A proposal to New Oriental Academy
A British-trained English teacher with strong assessment experience and a practical AI teaching tool.
years in English education and assessment across
China and South-East Asia
- iPGCE
- CELTA
- Former British Council IELTS Examiner
- IELTS & IGCSE specialist
I am a British-trained English teacher and former IELTS examiner with more than 15 years of experience in English education and assessment across China and South-East Asia.
My background includes classroom teaching, English department coordination, university English teaching, IELTS preparation, IGCSE speaking, and around 12 years of IELTS examining.
Alongside my classroom teaching, I am building an interactive AI English Teacher. This tool is designed to help students practise speaking, writing, vocabulary, and exam skills outside normal lesson time.
WHY?
Section 1 · The pitch
My experience as an examiner with the British Council in China, and language teaching across Asia, has led me to one conclusion: language assessment and teaching is moving towards Avatar Examiners and Avatar teachers for homework practice.
Let's give New Oriental Academy the media publicity opportunity of being the first school in China with an AI teacher on the staff.
Today
In senior schools we have one English teacher for over 100 students, a few hours a week — with teachers coming and going all the time.
Soon, every student will have their own English teacher…
Meet Miss Li.
The future lies in a hybrid model: AI as an ever-present practice partner tailored exactly to your pace, and the human teacher as a mentor for nuance, culture and complex guidance.
Section 2 · The teacher
Experience and qualifications.
iPGCE
University of Cumbria, 2025
CELTA
Cambridge University ESOL, 2006
BSc (Hons)
University of Surrey, England
Former IELTS Examiner
British Council
20,000+
IELTS Writing and Speaking tests assessed
Dept Coordinator
New Oriental Academy, Grades 7–12
I am currently an IELTS and IGCSE Speaking Teacher at New Oriental Academy International School. In this role, I teach exam-focused English and continue to develop the AI English Teacher.
Before this, I taught IELTS at Suzhou International Academy. I also worked as English Department Coordinator at New Oriental Academy and taught university English at Hubei University of Economics and Xiamen University — a top 10 university in China.
Earlier in my career, I delivered English training for international hotel brands, including Waldorf Astoria, Hilton, MGM Grand, Six Senses, and Soneva.
My teaching is based on three things: strong exam knowledge, clear classroom routines, and practical support that helps students improve step by step.
Section 3 · My classroom method
Clear, interactive speaking lessons.
Step 1
Shadow Model Answers
Step 2
Plan Own Answer
Step 3
4/3/2 Speaking Circuit
Step 4
Feedback
Step 5
Retry
Current build: IELTS Speaking 40-Week Course and Lesson Library. The lesson structure can be adapted for different courses and year groups.
Please click the links below to visit the interactive lessons websites.
My lessons follow a clear structure. Students receive a question, build an answer, get feedback, improve the answer, and then review what they have learned.
This helps students practise the skills they need most. They learn how to answer clearly, extend their ideas, use better vocabulary, improve grammar, and speak with more confidence.
This lesson structure can be used for different courses, including IELTS Speaking, IGCSE ESL Speaking, IGCSE English, and A-Level English Language. The exam criteria may change, but the teaching method stays clear and practical.
My classroom materials are:
- —Created using real assessment criteria, such as IELTS and Cambridge.
- —suitable for iPads, classroom screens, or printed handouts;
- —written from the point of view of an experienced examiner;
- —flexible curriculum that can be refreshed every 6 months.
Ideally, every person learning a language would have a patient, kind tutor they could call up any time to work on their spoken language. AI is making that the way the world works.
Section 4 · The AI English Teacher
A practical tool to support learning.
The AI English Teacher is currently in active development. It is designed to give students more practice, more feedback, and more confidence. It can support students in five main ways.
01
Speaking practice
Students answer questions, receive feedback, and practise improving fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and organisation.
02
Writing support
Students receive guidance on clarity, accuracy, structure, and exam focus.
03
Vocabulary review
Students can practise key weekly vocabulary through short review tasks.
04
Exam preparation
The app can deliver mock IELTS and IGCSE-style tests based on the weekly lesson content, so students practise familiar questions in a realistic test format. The AI feedback system has been designed with the support of a former IELTS examiner with over 10 years of examining experience, using British Council examiner training materials.
05
Independent learning
Students can practise at home, on an iPad, or during supervised study time.
The tool can be adapted for the school. Its voice, character, lesson style, and feedback can match New Oriental Academy's English curriculum and academic expectations.
It is not a replacement for teachers. It is a support tool. The teacher still leads the learning, builds the relationship, and makes the key decisions.
The character, voice, and lesson style can be adapted for the school, class, age group, and assessment target.
Personas
The AI Teacher can take on different roles within the school.
The same teaching engine, presented as different personas depending on the audience and need. The character, voice, and tone are swapped while the underlying lesson and feedback engine stays the same.
01
Psychological Councilor
A warm, calm voice for student wellbeing conversations, pastoral check-ins, and gentle guidance.
02
Student's Friend
A friendly cat character that lowers the stakes for nervous students and makes English practice feel like play.
03
Business Colleague
A sharper, professional persona for staff development, reports, and academic planning conversations.
Section 5 · Differentiation
Built-in differentiation, inside and outside the classroom.
Lessons follow QTS-style principles, with differentiation as a core part of the lesson sequence. The structure gives more support to weaker students and more challenge to stronger students — and the AI extends both pathways beyond the classroom.
Two pathways through the same lesson — both lead to progress, with different levels of scaffolding and challenge.
Support Pathway
For students who need more scaffolding
- ●Model answers for every question
- ●Sentence starters and clear answer structures
- ●Step-by-step support that builds confidence
- ●Reduces cognitive overload
Challenge Pathway
For students ready to stretch
- ●Encouraged to give longer, more complex answers
- ●Idiomatic language from the lesson vocabulary lists
- ●More advanced grammar structures (highlighted in model answers)
- ●Faster pace, greater independence
02 · A graded 40-week course
The IGCSE course moves progressively from roughly IELTS Band 5.0 to Band 6.0 equivalent over 40 weeks. The IELTS scale is widely understood and gives a clear sense of progression.
Stage 1
Stage 1 · Weeks 1–20
Covers all 20 IGCSE textbook chapters. Builds toward ~Band 5.5.
Stage 2
Stage 2 · Weeks 21–40
Revisits the same 20 chapters at a more advanced level. A spiral curriculum — same topics, raised performance. Target ~Band 6.0.
Gradual progression across 40 weeks.
03 · Differentiation through pacing
The same course structure can be completed at different speeds, depending on the class.
Path A
Supported pace
A weaker class — for example a B class — may use two class periods per lesson. Slower, more comfortable, full course in 40 weeks at a level closer to actual ability (~Band 5.5).
Path B
Accelerated pace
Stronger students move faster, complete lessons more quickly, and progress to advanced material without waiting for the rest of the class.
The point
Two pathways. One classroom.
Supported students reach Band 5.5 with confidence over the full 40 weeks. Faster learners finish the core syllabus early and move straight into the advanced IELTS track — no one waits, no one is left behind.
In language learning, what students do outside the classroom is often just as important as what happens in class. Homework materials are designed to be colourful, interactive, and engaging — increasing the chance students will actually do them, which matters in international schools where homework motivation can be low. Students can answer questions, receive instant feedback, improve, and try again until mastery — without waiting for the teacher.
Mastery Loop
Independent practice continues anytime, anywhere.
05 · No ceiling for strong students
The system also lets stronger learners accelerate. Students ready to move faster can progress through the course more quickly and move on to a more advanced IELTS course — reaching the required language level well ahead of schedule, freeing time for other subjects.
The result is a powerful form of differentiation: an always-on learning environment where students can practise anytime, anywhere, at the level they need. Weaker students receive the support they need; stronger students are free to go as far and as fast as they can.
Section 6
How it could be used at New Oriental Academy.
1
In the classroom
The AI English Teacher can help during lessons by giving model answers, asking students questions, giving feedback, and helping students understand how to improve.
2
At home
Students can use it for extra speaking, writing, mock testing. This is especially helpful for students who need more repetition or more confidence.
3
In staff development
Teachers can use it to create lesson ideas, give advice on teaching challenges, give reports, and feedback on student performance or personal issues.
4
At parents' events
The AI can take questions from groups of parents about how students are supported in English. Parents can ask the AI teacher about their own child's progress and receive up to the minute reports at any time in any language.
5
Around the school
The AI English Teacher could appear on screens or iPads as part of the school's English learning environment. It could become a friendly and visible part of the school's staff.
6
Teacher support
The app can help teachers with the whole range of teacher administration tasks such as: assigning and automatically marking homework; conducting and scoring monthly tests; producing student performance and progress charts and reports; automatically monitoring problems students communicate to the AI; and keeping parents informed.
Technology will not replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers can be transformational.
Section 7 · The advantage for the school
A visible innovation with real classroom purpose.
Many schools now talk about AI. Fewer schools can show a practical AI tool that is built by a teacher and connected directly to classroom learning.
This could help New Oriental Academy stand out in a careful and professional way.
The main benefit is not marketing. The main benefit is better support for students. However, if the tool is used well, it could also show parents that New Oriental Academy is serious about innovation, English development, and student progress.
The strongest message is simple:
New Oriental Academy is using AI carefully, with a real teacher leading the work, to help students improve their English.
That is a message parents, teachers, and students can understand.
“Not AI for show. AI used carefully to support better English learning.”
Section 8
Curriculum vitae summary.
Current role
IELTS and IGCSE Speaking Teacher
New Oriental Academy International School
August 2025 – present
Teaching exam-focused English and developing the AI English Teacher alongside classroom teaching.
Recent experience
IELTS Teacher
Suzhou International Academy
English Department Coordinator
New Oriental Academy
Senior IELTS Examiner
British Council
Around 12 years of IELTS Speaking and Writing assessment experience.
Earlier experience
University English Teacher
Hubei University of Economics and Xiamen University
Hospitality English Trainer
Waldorf Astoria, Hilton, MGM Grand, Six Senses, and Soneva
Qualifications
iPGCE
University of Cumbria
CELTA
Cambridge University ESOL
BSc (Hons)
University of Surrey
British Council safeguarding and EDI training
Section 9
Next step.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss the role, show the teaching framework, and explain how the AI English Teacher could support students at New Oriental Academy.
I am available for interview in person or online.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I would be very pleased to discuss how my classroom experience, examiner background, and AI English Teacher could contribute to New Oriental Academy.