I take great pride in being a student enrolled in the full-time Master in TESOL program at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH) in Ho Chi Minh City. This program has garnered a commendable reputation for fostering a deep passion for English teaching among a community of highly skilled educators. After completing a period of training lasting one and a half years, I have acquired a multitude of professional skills that are crucial for achieving success in my teaching profession. The Practicum trip in Nha Trang City provided me with a good opportunity to engage in the practical application of these skills. The purpose of this paper is to offer a reflection on the professional competencies acquired through the Practicum and the whole TESOL course including analytical skills, planning skills, communication competence, cultural competency, and capacity for leadership.

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To begin with, throughout the TESOL program, I have learned analytical skills or assessment skills by reading the coursebooks, reference materials, journal articles, and sometimes the theses and dissertations written by a large number of researchers and scholars. While reading, I honed my critical thinking skills to the utmost in order to evaluate both their strengths and their weaknesses in order to select the main points as well as the most pertinent and significant issues to synthesize in my presentations. In addition, due to analytical reading and thinking, I have compared and contrasted the findings of articles and the authors' perspectives when writing my reflection papers and research projects. During the Practicum trip, I had the opportunity to practice my analytical skills through microteaching activities, for which I was responsible for designing the lesson plan. In other words, I was required to analyze the lesson's content before deciding which activities to include in our presentation. In addition, I employed my analytic skills during the peer microteaching observation of Group 2.2 in order to evaluate their performance and provide feedback for my own future improvement as well as my peers'. This evaluation rigorously adhered to the following five criteria: preparation, presentation, methods, language usage, and other professional abilities. 

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Second, in terms of planning skills, the TESOL program has taught me that good preparation always boosts my confidence thus creating the best performance and achievement. Being equipped with time management skills from the course in which learner always have to utilize their time effectively in every lesson, presentation, and exam. Therefore, on the Practicum trip, I tried to plan everything carefully before the starting day. In fact, as a leader of the group, I actively contacted the NTU teacher two weeks before the trip to update the situation and seek facilitation when I made a plan for my group I had to allocate the time and even human resources by planning the schedule, the deadlines for the work to be done and the assigned work for each person in the group to fulfill the job. When drafting the lesson plan, I also planned the objective, aims, and stages of the lesson, the activities for each stage. As a backup plan, we even printed out a set of handouts if technical problems happened and if we had to teach without a PowerPoint presentation.  

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Third, regarding leadership skills, I learned how to practice adaptability and social responsibility. The TESOL program has taught me how to maintain a level head and adapt to situations in which I struggle to collect information or read selectively for my research assignment. In group projects, I've learned how to listen to colleagues' ideas, analyze them, and find an agreement when opposing viewpoints emerge. I was able to maximize each member's strengths and motivate them to work in harmony. When I traveled to Nha Trang for my practicum, I encountered a number of obstacles. For instance, when I first encountered the students in my microteaching, a few of them lacked the confidence to express their ideas, so I invited them to stand up and share them and praised their efforts. Even when they did not comprehend my questions, I slowed down the pace of the lesson to explain the words again. In addition, I gained social responsibility skills when my group organized and presented the article "THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FLIPPED CLASSROOM MODEL: A CASE STUDY AT IMAP CENTER". Several lecturers expressed interest in this teaching model, so we provided them with our contact information so that we could assist them in implementing it in their actual teaching context. 

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Fourth, in terms of communication skills, these were the most utilized skills in the TESOL program. In fact, thanks to this program and the Practicum in particular, I have learned how to effectively communicate with my colleagues and teammates, supervisors, and students. Before this journey began, I was required to discuss the trip's itinerary with the other team leaders. I was also responsible for proofreading the group members' work in order to provide feedback and motivate them to aspire for improvement.  I also sent emails and kept daily contact via Zalo with the class teacher, Ms. Oanh, to get to know the information about the class in order to develop more effective preparation and lesson plans. As one of the instructors for microteaching, my tenure at NTU also provided students with insight into my communication strategies. I led the class using a friendly voice and manner. I created a video with related questions to guide the lesson. In addition, I explained the Reading passage's vocabulary with examples, images, and explanations. I attentively listened to their ideas during a discussion activity and gave formative feedback.    

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Last but not least, in relation to cultural competency, since I began taking courses in the TESOL program, I have long recognized these skills. It is such a blessing that my colleagues graduated from various institutions and have diverse backgrounds, with some having taught in remote provinces. As a result of the sharing of other teachers, I have acquired the skills necessary to work with a variety of students from a wide range of backgrounds. Not only am I grateful for the TESOL program, but also for the practicum excursion, which taught me the significance of cultural competence. During my time at NTU, I had the opportunity to speak with English professors and students about their daily lives and teaching activities in Nha Trang in order to acquire a deeper understanding of their efforts to overcome obstacles. I would also like to express my admiration for the instructors' and students' friendliness and enthusiasm in such a distant learning environment. Particularly the teachers have demonstrated a thirst for professional knowledge and a commitment to providing their students with the greatest opportunities. Moreover, during my time at the TBDU, I admired the teachers who worked tirelessly under the strain of instructing English to students from mountainous regions while paying close attention to the students' circumstances.

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In conclusion, the MA TESOL program has provided me with valuable insights and opportunities for growth, particularly through the Practicum trip. Through this experience, I have acquired essential skills that are imperative for educators, including analytical abilities, effective planning techniques, leadership capacity, proficient communication, and cultural competency. During my four-day visit to Nha Trang City, I had the valuable opportunity to expand my knowledge and engage in multicultural interactions, which greatly contributed to my personal growth and understanding of different cultures. Despite the inevitable hurdles that remain ahead, I am committed to diligently conquering any obstacles that may arise and achieving success in my pursuit of a professional career in TESOL.