Overview
The Department of World Languages and Cultures anticipates making the following faculty appointment: Tenure-track Assistant Professor in Spanish Applied Linguistics and Educator Licensure, beginning Fall 2023.
Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university located in DeKalb, an affordable and growing community that is a commutable distance from both the Chicago and Rockford metropolitan areas. The proximity of DeKalb to Chicago provides easy access to Chicago’s research and technology corridor, the theater and arts, extensive nature preserves and parks, and many vibrant and culturally diverse neighborhoods.
Our 16,000+ student body is racially and culturally diverse and includes a large population of first-generation students.
NIU prides itself on student-centered approaches to teaching and research, and recognizes social mobility, equity, and inclusion at the heart of its mission. Recently,
NIU was nationally recognized as a top college for
diversity and
LGBTQ+ students, and has been named one of the
Great Colleges to Work For two years in a row.
This hire will direct our highly ranked Educator Licensure program for Spanish, French, and German teachers. Illinois has a shortage of language teachers, and our graduates are in demand in the region. Additionally, we are seeking someone knowledgeable about teaching Spanish to heritage speakers of Spanish. This is a substantial and growing demographic at
NIU (we are only a few percentage points from being classified as a Hispanic Serving Institution), and in the region. Hiring someone with experience teaching heritage speakers will also help to grow the number of heritage speakers in the department’s major/minor programs.
As a research-extensive university,
NIU requires evidence of a strong research program as well as excellence in teaching.
Position Summary
This position will direct the Educator Licensure program for Spanish, French, and German teachers. This position will also teach Spanish linguistics courses, which address issues of linguistic discrimination and valuing of all dialects of a language.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Direct the department’s highly ranked educator licensure program for Spanish, French, and German teachers;
- Teach Spanish linguistics courses, which address issues of linguistic discrimination and valuing of all dialects of a language;
- Recruit and advise students;
- Work with the assistant director, university supervisors, college- and university-wide committees, and regional school districts;
- Report to state and national agencies; and
- Teach graduate and undergraduate courses, generally including one methods class.
Minimum Required Qualifications
- Ph.D. in a field such as (Applied) Linguistics /Spanish / Second Language Acquisition, or its equivalent, by the time of appointment;
- Native or near-native fluency in Spanish;
- Demonstrated record of excellence in teaching;
- Demonstrated research program record.
Additional Requirements
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in PK-12 teaching,
- Knowledge of Comprehensible Input methods;
- Experience working with heritage speakers of Spanish;
- Familiarity with edTPA, and experience with educator licensure.
