Nazarbayev University was launched in 2010 as a premier national and regional university, partnering with some of the most internationally recognized names in higher education. The School of Humanities and Social Sciences’ (SHSS) partner is the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Admission to NU is highly competitive, and the student body is selected from the top high schools throughout the country and region.

Position summary

Nazarbayev University seeks to appoint an instructor to teach intensive an intensive Kazakh to international students during our summer intensive program. Under the supervision of the program director, Kazakh instructors will be expected to teach four hours per day, five-days per week using a communicative, content-based approach and contribute to the day-to-day operations of the program. As well, the Kazakh Instructor will be expected to teach a weekly course on Survival Kazakh for two hours each week.

Nazarbayev University will provide a competitive salary, which includes a travel supplement and housing. All income will be subject to a 10% flat tax rate. For faculty coming from abroad, we also offer visa support.

The position will be contingent upon enrollments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

- Deliver four hours of language instruction per day, Monday through Friday, plus a two hour course once a week,  amounting to 176 hours for the 8-week period;

- In consultation with the program director, develop a comprehensive course syllabus including course description, course goals and objectives, weekly schedules, and assessment criteria;

- Prepare daily lessons and provide instruction based on the principles of communicative language teaching, content-based instruction, and the use of authentic materials use;

- Keep track of student progress by using appropriate formative and summative assessment tools;

- Keep the program coordinator actively informed of student progress, hold regular office hours, and work closely with student tutors to assess student needs for support outside the classroom;

- Attend daily and weekly program faculty meetings;

- Provide peer support to other faculty members as necessary;

- Collaborate with the program director, fellow instructors, and student tutors to establish relevant co-curricular activities for students;

- Help promote co-curricular activities and participate in co-curricular activities as necessary;

- File the final report with the school administration.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

- Native of near-native proficiency in Kazakh and English;

- Excellent teaching and interpersonal communication skills;

- Familiarity with communicative and content-based teaching practices and use of authentic materials;

- Proven dedication to excellence in language teaching.

Education/Experience

- M.A. degree in a discipline related to Kazakh language, or related field(s) in Kazakh Studies with superior-level proficiency in Kazakh

- 2+ years of previous language teaching experience in the target language strongly preferred, as well as experience working with English-speaking students;

- Previous experience teaching in intensive program preferred;

- Previous experience with content- and/or project-based instruction strongly preferred;

- Knowledge of or experience with ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and oral proficiency testing experience is strongly preferred.

To apply, attach the following materials: 1) a cover letter, 2) a CV/resume, 3) sample teaching evaluations, and 4) sample teaching materials and syllabi (no more than 10 pages) 5) one recommendation letter from a person who is qualified to assess your pedagogical skills. Please, convert all attachments to pdfs, and indicate “Application for Kazakh Instructor Position” in the subject line.