Short-term Peer-led Enrichment Language Lessons (SPELL) leaders are grant-funded positions for multilingual students who teach a non-credit, one-time, one-hour language class as part of an innovative multilingual/multicultural program in Short Term 2025. The language or dialect taught can be any variety used in the leaders’ communities or homes and does not need to be one of the languages offered at Bates College. For example, Indigenous languages, signed languages, regional dialects, identity-based dialects (e.g., African American Vernacular English), immigrant languages, and other minoritized languages are all welcome.
The leaders do not have to have prior teaching experience but should be enthusiastic about the language they propose to teach and the cultures in which the language is used. Selected leaders will be compensated for their participation in the mandatory preparatory training session, lesson plan reviews, a peer practice teaching session, teaching the one-hour lesson to enrolled students, and writing reflections.
The position is funded by a Bates Faculty Development Fund through the project Piloting and Documenting the Effects of a Multilingual Program. The process will be documented for research purposes, and leaders will be invited to participate in a research interview after teaching their lessons.
Hours: 6 total (See Responsibilities for the breakdown)
Workers: 20
Short-term Peer-led Enrichment Language Lessons (SPELL) leaders are required to participate in a mandatory preparatory training workshop on Monday, March 10, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. During this workshop, they learn a framework of teaching language and culture and brainstorm class activities. Leaders will be compensated for two hours upon completing the workshop and submitting a detailed lesson plan draft to the supervisor in a timely fashion.
After receiving feedback from the supervisor, leaders will revise their lesson plans and conduct a practice teaching demonstration with another SPELL leader. They will give and receive feedback and further refine their plans. Upon completing this practice phase and submitting a reflection to the supervisor in a timely fashion, leaders will be compensated for additional two hours.
During the Short Term, each SPELL leader will teach a one-hour lesson and submit a final reflection to the supervisor in a timely fashion. This final phase will be compensated for two hours. SPELL classes will be scheduled between April 28 and May 9, at either 12:00 PM or 7:00 PM. Each class may enroll up to 15 participants from the Bates College community, including students, staff, and faculty members.
SPELL leaders are multilingual students who comfortably use a language other than English at home or in their community. They do not need to be proficient in all domains; fluency in one domain is enough (e.g., informal use at home or the ability to recite poems or stories). SPELL leaders are passionate about sharing their home or community language and culture with the Bates College community, in order to promote awareness and appreciation for linguistic and cultural diversity.
They are curious about exploring a new framework for teaching home or community language and culture, willing to practice and incorporate feedback to improve their teaching skills, and committed to creating an inclusive learning environment for all students. They are also enthusiastic about helping Bates College community members with no prior language learning experience engage with a meaningful aspect of their home or community language and culture.
SPELL leaders must be available for the scheduled training and SPELL classes.
They must be an active first-year, sophomore, junior, or senior student.
All SPELL leaders report to Professor Keiko Konoeda (Principal Investigator) and are expected to maintain regular and efficient communication with her. They will also collaborate with the research assistant in scheduling the courses and other logistic matters. SPELL leaders are expected to treat their students with respect, maintain confidentiality, and demonstrate care in all interactions. Additionally, they should actively participate as peer equals in the collaborative community of SPELL leaders.
SPELL leaders work 6 hours total from March to May. They will participate in the training workshop, practice demonstration classes, and lead a class session in person, either standing or sitting. The class location will likely be in the Ladd Library, the Commons, or the Chase Hall (TBD).
Interested applicants should fill out an application form, which asks them what language they would like to teach, why they would like to teach it, any preliminary idea(s) on what aspect of the language and culture to teach, availability during the Short Term, and the name of the faculty of staff member who can recommend them.
Priority deadline is February 7, 2025, and applications are accepted until filled. Successful applicants will be notified by email and invited for an interview in late February.