Research and Work at the Center for English as a Second Language

by Steven RandallIntensive English Program Coordinator

Center for English as a Second LanguageUniversity of Arizonafor SLAT Colloquium

Research at CESL• Long-standing relationship with the SLAT Program • Chances to do many kinds of observations:

– Observations: http://www.cesl.arizona.edu/research (next 5 bullet points from the website)

• Language Program Administration Research • Second Language Writing Research• Academic Literacy Research• Oral Assessment• Training Non-Native English Teachers

– (NB*: Not sure who came up with this list?)

Dissertation/Thesis Research by SLATsters and EL/L students:

• Familial Left-Handedness and SLA ( current SLAT student Zach Brooks)

• The Intersection of Nationalism/National Identity and Classroom Practice (SLAT Alum Bryan Meadows)

• Studies about morphemic negation (EL/L Student Ksenia Gnevsheva)

• Phonological Bootstrapping in Word Recognition & Whole Language Reading: A Composite Pedaogy for L2 Reading Development Via Concurrent Reading-Listening Protocols and the Extensive Reading Approach (SLAT Alum Lance Askildson)

• An Ethnographically-Sensitive, Critical Exploration of a Sheltered, University-Level Academic Bridge Program (me)

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A Welcoming Environment for Research:• Former and current SLAT and EL/L students on staff• Teachers who are accustomed to working with graduate

students (many were recently grad students themselves)• Director, Associate Director, and Assessment Coordinator

current or future faculty in SLAT• Small classes that typically have space for observers• Students very willing to participate in research in exchange

for tutoring• Classes offered (literally) all day (i.e. lots of different times

when observation can occur)• CESL is commonly recommended for research in SLAT

classes (e.g. Research Design and Methodology courses)

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Some notes about the student population in CESL’s IEP•Primarily from Arabic- and Chinese-speaking countries (reflects national trends)•Lower levels made up of primarily Arabic-speaking males•Mid-levels a mix, but primarily Chinese-speaking•Upper levels a mix, but end up being Arabic speakers again•32% Female and 68% Male this session (pretty typical)•42% Chinese, 33% Saudi Arabian, 25% Other Nationalities•Typically 20-30 Countries Represented

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Table 2                  

Summer 2011   Fall 1, 2011   Fall 2, 2011   Spring 1, 2012   Spring 2, 2012  

Afghanistan 3 Brazil 3 Brazil 1 Brazil 1 Afghanistan 1

Brazil 3 Canada 1 Canada 1 Canada 1 Brazil 2

Burma 1 Chile 1 Chile 1 China 85 Burma 1

Chile 2 China 113 China 108 Congo 1 Canada 1

China 32 Colombia 1 Colombia 1 France 1 China 64

Colombia 1 Iraq 1 Germany 2 Germany 1 Congo 1

Cuba 1 Japan 23 Japan 23 Italy 1 Costa Rica 1

Eritrea 1 Kazakhstan 2 Kazakhstan 2 Ivory Coast 1 Iran 1

Germany 1 Korea 6 Korea 9 Japan 15 Italy 1

Iraq 1 Kuwait 10 Kuwait 23 Kazakhstan 2 Japan 11

Japan 12 Libya 1 Mali 1 Korea 7 Kazakhstan 2

Kazakhstan 2 Mexico 15 Mexico 13 Kuwait 26 Korea 13

Korea 9 Nepal 1 Nepal 1 Mexico 14 Kuwait 29

Kuwait 12 Nicaragua 1 Nicaragua 1 Mongolia 1 Mexico 20

Libya 1 Peru 4 Peru 4 Peru 4 Peru 1

Mauritania 1 Qatar 4 Qatar 4 Qatar 2 Philippines 1

Mexico 13 Saudi Arabia 65 Saudi Arabia 86 Saudi Arabia 92 Qatar 2

Nicaragua 1 Thailand 3 Switzerland 1 Spain 2 Saudi Arabia 105

Peru 4 Turkey 2 Syria 1 Syria 1 Spain 2

Qatar 3 UAE 7 Taiwan 3 Taiwan 1 Syria 1

Russia 1 USA 3 Thailand 3 Thailand 3 Taiwan 1

Saudi Arabia 60 Vietnam 1 Turkey 2 Turkey 2 Thailand 2

Taiwan 6 Yemen 1 UAE 7 UAE 6 Turkey 1

Thailand 1     USA 5 USA 1 UAE 3

Tunisia 1         Vietnam 2 USA 1

Turkey 2             Vietnam 1

Ukraine 1                

UAE 8                

USA 3                

Vietnam 1                

                   

30 Countries   23 Countries   24 Countries   25 Countries    26 Countries  

  188   269   303   273 269

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Work at CESL• First, dispelling rumors• Teaching at CESL:

– Great deal of autonomy– Many different programs to teach in:

• Intensive English Program• Evening Program (Coordinated by SLAT Student, Glen

Piskula)• Special Programs (Linguistics Alum Sumayya Granger)• Academic Bridge Program• (in some cases) Teaching Abroad • Tutoring• Teen English Program (in summer)• Specialized Programs and Online

Working at CESL as a SLAT student• Your hours may be limited by a number of factors:• If you have a Graduate Assistantship of any kind

Type of GAship Max # hrs./week @ CESL US Citizen

Max # hrs./week @ CESL International Student

.25 20 hours 10 hours

.50 10 hours 0 hours

.66 3.6 hours 0 hours

.75 0 hours 0 hours

Working at CESL as a SLAT student

• Other limiting factors:

– Your schedule!

• CESL IEP Classes meet daily (M-TH or M-F)

– Solution? Tutor or work in the Evening Program

• You just want to teach one day a week

– Solution? Tutor (or find a class on campus that meets one day a week? A graduate course? )

– CESL’s Enrollment

• (unfortunately) Enrollment is very unpredictable

• Interview might not lead to immediate employment

• However, If we ask you to interview and you accept, it’s because we do hope to hire new teachers soon

• If you pass the “first round” (i.e. our Director approves you as eligible to interview) we might not interview you right away (we try to only interview based on need)

– Your degree

• M.A. at least

– Applied Linguistics

– TESOL or ESL or EL/L

– Almost all SLAT students qualify

• Pay?– If you have no GAship, regular rate of $37/hr (contact and

meeting hours only)– If you have a GAship, $30/hr.

• Why the difference?– ERE

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• Does CESL actually hire SLAT students?– Yes!– Ask Mohammed Tamimi, Robert Poole, Zach Brooks, Rachel

Sales, Vicky Zander, Julie Hammink, Glen Piskula, Robert Cote, Kacy Peckenpaugh ….me!

• Is it competitive? – Also, yes….lots of applicants and lots of demand, but I

encourage you to apply. See the following sites for info about applying:

– http://www.cesl.arizona.edu/employment (general employment site with all info you need including links to UACareer track, if applicable, and posting numbers)

– http://tinyurl.com/CESLGAapp (site for applying if you have a Gaship – takes you to Survey Monkey survey)

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• CVs and Cover Letters (for places like CESL, at least)– Lots of good information on the internet– Robert will discuss more about work abroad– Tip 1:

• Research CESL’s website and programs before writing cover letters and interviewing

– Tip 2:• Highlight your teaching experience – research and

theoretical stuff is not as important in the process of reviewing your materials for an adjunct position (a good tip in general – remember, part of your workload will not be ‘research’). Innovations or specialized skills (e.g. curriculum development or teaching online) are always big pluses at CESL.

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– Tip 4:

• Don’t overdo the education stuff. Your qualifications should speak for themselves. Saying your GPA and describing the minutiae of the different things you studied should not be in this section (perhaps different if applying to teach abroad).

– Tip 5:

• Avoid long, drawn-out explanations (like this PowerPoint! Sorry!) of bullet points in your CV. Once you exceed 2-3 pages, ask yourself how much of that is really going to give you an edge for this type of position.

– Tip 6:

• Show a website if you have one. Not critical, but certainly nice to refer to, especially if it has more information about you including teaching philosophy and links to videos of you in action.

– Tip 7:

• Format! Make it simple, but elegant.

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– Final Tips:• Don’t undersell yourself, but don’t oversell yourself.• Don’t completely rule out things in applications just

because you haven’t tried them (e.g. indicate a willingness to try online teaching)

• Keep it relevant (experience in a slaughterhouse or planting flowers need not be included)

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More on Cover Letters:• Short, but not too short.• Never more than a page if you can help it.• Don’t brag, just show.• Show a genuine interest and basic knowledge of the

position.

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Robert’s next…

Questions?