Lecturer applications for CESSI 2023 have closed. Please stay tuned for updates about hiring for CESSI 2023.
The 2023 CESSI program will be held from June 19 through August 11 and will be preceded by a staff orientation week. Language instructors will be responsible for participating in the CESSI staff orientation week activities as well as instructor meetings throughout the eight-week program.
Under the supervision of the director of the Wisconsin Intensive Summer Language Institutes (WISLI), instructors will be expected to:
- Teach one of the following Central Eurasian languages at the elementary, intermediate, or advanced level in an eight-week intensive summer format: Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Uyghur, or Uzbek. Classes are four hours a day, five days a week.
- Prepare syllabus, lesson plans, and teaching materials; prepare, administer, and grade classroom and homework assignments and exams; and hold office hours.
- Prepare teaching materials for assigned language and course-level for future use at CESSI.
- Teach as much as possible in the target language and, only when necessary, in English. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) recommends that learning take place through the target language for 90% or more of classroom time. The goal is to provide immersion in the target language unless there is a specific reason to NOT use the target language.
- Participate in weekly all-staff meetings and all sessions of pedagogy workshops organized by CESSI and WISLI, in addition to the assigned teaching and preparation of teaching materials.
- Attend the CESSI lecture series and participate in cultural events.
Important Reminders When Applying:
- Applications sent by mail or email will not be accepted.
- Please do not submit applications for languages other than those listed on the PVL.
- You must submit all three items (cover letter, CV, syllabus) in order to be considered for a position.
- Instructor position dates are one week longer than the dates of CESSI classes, as instructors are expected to participate in the entirety of pedagogy training prior to the start of the program.

Additional Information
- Hiring of instructors is contingent upon sufficient enrollment. Class confirmations/cancellations are determined in the Spring. Consequently, it may not be until April that a final decision is made on your instructor application. If you have not heard from us, your application may be on hold until student enrollment numbers stabilize and we can make a more informed decision on hiring.
- A successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment. International applicants should be advised that the U.S. government has established new English language proficiency requirements for J-1 visa applications. If you did not obtain a degree from an institution where instruction occurred in English, you will be asked to submit a qualifying TOEFL/IELTS score from within the past 5 years or other accepted proof of English proficiency before we can start your visa application. We may also request a video interview to verify your proficiency.
- The salary listed is the minimum base rate on which the instructor’s salary for the summer session would be calculated. The actual compensation for this nine-week appointment would range between $11,000-$13,500, depending on experience based on the academic year rate.
- Instructors are responsible for their own travel costs, accommodations, and living expenses.
