Amber Young

SCAD Language Studio professor

ESL professor, 2018–present, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA
The Language Studio is an intensive English language program for international students who are preparing to enter SCAD. My responsibilities include creating curriculum for and teaching ESL classes to adults (Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Oral Communication).

Special programs instructor, 2017, Law Department, University of Arizona, Qingdao, China
The University of Arizona, in partnership with Ocean University, created a dual law degree program for students in Qingdao, China. The courses introduced students to the American law system and provided intensive English practice to prepare them for their third-year classes. My responsibilities included, but were not limited to, creating curriculum (overview, lesson plans, assessments, and rubrics) for the Rhetoric of Argument course and teaching Rhetoric of Argument to multiple cohorts.

Online instructor, 2016–17, College of Humanities, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
In coordination with the College of Humanities, the Center for English as a Second Language created an online TEFL certificate program. My responsibilities as an instructor included, but were not limited to, teaching HUMS 482/582, Beginning & Advanced TEFL; creating and Sustaining a Desire2Learn site to interact with, instruct, and assess student's performance; and creating supplemental course material (rubrics, assignments, videos, and assessments).

ESL instructor, 2015–17, Center for English as a Second Language, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
CESL is an intensive English language program for international students who are preparing to enter the University of Arizona. My responsibilities included, but were not limited to, teaching ESL classes to adults (Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Oral Communication); creating curriculum for classes taught (syllabi, session overviews, lesson plans, assessments, and rubrics); serving as technology advisor and meeting individually with teachers to help them use technology in their classrooms (Desire2Learn, Proprofs, Socrative, Jupiter grading system, Voicethread, Nearpod, Quizlet, TEDTalks, etc.); participating in department activities (placement, graduation, office hours, faculty meetings and department meetings, outreach activities, and student advising); and serving as a member of the curriculum advisory committee.

Academic director, 2006–14, ELS Language Services, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI
ELS is an intensive language program for international students preparing to enter American universities. My responsibilities included, but were not limited to, assessing and placing new students into one of the 12 levels of our programs; creating and leading academic orientation for new students entering the program; developing and leading "Road to College" workshops for graduating students; scheduling more than 60 classes a day for 125 students at 12 levels of academic ability while best utilizing the gifts of the 10-15 teachers (schedules were created every four weeks and were made while complying with corporate guidelines for student-teacher ratio, FTE class standards, and classroom availability); interviewing, hiring, and training new teachers; conducting monthly faculty meetings to facilitate the teachers' professional growth; observing classes and meeting with teachers to discuss performance; payroll, tracking teacher's hours, time off, raises, and benefits to ensure accurate paychecks; budgeting, assessing, and purchasing resources for the teachers and classes; creating curriculum and assessments for more than 30 EAP and ESL courses; and setting school policies in regards to grading, attendance, testing, cheating, plagiarism, and academic probation.

Adjunct professor, 2006–14, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, MI
Created and implemented lessons and assessments for beginning to advanced level grammar and writing and reading and vocabulary classes as well as intermediate speaking and listening classes, and used Blackboard Learning Management system to interact with students, collect assignments, and track student performance.

Team leader, 2004–05, China Teaching Fellowship, English Language Institute of China, Changchun Foreign Language School, Changchun, China
As a team leader for the China Teaching Fellowship, I oversaw the personal, professional, cultural, and spiritual growth of seven North Americans who moved to China for the 2004–05 academic year. My responsibilities included, but were not limited to, evaluating teacher performance, including lesson plans, for appropriateness of activities, level, topic, cultural awareness, and how the lesson met the class objectives and in-class teaching practices; working with school officials to avoid cultural barriers and miscommunications with contractual issues; teaching daily conversation classes; and planning and implementing weekly faculty meetings to encourage professional development and monthly team building activities to promote community.

English professor, 2000–04, University Teaching Program, English Language Institute of China, Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao, China
Created and implemented lessons for undergraduate writing and oral English, postgraduate medical, written, and oral English, and doctorate medical and conversational English; and created the writing curriculum used by all teachers at the college.

"Scaffolding the Research Writing Process," presented at COPEI/ANUPI International Conference, 2017.
"The Benefits and Possibilities for Using Technology in the Classroom," presented at Arizona TESOL Southeast Regional Conference, 2016.
"Creating and Sustaining an Extensive Reading Program within an IEP," presented at NAFSA National Conference, 2015.
"Cross-Cultural Awareness," presented at TESOL International Conference, 2014.
"Creating Effective Assessments," presented at TESOL International Conference, 2013.
"Using Classroom Observations for Professional Development," presented at TESOL International Conference, 2013.
"Creating Effective Assessments," presented at Michigan TESOL Conference, 2012.
"Vocabulary Development," presented at Michigan TESOL Conference, 2011.
"Intercultural Communication within the Classroom," presented at Michigan TESOL Conference, 2010.