In addition to applying via the University of Michigan Careers website, applicants should complete the following steps:

1.    Applicants MUST identify courses they are interested in applying for by completing the departmental application: https://webapps.lsa.umich.edu/Apply/1916 https://webapps.lsa.umich.edu/Apply/2141
2.    Submit a cover letter included as the first page of your CV/resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position(s), courses interested in, and outline skills and experiences that directly relate to this position. 
3.    Submit a resume/CV  
4.    Submit an unofficial transcript

If you have held a GSI position at U-M please attached the summary sheets of the E&E evaluations for all courses previously taught. This information should be uploaded to a single document combined with your cover letter and resume/CV.  

Graduate Student Instructor positions are only open to current or matriculating University of Michigan graduate students. 
 

Students who apply to this posting will be considered for one of the following positions:

One 50% GSI position in ASIANLAN 125: First Year Japanese I.
One 50% Grader positions in ASIANLAN 225: Second Year Japanese I.
One 25% Grader position in ASIANLAN 325: Third year Japanese I.

Course descriptions and additional course information for each course can be found on the LSA Course Guide: www.lsa.umich.edu/cg.  

ASIANLAN 125 First year Japanese I
Credits: 5

This course is the first half of the first-year Japanese course and is designed for students with little or no understanding of Japanese. The course focuses on the developing students? proficiency in all four language skills (speaking, listening, writing, and reading) while simultaneously familiarizing them with aspects of both traditional and modern Japanese culture that are necessary to build language competency.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand and appropriately use the most basic grammar patterns and vocabulary terms
• Understand and participate in basic conversations (e.g. self-introductions, shopping, making invitations, describing locations of items, talking about ones favorite trips, etc.)
• Read and write the Japanese hiragana and katakana characters, and produce approximately 50 kanji in context
• Speak at a novice-mid, or higher, level of proficiency as defined by the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview.

Course Requirements:
Attendance, Classroom Performance & Participation, Assignments, Quizzes/Pronunciation Checks, Lesson Tests, Exams (Midterm & Final), and Project

Intended Audience:
This course is designed for students with little or no understanding of Japanese. The course is not designed for native speakers who: 1) Speak Japanese as first language 2) Completed their high school education at an institution where the language of instruction is Japanese only.

Class Format:
Drill sessions are conducted in Japanese and emphasize the ability to produce and comprehend Japanese at a natural speed. Analyses and explanations delivered in English and Japanese are reserved for the lecture sessions.

ASIANLAN 225 Second year Japanese I
Credits: 5

ASIANLAN 225 is the first half of the second-year Japanese course and is designed for students who have the equivalent of one-year study of Japanese at the University of Michigan. The goal of the course is the simultaneous progression of students? proficiency in all four language skills (speaking, listening, writing, and reading) along with an increase in familiarity with aspects of both traditional and modern Japanese culture that are necessary for language competency. Students will learn to successfully handle a variety of uncomplicated, basic, and communicative tasks and social situations.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand and appropriately use basic grammar patterns and vocabulary terms.
• Understand and participate in daily conversations and to be able to express opinions/ thoughts and present information, using appropriate vocabulary, expressions and basic grammar in context.
• Read and write novice-level materials with a solid understanding of main ideas and supporting details from a variety of texts.
• Produce approximately 240 kanji in context.
• Speak at an intermediate-low, or higher, level of proficiency as defined by the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview.

Course Requirements:
Attendance, Classroom Performance & Participation, Assignments, Quizzes, Lesson Tests, Exams, and Project

Intended Audience:
Students who have completed ASIANLAN 124, ASIANLAN 126 or ASIANLAN 127, or those who have obtained a qualifying score on the placement exam. The class is not intended for students without the instructor's permission and native speakers who: 1) speak Japanese as first language 2) completed their high school education at an institution where the language of instruction is Japanese only.

Class Format:
Recitation sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are conducted in Japanese and emphasize the ability to produce and comprehend Japanese at a natural speed. Analyses and explanations delivered in mostly Japanese with help of English are reserved for the lecture sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

ASIANLAN 325 Third year Japanese I
Credits: 4

ASIANLAN 325 is designed for students who have completed second year Japanese or have the equivalent of two-year study of Japanese at the University of Michigan. Under the same course number of ASIANLAN 325, we offer two tracks with different focuses: a regular section and a STEM section. The regular section focuses on cultivating an intermediate level of linguistic, pragmatic, and socio-cultural language competence. Course readings, conversation exercises and class discussion will introduce new grammar structures, vocabulary, expressions and various aspects of Japanese culture. In order to improve all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing), various projects will also be assigned throughout the term. The STEM section is a class designed for students who major in science, technology, engineering, and math, with the goal to connect your language learning with your field of interest. The course introduces STEM-related contents and vocabulary, and you will perform fun and meaningful task-based activities in order to acquire practical Japanese language skills.

By the end of the course, students in the regular section will be able to:

• Read intermediate-level materials with a solid understanding of sentence structure.
• Write intermediate-level essays, using appropriate grammatical forms and sentence structures regarding familiar topics, such as issues in Japanese culture and society.
• Speak at an intermediate-mid level of proficiency as defined by the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview.
• Use appropriate speech styles and communication strategies for various settings.
• Produce/recognize approximately 600 kanji in context.

By the end of the course, students in the STEM section will be able to:

• Read intermediate-level materials with a solid understanding of sentence structure.
• Write intermediate-level essays, using appropriate grammatical forms and sentence structures regarding familiar topics, such as issues in Japanese culture and society.
• Speak at an intermediate-mid level of proficiency as defined by the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview.
• Obtain information from short articles, video clips, and infographics.
• Explain your thoughts and teach things to others using the knowledge you have learned in class.
• Recognize approximately 600 kanji in context.

Course Requirements:
Attendance, Class Participation, Exams, Final Exams, Quizzes, Homework assignments, and projects

Intended Audience:
ASIANLAN 325 is designed for students who have completed second year Japanese or have the equivalent of two-year study of Japanese at the University of Michigan. The class is not intended for students without the instructor's permission and native speakers who: 1) speak Japanese as first language 2) completed their high school education at an institution where the language of instruction is Japanese only.

Class Format:
Recitation

ASIANLAN 125: First year Japanese (50% GSI)

Lead up to three hours of recitation sections a week
Attend lecture twice each week
Implement teaching plans made in consultation with the primary instructor of the course
Grading students assignment, quizzes, lesson tests, etc.
Proctor exams and quizzes
Attend weekly meeting with a supervising faculty member
Hold at least one office hour in the South Thayer Building
Proctoring final examinations and grading the exams with lecturers
Class preparation: typing learning materials in Canvas, supporting course projects, helping to make audio files, etc.  

ASIANLAN 225: Second year Japanese (50% Grader)

Observing one (of the three) lecture classes on Tuesday and Thursday 
Grading of student assignment, quizzes, lesson tests, etc.
Maintaining Canvas site of ASIANLAN 225
Proctoring final examinations and grading the exams with lecturers
Class preparation: typing learning materials in Canvas, supporting course projects, helping to make audio files, making study aids, etc. 
Tutoring students who want to practice conversation

ASIANLAN 325: Second year Japanese (25% Grader)

Grading of student assignment, quizzes, lesson tests, etc.
Maintaining Canvas site of ASIANLAN 325
Proctoring final examinations and grading the exams with lecturers
Class preparation: typing learning materials in Canvas, supporting course projects, helping to make audio files, making study aids, etc. 
Tutoring students who want to practice conversation

ALL COURSES
Students who have not previously been a GSI for the College of LSA will be required to complete the online CRLT GSI Teaching Orientation.  Students who have not previously been a GSI for the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures will also be required to attend a departmental orientation.  Date will be announced.

Students whose undergraduate degree is from an institution where the language of instruction is not English must have already taken or be currently enrolled in the English Language Institute?s ELI 994. The student must have a passing score of 4 on the Oral English Test (OET).  

GSIs are expected to be on campus and available to work no later than Monday, August 25, 2025, the first day of classes. 
 

Japanese Native speaker, or if a GSI is a non-native speaker, s/he should be Japanese Proficiency Test N1 level holder with Advanced-high speaking proficiency (at least) based on the ACTFL standard 
Serious career interest in language teaching
Good at Computer operations including excel and word files 
Good penmanship to correct students writing performance
Contribute to a positive and supportive work environment through effective communication and a willingness to help others
 

Can speak standard Japanese with good pronunciation and intonation
Prioritize GSI work as well as own study
Participate in and help organize the program led co-curricular activities
 

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Contact alc-gradservices@umich.edu with any questions related to your application. 
 

All applications will be forwarded to the Director of the Japanese Language Program and the primary instructor of ASIAN 125/ ASIANLAN 225 /ASIANLAN 325. The Director will make hiring recommendations to the department. Once the recommendation is reviewed, an offer letter will be authorized. 
 

All applications will be forwarded to the Director of the Japanese Language Program and the primary instructor of ASIAN 125/ ASIANLAN 225 /ASIANLAN 325. The Director will make hiring recommendations to the department. Once the recommendation is reviewed, an offer letter will be authorized. 
 

The University will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, marital status, familial status, parental status or pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression (whether actual or perceived), sexual orientation, age, height, weight, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, HIV antibody status, political belief, membership in any social or political organization, participation in a grievance or complaint whether formal or informal, medical conditions including those related to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, arrest record, or any other factor where the item in question will not interfere with job performance and where the employee is otherwise qualified. The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and regulations which implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Information for the Office for Institutional Equity may be found at https://oie.umich.edu/ and for the University Ombuds at https://ombuds.umich.edu/

Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings for available positions. In the event that an employee does not receive their preferred assignment, they can request a written explanation or an in-person interview with the hiring agents(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.

This position, as posted, is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Graduate Employees' Organization, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO 3550.

Standard Practice Guide 601.38, Required Disclosure of Felony Charges and/or Felony Convictions applies to all Graduate Student Assistants (GSAs). SPG 601.38 may be accessed online at https://spg.umich.edu/policy/601.38 , and its relation to your employment can be found in MOU 10 of your employment contract.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.