ARIT Turkish Language Program 2014

19 June - August 8, 2014

For summer 2014, the American Research Institute in Turkey will offer fellowships to advanced students for participation in the summer program in intensive advanced Turkish language at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul. This intensive program offers the equivalent of one full academic year of study in Turkish at the college level. The fellowships cover round-trip airfare to Istanbul, application and tuition fees, and a maintenance stipend.

The application deadline is Tuesday, February 5, 2014

The intensive advanced Turkish language program of the American Research Institute in Turkey is funded by the United States Department of Education, Office of Post-Secondary Education.

4th Islamic Studies Conference, UCSB

The graduate students in Islamic and Middle East Studies at UCSB are very pleased to announce their call for papers for the 4th Annual Graduate Student Islamic Studies Conference to be held at the University of California, Santa Barbara on April 4-6, 2014.

The title of this year's conference is:
(Un)Civil Society, Past and Present.

We are privileged to announce that Dr. Gilbert Achcar of the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London with be this year's keynote speaker.

Please find the attached call for papers for more information. All submissions are due by January 15, 2014.

Please email proposals to isgsc@cmes.ucsb.edu.

Arizona State University CLI Summer 2014 Turkish & Hebrew Instructor

Arizona State University’s Critical Languages Institute is currently in need of instructors to teach Intensive Elementary Turkish & Elementary Modern Hebrew in our summer 2014 program.

The position requirements are as follows:

• Candidates must have a Master’s degree or higher in philology, linguistics, language teaching or a closely related field
• Possess native proficiency in Turkish or Hebrew
• Have at least one year’s experience teaching either Turkish or Hebrew at the university level to non-native speakers

Strong preference will go to candidates who have successfully taught in intensive language programs, to candidates with experience teaching independently, and to candidates with high levels of proficiency in English. The successful candidates will teach their language 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 7 weeks and will contribute to cultural programming.

The job announcement can be viewed at http://cli.asu.edu/jobs. Information on the ASU summer Turkish & Hebrew programs is available at http://cli.asu.edu/turkish and http://cli.asu.edu/hebrew.

Applications received by January 10, 2014 will have priority. Thereafter applications will be reviewed weekly until the search is closed.

Application package must include a letter explaining the applicant’s interest in and qualifications for teaching their chosen language at Arizona State University, a cover letter, and contact information for two references, one of whom should be able to comment on the applicant’s teaching.

Candidates unfamiliar with U.S. standards for CV and references should contact CLI in advance for guidance.

Materials should be sent to cli@asu.edu or mailed to:

Critical Languages Institute
PO Box 874202
Tempe, AZ, 85287-4202

Background check is required for employment. Arizona State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to excellence through diversity. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Please see ASU's complete non-discrimination statement at: https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/

Arabic & Persian Summer Institutes

Program highlights

• All levels taught: beginning, intermediate, & advanced
• Ten week program runs June 2 - August 8, 2014 (Arabic testing begins May 29)
• Program includes over 150 contact hours, consisting of 3 - 4 contact hours per day
• Qualifies for the Summer FLAS Fellowship
• Earn 9 - 12 credits of foreign language in only 10 weeks
• Priority application deadline: April 15, 2014

More information can be found at http://cola.connect.utexas.edu/redirect.aspx?linkID=98754&eid=1243570.

Who should apply?

• Current UT students
• Students at other colleges, universities, & high schools
• Community members
• Business professionals, military personnel, teachers
• Anyone interested in the languages & cultures of the Middle East

Ready to apply?
Apply to the Persian Summer Institute: http://cola.connect.utexas.edu/redirect.aspx?linkID=98752&eid=1243570
Apply to the Arabic Summer Institute: http://cola.connect.utexas.edu/redirect.aspx?linkID=98751&eid=1243570

5th International Youth Leadership Conference

March 22nd-27th 2014

The 5th International Youth Leadership Conference – United Arab Emirates (IYLC - UAE) is a week-long youth forum on world politics, international relations and justice held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Active learning

Throughout the week, the IYLC offers the opportunity for students to practice their leadership skills by keeping speeches, making amendments, drafting resolutions, lobbying and networking through interrelated activities such as:

• A simulation on Gulf Cooperation Council Meeting.
  
• A Sharia Law mock trial.
  
• Plenary Session on Arab League.
  
• Networking Events and Banquet Dinners with leading experts, diplomats and businessmen
  
• Regional Presentations.
  
• Desert Safari
  
• Visit to Mosque
  
• Trips to a major landmarks in Dubai….and much more!
  

The following are the two ways of participating at Dubai conference:

1. Student participants ambitious students and graduates aged 18-26.
   
2. Conference observers conference observers can evaluate the academic and cultural value of the IYLCs directly by observing all simulations, site visits and panel discussions during the 5-day program.
   

Interested students can apply here. Nominated students will get a 10% discount off the Conference fee. Nomination forms can be found here.

Intercultural Competence Conference

2014 International Conference on the Development and Assessment of Intercultural Competence:
Preparing and Supporting K–16 Language Teachers to Teach for Intercultural Competence in and beyond the Classroom

January 23-26, 2014, in Tucson, AZ

Keynote Presentation

Joan Kelly Hall

(Pennsylvania State University), How Current Understandings of Language and Culture (should) Inform L2 Pedagogy

Plenary Presentations

Carl Blyth

(University of Texas at Austin), Preparing Language Teachers to Teach for Intercultural Competence: The Promise of Cultural Linguistics

Maria Carreira

(California State University, Long Beach), Heritage Language Teaching: Bridging the Gap between “what is” and “what should be”

Toni Theisen

(ACTFL President, Loveland High School), Activating Communication by Integrating

With greater awareness of the importance of intercultural competence in enabling learners to communicate effectively in an increasingly interconnected world, and with global travel and instant international communications available to a growing number of people, one of the primary goals of language teaching is to promote the acquisition of intercultural competence in the classroom and beyond. In order for teachers to become intercultural mediators (Zarate, Gohard-Radenkovic, Lussier, & Penz, 2003) and facilitators of intercultural competence in the classroom, it is critical for them to understand the concept of intercultural competence, the process involved in its development, and the ways and means of assessing and evaluating it. However, this cannot be accomplished without a major paradigm shift in the professionalization of language teachers. Today's language teachers must be equipped with the tools and strategies to effectively and efficiently foster the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of intercultural competence, as outlined by scholars in the field, in order to support all students and prepare them to become interculturally competent global citizens.

Organized by the Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language and Literacy (CERCLL) at the University of Arizona, the fourth international conference on the development and assessment of intercultural competence aims to bring researchers and practitioners across languages, levels, and settings to discuss and share research, theory, and best practices; to foster meaningful professional dialogue; and to enhance teacher effectiveness in teaching for intercultural competence in and beyond the classroom in order to support all students' development of intercultural competence. The conference is attended by faculty, administrators and students at post-secondary institutions, as well as K-12 teachers and individuals from a wide range of other non-traditional educational contexts who are interested in language teaching/learning and cultural competence.

Information about the conference including abstracts and bios for the keynote and plenary speakers, full details about the workshop offerings, a list of paper and poster presentations, and other details are on the conference website: http://cercll.arizona.edu/development/conferences/2014_icc


Please contact CERCLL with questions: coh-cercll@email.arizona.edu, 520-626-8071.

QFI Teacher Fellowships

Qatar Foundation International (QFI) is pleased to announce that the 2014-2015 application process for our Teacher Fellowships is now open! The deadline for applications is Friday, January 31, 2014.

As part of its overall mission to expand and improve the teaching of K-12 Arabic in the United States, QFI is pleased to offer Teacher Fellowships (maximum award: $25,000) for tuition and fees for current or prospective K-12 teachers pursuing certification. The program is intended to support:

1. Teacher candidates who are pursuing certification in Foreign Language Education in World or Foreign Languages to teach Arabic;
2. Teachers who already are certified in another discipline and are seeking an endorsement to teach Arabic; or
3. Teachers seeking U.S. certification to teach Arabic through any other recognized means.

The goal of QFI’s Teacher Fellows program is to develop a strong cohort of highly trained teachers who will be future leaders in the field of K-12 Arabic education. QFI strongly believes that the skill, talent, and commitment of the teacher are key components for the success of any language program and supporting teachers is at the heart of this effort.

Please read the Teacher Fellowship Announcement (will download as PDF) to learn more about eligibility and how to apply for this grant. If you decide to apply, please download the Teacher Fellowship Application Form.

How to apply: Individuals seeking grants must apply through QFI's Grants Management Portal. Upload your application and all required documents through the Grants Management Portal. The deadline for submission is Friday, January 31, 2014.