SIT Graduate Institute and INTERLINK Language Centers have signed an agreement that establishes an SIT-INTERLINK Fellowship. The fellowship is for experienced ESL teachers who wish to have full employment while working toward obtaining their MA degree in TESL.

Applications are now being accepted for this special fellowship, for which the start date is Sunday, June 21, 2009. After one summer on the SIT campus in Brattleboro, Vermont, Fellows teach English for two semesters at the Saudi INTERLINK Language Center (SILC) in Riyadh with supervision by SIT. Fellows return to Vermont the following summer for their final course work. After completion of their coursework, they return to their positions at SILC for a second year of teaching and complete a final project or thesis.

Benefits
-Fifty percent (50%) tuition scholarship, contributed jointly by INTERLINK   and SIT
-A $2,333 monthly stipend for the first academic year of teaching at     SILC (September 2009 – June 2010)
-A salary of $36,000- $40,000 per annum during the second year of   teaching (September 2010 – June 2011)
-A salary increase of $2,000 when degree requirements are completed
-A 5% bonus for each year of service completed
-Round-trip transportation to and from Saudi Arabia each year
-Local transportation to and from the University
-Furnished apartment
-Medical insurance
-20 days of local holidays, plus 45 days of paid summer vacation with   international transportation at the end of the second year of teaching

Qualifications
-Acceptance by both INTERLINK and SIT
-ESL/EFL teaching experience, minimum two years
-A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution using English as the    medium of instruction. Online and correspondence degrees are not    acceptable
-Native or near-native English proficiency
-Demonstrated agreement with the pedagogical principles observed by SIT   and INTERLINK
-Commitment to learning-centered and student-focused educational   approaches
-Demonstrated sensitivity to cultural differences and ability to adapt to a   new environment that requires understanding, conformity and flexibility
-Demonstrated ability to work well with others
-Peace Corps and other cross-cultural experience, proficiency in a   language other than English and exceptional professional / humanitarian   work are advantages

SIT Course Offerings
First Summer Courses
Approaches to Teaching Second Languages (3 credits)
Language Analysis for Lesson Planning (3 credits)
Curriculum Design and Assessment (3 credits)
Intercultural Communication for Language Teachers (3 credits)
Beginning Language (undergraduate credit) 1
Interim Year Teaching Practicum at SILC (6 credits)

Second Summer Courses
Teaching the Four Skills (3 credits)
English Applied Linguistics (3 credits)
Second-Language Acquisition (3 credits)
Intercultural Communication for Language Teachers (3 credits)
Professional Conference (1 credit)
Independent Professional Project (6 credits)
(follows completion of second summer courses)

Calendar
June 21 - August 14, 2009 Coursework at SIT Graduate Institute
September 2009 - June 2010 Teaching at SILC
June - August 2010 Coursework at SIT Graduate Institute
September 2010 - Aug 2011 Teaching at SILC while completing final degree project for SIT

APPLICATION PROCEDURE
The Fellowship requires a two-stage application (Deadline - May 1).
1. Application to INTERLINK. If applicant is accepted, SIT is informed.
2. Application to SIT. If applicant is accepted, INTERLINK is informed and the Fellowship is approved.

Please research fully the institutions involved before applying using these sources:

INTERLINK Language Centers
Al Yamamah University
Summer MAT Description and Link to Application
Comments on SIT

If you decide that SIT and INTERLINK are the right organizations for you and you meet the requirements, then follow the application procedure exactly as outlined in this announcement. As well, following the section on application procedure below, please find additional information on INTERLINK and Al Yamamah.

To apply:
a. Write a cover letter explaining why you should be awarded this fellowship
b. Attach a copy of your resume
c. Request 3 letters in support of your candidacy from individuals who know you as a teacher
d. Email all application materials to [email protected] placing SILC Fellowship Application in the SUBJECT line.