Teaching Assignments

Teaching by Language

This page will be updated as we confirm Terms of Award.  Please note that FLTAs at MSU will have some differences in their teaching assignments based on language.

You will receive example syllabi and other documents from  Danielle by the end of June/early July, but this information can help give you an idea of what you will be teaching.

 LCTL = Less Commonly Taught Language

Due to the nature of our program, the exact duties and the hours listed on your terms of award will vary depending on language. Flexibility and adaptability will also be required throughout the year in assigning and adjusting duties as individual circumstances necessitate. In all cases, the total workload will be a minimum of 10 hours per week to a maximum of 20 hours a week. All FLTAs will have two primary responsibilities: 1. some level of teaching and materials development, and 2. some involvement in community outreach programs, but the exact distribution of hours will
vary by language. A few languages will also include some on-campus promotion through clubs and cultural activities. For teaching, most
FLTAs will be assisting another instructor or instructors in established classes, but there is a possibility to teach a section on their own with weekly or bi-weekly lesson-planning guidance from coordinators and other instructors. Most languages have well-established syllabi, program-level curriculum, and language learning materials. For the very few that don’t, the FLTA, coordinator and instructors will work to improve and/or create them. Attending and participating in various community outreach programs is the second component. Several outreach events may be pre-planned (such as World Languages Day and several cultural events in the elementary, middle and high school system.) Some FLTAs go beyond this to teach a
weekly exploratory class at a local middle school, give cultural presentations in local libraries, or work with heritage speaker communities in the area. More accurate descriptions of the individual language programs and the likely FLTA duties are kept up-to-date here.

Arabic

Well-Established LCTL. Undergraduate Major available. Enrollments are approximately 50 – 100 students.  Active Arabic club, language table, and film series which the FLTA would lead. The FLTA will most likely observe/assist with 3 sections of ARB 101 and teach one lesson in each of those sections every Friday in the fall.  The spring schedule may include teaching a full section independently with close assistance/guidance from the Arabic coordinator, Brahim Chakrani and from the other Arabic instructors. (We have had 9 Arabic FLTAs.) Arabic courses can be found under ARB in the schedule of courses.

Chinese

Well-Established LCTL. Undergraduate Major and minor available. Enrollments are approximately 180 – 230 students spread over multiple levels.  Chinese tone hours, Chinese help room, Chinese extra-curricular activities, and Chinese conversation hours in which the FLTA would be fully engaged. The FLTA will assist Chinese instructors of different levels with teaching, material development, student in-class group discussions, student tone hours, and grading.  We have had quite a few FLTAs–one from the People’s Republic of China and several from Taiwan. Chinese courses can be found under CHS in the schedule of courses. Teaching/Conversation hour duties: To be determined. The duties can be scheduled around your course schedule.

Hindi

Previously established, but now bringing it back. Assistant teach 1 section or possibly 2 small sections working in close connection with the two Hindi/Urdu professors. Class size: estimated 10-15 students. Materials available: program generated materials. Other activities: helping develop syllabi and materials, helping build the program. Support: Hindi/Urdu coordinator, Dr. Rajiv Ranjan, Hindi Professor, Dr. Sean Pue, and LCTL coordinator, Danielle Steider. Hindi courses can be found in the schedule of courses listed under LL or soon ISA. Hindi teaching schedule: MWF 8:00am to 11:10am

Korean

(firmly established) Duties: Assist instructors in multiple sections in fall (5 hrs/wk) , possibly teach 1 section in spring (3 hrs/wk), Office hrs (2 hrs/wk), Conversation hours (3 hrs/wk), outreach projects (3 hrs/wk), materials development (3 hrs/wk) . Class size 23 per section.
Materials: Syllabi, curriculum, program-generated materials; Support: 1 Korean professor/coordinator, 1 new incoming professor, 1 Korean
adjunct instructor.

Portuguese

Established LCTL.  Minor available. Three levels of instruction. Enrollments average around 20 students. The FLTA would teach one section of first year (likely the evening section) and possibly a high level tutorial, with weekly assistance/guidance from the Portuguese coordinator, Saulo Gouveia.

Quechua

New LCTL. One to two levels of instruction. Enrollments 2-10 students (possibly including some faculty.) The FLTA will be the instructor of 1 or 2 sections, with weekly assistance/guidance from the LCTL coordinator, assistance from the Center for Caribbean and Latin American Studies, and collaboration with a national network of Quechua instructors.

Russian

Established LCTL. Four levels of language instruction available. Enrollments regularly 19-22 per section of first year, slightly smaller enrollments at higher levels.  The FLTA would assist the instructors of various sections, with weekly assistance/guidance from the Russian coordinator, Jason Merrill. The FLTA would also take a lead in the Russian Club. Russian teaching schedule: MWF 3-3:50. Ideally also some days MWF at 9:10 , 10, and 11:20, but these are not mandatory.

Swahili

Growing LCTL.  Three levels of instruction. Enrollments average about 6-12 students. Active language table and involvement in various African Studies events.  The FLTA will most likely teach a higher level course with weekly assistance from the coordinator, Deo Ngonyani and other Swahili professor, Jonathon Choti.  In the spring semester, the FLTA will likely teach two courses. The times our FLTA needs to keep free for teaching :

  1. AFR 101A: 9:10 am-10:00 am, MTWT
  2. AFR 201A: 3:00 pm – 3:50 pm, MTWT
  3. AFR 301A: 3:00 pm – 4:20 pm, TT
  4. AFR 450A: 4:10 pm – 5:30 pm, MW

Thai

Established, but small LCTL. One – three levels of instruction available. Enrollments 2-4 students in each level.  The FLTA would be the instructor of 1 section, with weekly assistance/guidance from the LCTL coordinator and collaboration with the other Thai instructor. Fully developed syllabus and curriculum that can be modified to fit FLTA’s teaching style. Thai courses can be found in the schedule of courses listed under LL 151.736, 251.006, 301.746.

Turkish

Growing LCTL. Three levels of instruction available. Enrollments regularly 9-15 students per section, with potential for heavy growth. We are sharing these courses with other institutions via live videoconferencing and online sessions. The FLTA would be the instructor of 1 section, with weekly assistance/guidance from the coordinator, Danielle Steider and the other Turkish instructors. The FLTA would also work on creating materials for online/hybrid courses. Active Turkish coffee hour. Turkish teaching schedule is arranged with the students

Urdu

Previously established, but now bringing it back. Assistant teach 1 section or possibly 2 small sections working in close connection with the two Hindi/Urdu professors. Class size: estimated 1-6 students. Materials available: program generated materials. Other activities: helping develop syllabi and materials, helping build the program. Support: Hindi/Urdu coordinator, Dr. Rajiv Ranjan, Hindi Professor, Dr. Sean Pue, and LCTL coordinator, Danielle Steider. Urdu courses can be found in the schedule of courses listed under LL or soon ISA. Urdu teaching schedule: MWF 11:30am to 3:00pm

Vietnamese

Growing LCTL. Three levels of instruction available. Enrollments are 8-12 for first year. 5-10 for second year, and 2-4 for third year.  First year is now online and shared with other universities. and we will be piloting 2nd year online.  The FLTA would be the assistant instructor of 1 or 2 sections, with weekly assistance/guidance from the other instructor(s) and LCTL coordinator, Danielle Steider. The FLTA would also work on creating materials for online/hybrid courses. We hope the new FLTA would also help build enrollments by being active in the Vietnamese student club. Vietnamese courses can be found in the schedule of courses listed under LL.

Yoruba

Beginning LCTL. Two to three levels of instruction available. Enrollments 2-6 students, but growing. Active language table and involvement in various African Studies events. The FLTA would be the instructor of 1 or 2 sections, with weekly assistance/guidance from the African Languages coordinator, Galen Sibanda. Yoruba courses can be found in the schedule of courses listed under AFR.