Student Employment

Each semester, the Spanish department employs over 35 students as communication group leaders and tutors. Check out the opportunities to get involved.

Communication group leaders

As a communication group leader, you will conduct weekly half-hour communication group sessions. Each conversation group comprises of two students from Spanish 101-102, 121, 201-202, and 203. Your goal is to provide a relaxed, secure environment for students to speak Spanish and improve their verbal communication skills. Most group leaders conduct four to eight groups per week. Native Spanish speakers lead communication groups for students taking Spanish 301 (for half an hour per week) and 302 (for one hour per week).

Primary responsibilities

• Prepare for each session using the required curriculum provided by the students' professor.
• Lead the students through the curriculum, encouraging responses and correcting errors when appropriate.
• Evaluate the students' preparation and participation weekly after each session.
• Report attendance problems immediately to the appropriate professor.
• Submit written reports to the students' professors at the end of the semester.
• Communicate with the communication group coordinator about any specific problems in the groups.

Necessary qualifications

• Successful completion of Spanish 202 or 203. Preference is given to students who have already studied abroad with one of our Spanish programs.
• A positive recommendation from one or two of your Spanish professors (Written recommendation is not needed).
• Attendance at the training seminar, usually held the second Friday of the semester.
• A desire to promote Spanish speaking and a willingness to work with students and their difficulties in speaking the language.

Apply to be a communication group leader through Handshake. Dates to apply for the following semester are:

• The first Monday in November through the last day of first semester classes
• The first Monday in April through the last day of second semester classes

Tutors

As a tutor, you will provide students with one-on-one assistance, which is available to any student in any class in the Spanish department.

Primary responsibilities

• Meet with students in the tutoring rooms in the department for half-hour sessions, for which the student has signed up at least 24 hours in advance.
• Be able to explain and demonstrate any grammatical structures with which the student is experiencing difficulty.
• Review compositions (but not rewrite or translate) with students.
• Assist faculty members with correcting objective quizzes and assembling instructional materials.

Necessary qualifications

• At least 91 percent (A- or higher) on the final exams for both Spanish 301 and 302.
• A positive recommendation from at least two professors in the department.
• You should be an advanced student have demonstrated leadership ability, a desire to work with people, and the ability to explain the structures of the Spanish language clearly.
• Attend a training seminar at the beginning of the semester.
• Commit at least two hours to the department every week.

Apply to be a tutor through Handshake. Dates to apply for the following semester are:

• The first Monday in November through the last day of first semester classes
• The first Monday in April through the last day of second semester classes