Since then, the Malaysian national has paved a successful career teaching and developing TESOL tools and won a host of teaching awards for his innovation and creativity.
Three TESOL teaching tools created by Hyginus are being used in classrooms in Malaysia and abroad. His I SPY 5 Stars grammar card, that teaches subject-verb agreement, has been presented at conferences in Malaysia, the Philippines and South Korea.
Hyginus’ innovation and teaching were formally acknowledged earlier this year when he was awarded Malaysia’s National Teacher Icon 2015 Award.
The 31-year-old is “honoured and proud” to receive the award, which was presented in front of the Minister and Deputy Ministers of Education. “I never expected to win. I believe it is a recognition of my passion for teaching,” he says.
Hyginus is a strong advocate of TESOL. “English is an international language and the second language in Malaysia, yet many students are still struggling with it. We as teachers need to think creatively to facilitate mastery of the language.”
He’s currently Head of English Language Panel at SMK Mutiara (Mutiara National Secondary School), has a Master’s of Education from Universiti Utara Malaysia and eventually hopes to complete a PhD in Education Management.
Hyginus has fond memories of his two years at Victoria and is grateful for the skills and knowledge he learnt through the TESOL programme. “The lecturers were very supportive, people were very friendly and the programmes well-organised.
“I strongly believe that with the exposure and experience gained at the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies. I am now more confident and able to contribute to the community,” he says.
Hyginus’ teaching tools are available through his Hyginovasi Facebook page.