Reports To:
Distance Learning Mentors report to the on-site Program Manager.

Position Overview:
A language services company headquartered in Fairfax, VA, is seeking Distance Learning Mentors in a variety of languages (Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, German, Japanese, Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), Arabic, Turkish—up to 80 foreign languages) to provide online foreign language coaching and mentoring in all proficiency levels to US government personnel, including diplomats. The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor’s degree, at a minimum, and possesses at least 3 years of experience teaching foreign languages (online preferred) to US government or military personnel. Must be a US Citizen or hold a valid green card with at least one year of legal work authorization remaining.

Candidates must be located within the Washington DC metropolitan region. While the position can be performed almost entirely remote from a home office, there is a requirement to attend biweekly in-person meetings in Arlington, VA. Distance Learning Mentors must have a home office equipped with high-speed Internet, an up-to-date computer and office-quality professional printer. MUST also be adept at using online instructional platforms and highly proficient in the use of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Distance Learning Mentors will be responsible for the following primary tasks:

• Attend, in person, pre-semester orientations and mentor meetings (usually bi-weekly) hosted by the client.
• Participate, as deemed appropriate by the client, in-service staff development and orientation activities, including giving presentations or facilitating workshops at meetings held on-site.
• Attend, in person, language section and other meetings requested on-site.
• Apply for necessary computer system access to online teaching and scheduling tools.
• Use established training materials and work collaboratively with Distance Learning staff and other Mentors, under the direct guidance of the client, on training and/or assessment matters.
• Send group communications to students about the course at the beginning of the course, end of the course, and as needed during the semester.
• Conduct weekly 30-45 minute telephone mentoring sessions with each assigned student, in courses where telephone mentoring is used. Mentors will assess student progress, answer student questions, and provide speaking practice. Sessions will be conducted using either a telephone, Voice Over Internet Protocol tool (such as, but not limited to, Skype) or a webinar tool (such as, but not limited to, Adobe Connect). Sessions may also make use of instant messaging, and reference course program materials on the client’s portal.
• In courses where telephone mentoring is used, Mentors will keep detailed notes of each telephone session, their attendance, and their progress.
  • Notes pertaining directly to student progress logged in individualized student assessment sheets for each student at the end of the phone session, using the format specified by the client.
  • Notes pertaining to student attendance and which lesson the student is currently working in shall be logged in a tracking sheet.
  • Any additional notes on the student shall be maintained in secure location agreed to by the client.
  • All notes must be available to Distance Learning staff, the COR, ACOR, or GTM, the Language Training Supervisors (LTS) and the Training Specialist (TS) upon request.
• In courses where telephone mentoring is used, schedule mentoring sessions (including any make-up sessions) with each student, and keep those schedules on a restricted calendar that is available to those working on the client’s distance learning platform.
• In courses where online discussion forums are used, monitor discussion forums for student comments, and respond to student comments on the forums, according to guidelines for forum facilitation established by the client.
• Provide copies of the aforementioned student assessments and student tracking sheets to the client and send each student individualized weekly feedback on progress.
• Provide feedback and analysis of the students’ progress and problems to the client and other instructional staff as appropriate.
• Respond to all student emails.
• Notify client Distance Learning staff of student attendance issues, such as no-shows and students requesting withdrawal from the program.
• In courses where a SharePoint site is available, maintain a SharePoint site for the course, in the format specified by the client. This may require providing a “welcome letter,” uploading supplementary materials for students, posting course announcements, and monitoring online forum posts.
• Report any technical problems with systems used in Distance Learning courses, including the client’s online educational software/platforms and the Distance Learning SharePoint site, to the client and Information Technology dept.
• In collaboration with the client, Distance Learning Coordinator and/or Distance Learning Specialist, provide supplementary materials to students as needed or requested. These materials should be based on sound teaching methods and the needs of distance learning students.
• Collaborate with the client, as needed and appropriate, on best practices for informal
  assessment of student progress.
• Collaborate with the client on and perform assigned tasks or execute single-handedly, the development of language training materials or relevant reference materials, including but not limited to text, audio, video, and technology-based media.
• Record authentic AV materials, as assigned.
• As required by the client, follow techniques, methodologies, and approaches that are deemed best instructional practices.

Required Qualifications:

• Native or near-native speaker of the English and the foreign language being instructed online.
• Understanding of the Interagency Language Roundtable language proficiency levels.
• BS/BA or higher degree or foreign equivalent degree in relevant language education or comparable field.
• Experience teaching foreign language(s) to adult learners in an online setting preferred.
• Experience developing foreign language instructional materials and/or curricula preferred.
• Highly proficient in the use of online tools for meetings/instruction and the use of MS Office and Adobe products.
• Located within the Washington DC area or within distance to commute to Arlington, VA, two times per month.

 

Additional Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience teaching with the communicative approach preferred.
• Experience incorporating a variety of educational technology in teaching preferred.
• Experience teaching blending learning activities a plus.
• Experience integrating social media applications for educational purposes preferred.
• Experience teaching with task-based learning materials preferred.
• Experience administering proficiency-based assessments a plus.
• Experience teaching with vocabulary-based language learning materials.
• Experience delivering training targeted to needs of diplomatic community a plus.

 

Core Hours:
Distance Learning Mentors have flexible schedules working remotely, but must be available to work 8 hours per day, 5 days per week (for full-time positions), to meet all student needs. Core hours are normally between 10 am and 6 pm EST.

Location: Remote position
Pay: Full- and part-time opportunities available. Full-time positions include an excellent benefits package. Pay rates are based on experience and will be discussed during the screening process.