RUSSIAN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTOR (SUMMER TERM)

  • Full-time
  • Job Type: Faculty
  • School: School of Sciences and Humanities

Company Description

Nazarbayev University was launched in 2010 as a premier national and regional university, partnering with some of the most recognized names in international higher education.  Admission to NU is highly competitive; the student body is selected from the top high schools throughout the country and region.

The NU campus is located in Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan, in the heart of the new and ultra-modern Left-Bank region of the city. Incoming faculty will enjoy a cosmopolitan living experience, interwoven with traditional cultural influences in food and entertainment. The social life offers a rich and vibrant atmosphere with excellent clubs and restaurants, theater, music, opera, dancing, museums, modern and traditional bazaar shopping, professional and amateur sports, outdoor recreation, and much more.

Job Description

Position summary

Nazarbayev University seeks to appoint three instructors to teach intensive Russian classes to international students during our summer intensive program. The program will provide beginning, intermediate, and advanced Russian courses as well as partial language immersion. Under the supervision of the program director, Russian instructors will be expected to 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.

The classes will run from May 23 to July 22. The successful candidate should plan to begin work on May 18 and end on July 24.

Nazarbayev University will provide a competitive salary and housing. All income will be subject to flat tax rate according to the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 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 (depending on the day’s schedule), amounting to 160 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.

Qualifications

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities
- Native or near-native proficiency in Russian 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., ABD, or Ph.D. in Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language, SLA with focus on Russian, Slavic Languages and Literatures, or a comparable degree in a related field;
- 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.

Additional Information

To apply, attach the following materials to your application: 1) a cover letter, 2) a CV/resume, 3) sample teaching evaluations, and 4) sample teaching materials and syllabi (no more than 10 pages). Please, convert all attachments to pdfs.

Also, arrange to have a letter of recommendation sent to Dr. Amanda Murphy by email ([email protected]) and indicate “Application for Russian Instructor Position” in the subject line.

Application deadline: February 29, 2020.

Relevant websites:

  • Nazarbayev University - http://nu.edu.kz/  
  • School of Science and Humanities - http://ssh.nu.edu.kz/