Primary EAL Teacher · Teacher Trainer · Zhengzhou, China

Mohammed Shehzad Khan

Primary EAL specialist and teacher developer — 11+ years across India and China. I help multilingual learners build academic English through Science and Mathematics, and I coach the teachers who teach them: leading writing moderation, mentoring new teachers, and designing training delivered across the UK, Dubai, and Malta. PGCE, University of Cumbria.

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  • Zhengzhou, China
  • Open to International Opportunities · Available August 2027
Portrait of Mohammed Shehzad Khan

My Story

My teaching career began in Mumbai before taking me to mainland China in 2016.

My Journey

Since then, my experience has spanned early years through upper primary, giving me a broad understanding of learners across developmental stages. After teaching in Shenzhen and Huzhou, I found my professional home in Zhengzhou's bilingual international schools, where I have spent the majority of my career teaching the full primary grade range. My work has centred on English as an Additional Language (EAL), using language as a bridge to Science, Mathematics, and cross-curricular inquiry so that multilingual learners develop both academic English and deep conceptual understanding. Alongside my classroom responsibilities, I have led Grade 5 writing moderation and mentored newly appointed teachers.

Research-informed Practice

My practitioner research for the PGCE, University of Cumbria examined how questioning strategies facilitate high-quality teaching and participation equity in bilingual classrooms. That work, grounded in Alexander's dialogic teaching framework and translanguaging theory, changed how I plan and run discussions. I now build structured wait time and open-ended questioning sequences into lessons deliberately, not as an afterthought – and I can see the difference in which students engage.

Leadership Beyond the Classroom

Beyond my own classroom, I have demonstrated the capacity to elevate instructional quality. At WhiteHat Jr, I conducted quality assurance reviews for educators, using LMS analytics to identify teaching inconsistencies and recommend targeted improvements. At GEDU Global Education, I delivered international professional development, designing and facilitating pedagogical training for trainers across campuses in the UK, Dubai, and Malta. Those roles reinforced that good teaching and good coaching require the same discipline: specific feedback, clear standards, and honest accountability.

Looking Ahead

I hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE, non-QTS) from the University of Cumbria and a B.Ed from the University of Kashmir; I am not currently pursuing Qualified Teacher Status. My B.Sc. in Physics directly supports the cross-curricular STEM integration work I bring to primary classrooms. I am seeking an August 2027 position in an international or UK-aligned school where I can contribute to curriculum development and instructional leadership.

Career Journey

11+ Years Across Borders

From the classrooms of Mumbai to the international schools of Zhengzhou, each role has deepened my craft as an educator – shaping not just learners, but the teachers who teach them.

EAL / English Teacher

Aoxin International School

Responsibilities

  • Delivered EAL/English instruction across Primary Years 1–6 in a bilingual school environment, supporting multilingual learners with varied levels of English proficiency.
  • Planned and delivered curriculum-aligned lessons using structured instructional approaches, differentiation, TPR, and formative assessment to support language development and subject learning.
  • Integrated English with Science, Mathematics and other cross-curricular learning, helping students access subject content through English rather than treating language learning in isolation.
  • Adapted Canadian- and Singaporean-influenced curriculum expectations for Chinese primary learners and collaborated within a bilingual school context to support classroom learning.

Training and Quality Lead

GEDU Global Education

Responsibilities

  • Led teacher training and professional development activities focused on instructional quality, teaching practice, and classroom delivery.
  • Supported quality assurance processes designed to improve consistency in teaching standards and instructional practice across educators.
  • Worked across training, curriculum, assessment and quality functions, translating instructional expectations into practical support for teachers.
  • Contributed to teacher development through observation, feedback, coaching/training and quality-focused professional support.

Key Achievements

  • Teacher Trainer with quality assurance responsibilities.

Assistant Manager — Teacher Quality & Development

WhiteHat Jr

Responsibilities

  • Supported teacher quality operations across a large-scale online education environment, focusing on instructional standards and teaching effectiveness.
  • Worked with teachers on classroom quality, lesson delivery, feedback and professional development to strengthen consistency of instructional practice.
  • Used quality-assurance and review processes to identify instructional issues and support teachers in improving their practice.
  • Connected teacher development, quality monitoring and instructional expectations within a technology-enabled learning environment.

Key Achievements

  • Educator coaching and mentoring.

EAL / English Teacher

Aoxin International School

Responsibilities

  • Delivered English instruction in an international-school environment, supporting learners developing English as an additional language.
  • Planned and delivered classroom lessons appropriate to learners' language proficiency and curriculum requirements.
  • Used classroom assessment and differentiated instructional strategies to support learner participation, language development and subject learning.
  • Worked within an international-school context to support students' English development and access to the wider curriculum.

ESL Teacher and Teacher Trainer

Eton House Kindergarten

Responsibilities

  • Delivered English/EAL learning within an international early-years/primary education environment, supporting learners developing English language skills.
  • Planned engaging, age-appropriate lessons and classroom activities designed around learner participation, language development and curriculum objectives.
  • Used differentiated and interactive teaching strategies to accommodate different levels of learner confidence, language proficiency and learning needs.
  • Worked collaboratively within an international education setting to support learner development and effective classroom practice.

ESL Teacher

Helen China TEFL Network

Responsibilities

  • Delivered English language instruction to Chinese learners in a TEFL/EFL environment, building foundational communication and language skills.
  • Planned interactive English lessons using learner-centred activities and structured language practice appropriate to students' proficiency levels.
  • Adapted instruction to the needs of learners studying English as a foreign language within the Chinese educational context.
  • Developed early international teaching experience that established the foundation for subsequent primary-school EAL/ESL teaching in China.

English, Science and Mathematics Teacher

Scholars Academy

Responsibilities

  • Delivered classroom instruction and supported learners through structured lesson planning, classroom management and assessment.
  • Designed and adapted learning activities to address different learner needs, levels and classroom contexts.
  • Used assessment and ongoing classroom observation to monitor learner progress and inform instructional decisions.
  • Built the foundational classroom-teaching experience that preceded the transition into international EAL/ESL education and teaching in China.

Key Achievements

  • Primary educator responsibilities.
Expertise

Skills & Proficiencies

Years
11+
Countries
2
Schools
4
Qualifications
3
PGCE · B.Ed · B.Sc

Classroom & Pedagogy

  • EAL / ESL Instruction
  • Primary Literacy Development
  • Differentiated Instruction
  • Formative & Summative Assessment
  • Inclusive Practice

STEM Integration

  • Cross-Curricular Science & Maths
  • Inquiry-Based Learning (5E Model)
  • White Rose Maths
  • PhET Simulations
  • Explorify

Leadership & Training

  • Teacher Mentoring
  • Instructional Quality Assurance
  • Curriculum Development
  • Professional Development Design
  • Performance Coaching

Research & Frameworks

  • Dialogic Teaching (Alexander, 2020)
  • Translanguaging
  • Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke)
  • BERA Guidelines
  • Questioning Strategies
Academic Formation

Education & Professional Qualifications

Official academic qualifications and professional learning. Click any card to view the supporting document.

Education

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Bachelor of Science, Physics (B.Sc.)

University of Mumbai

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Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE, non-QTS)

University of Cumbria

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Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)

University of Kashmir

English — First language Urdu Hindi Marathi Arabic — Can read Mandarin — Basic conversation

Safeguarding: UNICEF — What We Stand For: Essentials of Children's Rights (2026). Additional safeguarding certification available on request.

Teaching Philosophy

How I Teach & Lead

"Language is not a barrier to learning – it is the bridge. When we design for multilingual learners first, we design better for everyone."

Dialogic Teaching

Grounded in Alexander's framework, I structure classrooms around high-quality talk – structured wait time, open-ended questioning, and cumulative dialogue where ideas build on each other. This shifts participation from the confident few to the whole class.

Translanguaging as Pedagogy

Students' full linguistic repertoires are assets, not obstacles. I design lessons where learners move fluidly between languages to construct meaning, develop academic English, and demonstrate conceptual understanding in science and mathematics.

STEM Integration Through Inquiry

My physics background informs a 5E-model approach (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate) where language development and scientific reasoning advance together – not in sequence.

Assessment for Learning

Formative assessment is embedded in every lesson: hinge questions, exit tickets, and student self-assessment against co-constructed criteria. This makes learning visible to both teacher and learner.

Teaching Artefacts

Inside My Classroom

Artefacts you can actually judge teaching by — no students identifiable, no consent required.

In preparation

Questioning-sequence planner

My wait-time and dialogic follow-up planning template — showing how open-ended prompts and structured pauses are pre-planned, not improvised.

In preparation

Cross-curricular unit excerpt

An English-through-Science unit slice, anonymised — demonstrating how subject content is accessed through language rather than alongside it.

In preparation

Moderation exemplar

A Grade 5 writing standard with annotated judgement — the shared reference point used during moderation to keep standards consistent.

In preparation

Feedback snapshot

A redacted coaching feedback cycle — observation, specific written feedback, target, and follow-up check.

Watch a lesson

Lesson recording available to hiring schools on request.

A three-minute Grade 5 reading lesson; it shows structured wait time, open-ended questioning, and translanguaging scaffolds.

Practitioner Research

Evidence-Informed Practice

Questioning Strategies for Participation Equity in Bilingual Classrooms

PGCE Practitioner Research • University of Cumbria • 2025–2026

This study examined how structured questioning sequences – combining extended wait time, open-ended prompts, and dialogic follow-ups – affect participation patterns among multilingual learners in primary bilingual settings.

Key implications: wait time must be explicitly taught and modelled; question sequences should be pre-planned, not improvised; and translanguaging scaffolds enable learners to rehearse ideas in stronger language before expressing in English.

Earlier Enquiries & Professional Learning

Teacher Quality Assurance at Scale

WhiteHat Jr • 2020–2022

Analysis of LMS data was used to identify instructional quality indicators and develop a scalable observation framework for remote teaching contexts.

Instructional Leadership

Leading Learning & Development

"Good teaching and good coaching require the same discipline: specific feedback, clear standards, and honest accountability."

Teacher Mentoring & Coaching

Coached, trained and mentored teachers and trainers across WhiteHat Jr and GEDU — from daily group coaching to twice-weekly audit-and-feedback cycles.

Professional Development Design

Designed and facilitated pedagogical training for trainers across UK, Dubai, and Malta campuses (GEDU Global Education). Programmes covered dialogic teaching, EAL strategies, and assessment for learning.

Quality Assurance & Instructional Coaching

At WhiteHat Jr, conducted quality assurance reviews using LMS analytics to identify teaching inconsistencies. Developed an observation framework to improve inter-rater reliability and instructional consistency.

Curriculum Development

Adapted Canadian- and Singaporean-influenced curriculum expectations for Chinese primary bilingual contexts. Led Grade 5 writing moderation across year groups, establishing consistent standards and exemplars for teacher reference.

Get In Touch

Open to New Opportunities

Primary EAL specialist and teacher developer. Available August 2027 — let's connect.

Download CV
Mohammed Shehzad Khan – professional portrait photo