewhere so arrange them accordingly. I am emphasizing on this because there was chaos during my time as the one pasted and the one that should be the right arrangement were not the same. So, just prepare with either that you think would be more of a right order (unless they tell you to follow the other). It was chaotic. I hope you won't be facing the same situation.

Now, here's what i'd like to advise you on. When it was our time, we did some research on the experience of those who went for the interview before us. But surprisingly, the interview of our year went so much different than how it was before. Unexpectedly, they asked us in two languages ; Malay and English. We thought that it could be a trap to actually not speak malay but heck no, they did want us to answer in malay to those questions they they asked in malay. I am not sure why but it happened. Pity those who top the list as they might be surprised by the sudden change. So my advice is, especially for those who have the possibility to go first, be prepared of any changes.

My turn was quite among the last so we had the chance to ask those who went in first of the questions. Here is another tip. Take notice of these people's experience of the questions they had been asked and prepare with your own answers. Also, we were informed that we all have to show our teaching skill. Honestly, i was quite worried by this clearly because i do not have much experience on teaching.

So, when it was my turn, i came in, handed my file, sat on the chair they provided and smile. :) Also, sit comfortably. You are seated right facing them so clearly your posture might be one of the aspects they judge you on. Then, one of the interviewers told me, "saya akan tanya dalam bm dan bi." Among the questions she asked were "Okay, awak dari melaka. Ceritakan apa yang menarik tentang melaka." There were some other questions that were asked in malay and they were of high level questions but i can't remember what are those. Then, in english. "What's your opinion on malaysian educational system / any change you wish to happen in the system". These were the Qs that i had been prepared with since those before us had leaked the Qs to us. So this was my answer. " i think malaysian educational system is ... they keep changing one method to another without seeing the products first ..." Honestly, i myself was not so sure whether my answers were right or wrong but hey, it is an OPINION. So, basically there's no right or wrong. So just speak out your thoughts and be confident.

And then, the teaching skill evaluation. This is when you should just blast your skill as a teacher. Pick a topic that you are familiar with. ( I did on Adjectives). Don't go with something that sounds like a huge topic just to impress them but in the end, you can't convey your information so well. Again i tell you, teach on something that is easy to explain and to lengthen the time, provide examples. Honestly, i stuttered a bit while teaching because i found it quite awkward to speak and write on board both at the same time. But just as how i advise you, be confident and ... enjoy your teaching moment? :D

So that is all i guess Not sure if my experience and tips could do much of a help but i hope they will be helpful even just for a bit. Alhamdulillah, by the time i'm writing this, i have been offered to study degree in tesl in UiTM so the tips i have provided may be reliable i guess, lol. Ask me if you have any questions regarding this matter, i'll try my best to help. May you get the best of it and good luck! :)