Lecturer at Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Language Institute (MEDLI)

The Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Language Institute (MEDLI) is an eight-week intensive summer language institute housed in the Language Program Office (LPO)at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. MEDLI offers courses in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish languages annually from mid-June through mid-August. The 2026 MEDLI program will be held from June 15 through August 7 and will be preceded by a staff orientation week from June 8-12, 2026. MEDLI is a member of the Wisconsin Intensive Summer Language Institutes (WISLI).

Language instructors will be responsible for participating in the MEDLI staff orientation week activities as well as instructor meetings throughout the eight-week program. Instructors will work with the MEDLI Program Coordinator and under the supervision of designated Administrative and Pedagogical staff of the Language Program Office (LPO), to perform the following duties:

- Teach Arabic/Hebrew/Persian/Turkish at the elementary, intermediate, or advanced level

in an eight-week intensive format. Prospective instructors should be aware that a combined

Intermediate-Advanced course in Arabic, Persian, or Turkish may be offered, with students

placed within a similar proficiency range (typically Intermediate-Mid to Advanced-Mid).

Hebrew is offered only at the elementary level. MEDLI 2026 classes will be taught in an online,

synchronous format.

- Following ACTFL recommendations, for modern, spoken languages, commit to communicating at least 90% in the target language in interaction with students for the duration of the program.

- Prepare syllabus, determine appropriate course goals and objectives, create lesson plans and teaching materials for assigned language and course level and potentially for future use by the institute.

- Prepare weekly lesson plans and provide to assigned pedagogy coordinator(s).

- Develop, administer, and grade classroom and home assignments and exams; maintain student learning management system (LMS) on Canvas.

- Hold scheduled office hours a minimum of 2 hours per week with additional time available to students upon request

- Supervise the Faculty Assistant or Teaching Assistant assigned to the section, if applicable.

- Work closely with the LPO and program pedagogy staff to prepare for course observations and performance evaluations that ensure program guidelines and expectations are met.

- Demonstrate ability to collaborate with other instructors and program staff.

- Contribute to fostering a supportive and collegial working environment.

- Advise on cultural programming and help prepare and implement institute co-curricular activities, no more than one a week.

- Participate in all pedagogy workshops and instructor meetings organized by WISLI and individual program, including all required pre-service workshops during the first week of employment.

- Instructors may be required to submit supplemental evaluations for students who have received a FLAS fellowship or other funding.

- Instructors may be required to administer placement tests to incoming program participants.

- Follow WISLI best practices and work toward level-appropriate standards of ACTFL proficiency-based instruction.

Instructors are responsible for managing their classrooms, which includes:

• Ensuring target language use in the classroom.

• Maintaining an engaging and orderly learning environment.

• Acting as the first point of contact for student academic and non-academic issues with support from the pedagogy coordinator and academic director.

• Organizing all course materials and updating student grades in Canvas.

• Sharing course-related communications with students.

• Managing classroom administrative tasks including taking attendance, reporting grades, and providing timely feedback.

During the eight-week summer period, there will be at least one scheduled teaching observation. Additional observations may be arranged for professional development purposes, to address classroom-related issues, or for funding agency oversight. All observations will be scheduled with prior notice.

MEDLI courses will be offered in a synchronous, remote format for summer 2026. Instructors for remote courses are not expected to live in Madison and are expected to have sufficient internet access and technology to effectively teach without interruption and to meet all requirements of instructional staff at MEDLI, including attendance at all meetings during pre-service orientation week, attendance at all mandatory pedagogy training meetings, holding of daily office hours, etc. Meetings and classes will be held during the business day based on the US Central time zone.

NEW to WISLI 2026 courses:

• Rising high school juniors and seniors may be admitted to WISLI online courses. Support for instructors with these students will be provided during pre-service week.
• Classes will run between 8:30am-1:30pm Central Time with 4 hours of class time and breaks included as agreed upon by instructors and students.
• The weekly class schedule will be different from previous summers, integrating cultural programming into class time. Along with this change, instructors are expected to develop and follow a general workflow during pre-service week that keeps pace with the intensive schedule and supports student expectations. A sample course schedule will be provided to finalists later in the hiring process.

Mor For more information, please visit https://wisli.wisc.edu/teach-at-wisli/

Positions are filled based on student enrollment numbers. Some notifications may come in late spring.

This appointment is for summer 2026 only. There is no presumption of reappointment.

5% attend MEDLI pedagogy sessions and staff meetings; contribute resources, contacts, or facilitate and attend MEDLI co-curricular events; place students in appropriate levels as necessary

• Facilitates classroom, online and/or laboratory instruction for one or more courses, including assessment of student performance

• Develops instructional design and curriculum relevant to a course of instruction

• Serves as an initial point of contact for students as it relates to specific course or series content and expectations

Language Programs Office (LPO), International Division

$12,000-$14,000 for full-time 9-week appointment depending on qualifications, based on AY year minimum rate of $52,000

• Fluency or near-native fluency in the language being taught and in English required.

• Two years of college/university experience preferred in teaching Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish as a second language at the elementary, intermediate, or advanced level in the U.S. or abroad.

• Knowledge of current issues in language pedagogy and training in language proficiency preferred.
• Prior experience in intensive summer language teaching preferred.

• Experience with remote teaching and technology in foreign language is strongly preferred.

Minimum of Bachelors required in fields related to Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish language and culture, Middle East Area Studies, Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition, or a related field.

Please submit the following items through the jobs portal:

• Cover letter addressing teaching philosophy, language(s) and level(s) applying to teach, and number of semesters taught in higher education language courses or equivalent experience. Instructors new to WISLI may wish to describe their ability to teach language in an intensive, online format.
• CV
• List of the names of three (3) professional references
• Student evaluations strongly encouraged.

Finalists may be required to provide additional materials, such as a sample syllabus, lesson plan, and/or a teaching demonstration as a part of the hiring process.

Please submit any questions to the following: medli@lpo.wisc.edu

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