Erik Bentley

Teacher of EFL at a two-year technical school in Japan

TESOL, M.A. '20

My M.A. in TESOL (online) came in the midst of my career and helped me become a better teacher. Through the program I saw my skills honed, my understanding of the field deepened, and my passion for teaching reinvigorated.

How did your program at Biola prepare you for your career?

My M.A. in TESOL (online) came in the midst of my career and helped me become a better teacher. Through the program I saw my skills honed, my understanding of the field deepened, and my passion for teaching reinvigorated. I am very thankful for the opportunity I had to be part of this program.

What did you appreciate most about your time at Biola?

I greatly appreciated the way my professors consistently enveloped each class with God's word and a biblical worldview. This elevated what was being studied from merely being earthly to the spiritual. Additionally, my professors’ expertise, passion for the subject and the personal interaction they provided made my learning experience extremely valuable.

How did Biola equip you to be a more faithful follower of Jesus Christ?

Biola equipped me to be a more faithful follower of Jesus Christ by keeping Christ at the center of my studies and approaching the subject with a biblical worldview. As this is how all areas of our lives should be, it was wonderful to be able to learn alongside fellow believers all the while helping each other grow not just in the subject material, but in our faith, too.

What advice would you give to students considering your degree program?

Having had ESL/EFL experience or being involved in an ESL/EFL class while doing this program will make it much more beneficial. I found that being able to immediately apply what I was learning made my study come to life and removed much of the theory that exists when not being able to immediately apply what is being learned.