Katherine Skipper

Summary of Qualifications

Nine years of experience as an educator, including seven years of TESOL experience

Extensive training and practice in discourse-based, communicative language teaching, as well as
content based instruction methods
Significant experience overseas

Education
M.S. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
5/11
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Masters Paper Topic: Gendered Differences in Language Learning Strategies Utilized by Students
Enrolled in a Two-Way Bilingual Immersion Program
Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society
Order of Arete Student Recognition Award
B.A. English Language and Literature
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Minor in Spanish
National Society of Collegiate Scholars

12/04

Teaching Experience
Adult and Higher Education Language Teaching
Instructor of Composition, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
1/13-Present
Teach a freshman content-based writing composition course to advanced level students
Teach a senior level technical report writing course for engineering majors
Create, implement, and revise my own courses
Worked with a team to create a new writing criteria and rubric for student essays
Co-created a professional development workshop on utilizing the Academic Word List in academic
English instruction
English Language Instructor, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
8/11-1/13
Taught intermediate level intensive EAP classes to university students
Created a curriculum utilizing news stories to teach grammar and vocabulary
Created and presented a professional development workshop on materials adaptation and
classroom games

Lead English Teacher, I Hablo U, Los Angeles, CA

8/10-5/11

 Co-created and implemented a new adult bilingual immersion program

Created the syllabus and materials for the English and the bilingual sections of the course
Created placement tests, exams, and course evaluation materials
Instructed a beginning level integrated skills English course to 25 adult Spanish speakers using
communicative language teaching methods
Instructed a bilingual class of 25 English and 25 Spanish speakers using interactive, task based
learning activities
Interviewed and hired new teachers as the program expanded

Teaching Assistant, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

8/10-5/11
Assisted a professor in a high-intermediate oral skills class at the American Language Institute,
USCs for-credit ESL department
Created and taught vocabulary lessons using authentic materials and innovative presentation
techniques
English Language Instructor, Business Communications Institute, Los Angeles, CA
9/08-5/10
Created the curriculum and taught an integrated skills ESL course to an intermediate level class of
Japanese and Korean adults
Created the curriculum and taught ESL grammar and writing to 4 separate classes of all proficiency
levels
Integrated online social networking sites such as Facebook and blogs into grammar instruction

K-12 Language Teaching

English Language Instructor, National University of Loja, Ecuador
9/07-7/08
Taught 3 integrated skills EFL classes from beginning to high intermediate, to students aged 13-50
Created an extracurricular English club to promote students conversation skills
Substitute Teacher, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
9/05-6/06
Supervised and taught lessons in English and Spanish to high school and junior high classes

Teacher Education
Teacher Trainer, National University of Loja, Ecuador
9/07-7/08
Trained Ecuadorian professors in the use of communicative language teaching strategies
Taught fluency skills using authentic materials

Additional Teaching Experience

Construction Lead, Habitat for Humanity, Redmond, WA
9/06-7/07
Supervised and taught construction skills to volunteers
Taught a class of 13 year olds with a curriculum designed to inform kids about civic engagement
Lead the class in creating and executing its own volunteer project

Teacher, Prep Center, La Crescenta, CA

Helped students between ages 10 to 15 in all subjects
Taught a test preparatory class of 5 students
Unit Director, Campfire USA, Spokane, WA
Supervised and mentored 4 counselors
Directed the overall functioning of a unit of 40 junior high aged children

8/04-12/04

Summer 2003-2006

Camp Counselor, Campfire USA, Spokane, WA

Summer 2001-2002
Supervised and created programming for up to 10 children for a week at a time
Taught outdoor skills, including archery, fire building, camping, canoeing, and more

Professional Presentations
Lead Presenter, Language Instruction and Social Consciousness: An Action Research Study
CIDER Conference, Ankara, Turkey

6/14

Lead Presenter, Online Social Networking: Innovative Grammar Teaching

CATESOL State Conference, Long Beach, CA

4/11

Co-Presenter, I Hablo U: Community-Based Adult Two-Way Bilingual Immersion

CATESOL State Conference, Long Beach, CA

4/11

Lead Presenter, Online Social Networking: Innovative Grammar Teaching

CATESOL Northern Regional Conference, Monterey, CA

11/10

Co-Presenter, I Hablo U: Community-Based Adult Two-Way Bilingual Immersion

CATESOL Northern Regional Conference, Monterey, CA

11/10

Professional Development
Certifications
Masters Certificate, Teaching English for Academic Purposes
5/14
Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
3 graduate-level courses on course design, course implementation and evaluation, and action
research
Completed action research project on students gender consciousness
Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, Cambridge University
Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
Pass A Grade

12/11

Conferences Attended
Bilkent University CIDER Conference, Ankara, Turkey

6/14

Bilkent University School of English Language 13th International Conference, Ankara, Turkey

6/13

Bilkent University School of English Language Research Symposium, Ankara, Turkey

6/12

CATESOL State Conference, Long Beach, CA

4/11

CATESOL Northern Regional Conference, Monterey, CA

11/10

CATESOL Southern Regional Conference, Los Angeles, CA

11/09

Professional Affiliations
CATESOL, California Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages

9/09-Present

TESOL, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages

9/09-Present

Trojan TESOL Society, USC, Los Angeles, CA

Vice President

9/09-5/11

Volunteer Experience
Board Member, New Opportunities Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
7/04-Present
Translate Spanish and English for other board members and Guatemalan scholarship recipients
Research and decide how to donate the foundations charitable funds
Construction Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity, Jordan
Constructed homes for low income families
Soccer Coach, Volunteer in South Africa, Cape Town, South Africa
Helped run an afterschool soccer club for low income kids
AmeriCorps Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity, Seattle, WA
Constructed homes for low income families

12/2010
6/2010
9/06-7/07

Construction Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity, Guatemala

6/05, 3/06, 3/08, 7/11, 8/12, 8/14
Worked as a Spanish translator between the Guatemalan Habitat staff and American volunteers
Constructed homes for low income families
English Teacher, Open Mind Projects, Thailand
Co-created and taught ESL classes with a Thai teacher for 14 and 15 year olds
Supervised and created educational activities for an afterschool English club

Language Ability
Spanish
Fluent
Turkish
Beginner

5/04-6/04

References available upon request.