Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
EDUCATION
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
University of Saskatchewan
Responsible for co-designing and -teaching a multi-skill course intended to help international
graduate students achieve success in a Canadian academia
Oversaw planning, teaching and assessment activities to ensure the cohesion of the
course
Developed needs assessment to identify the language needs of individual members of the
class and of the class as a whole and adapt the curriculum accordingly
Co-designed classroom activities to facilitate international graduate students integration
into a Canadian academia
Provided opportunities for practicing critical reading skills to help students identify
relevant questions and articulate sophisticated arguments in their future academic work
Engaged students in multi-drafting activities and provided feedback on academic writing
that assisted students in improving organization, cohesion, coherence, vocabulary, and
mechanics
Applied a variety of techniques to help students improve their verbal and non-verbal
communication skills as well as confidence to deliver efficient presentations in academic
non-academic settings
SOFIA AVAKIMYAN 2
Responsible for designing and teaching integrated skills classes to adult Canadian immigrants
Designed courses based on functional curriculum that enabled students to increase their
knowledge of written and oral discourse specific for various situations and events
Applied a wide variety of activities aimed at developing students knowledge of
sociolinguistic norms
Engaged students in learning activities designed to strengthen ties to work and/or career
development
Incorporated authentic materials to develop students communicative competence
Responsible for designing and teaching ten-week core Oral Communication and Reading and
Writing courses as well as electives, including TOEFL iBT Preparation, Grammar in Context, and
Intercultural Communication to diverse levels of ESL and EAPP students
Developed needs assessment and classroom activities focusing on preparing students for
graduate school
Designed a course to help students improve their verbal and non-verbal communication
skills as well as confidence to deliver efficient presentations in academic settings
Applied a variety of techniques to aid students in developing reading strategies and skills
essential for becoming a faster and critical reader
Introduced various strategies for enriching students academic vocabulary and created
opportunities for using the target vocabulary in writing and speaking
Provided feedback on academic writing that assisted students in improving organization,
cohesion, coherence, vocabulary, and mechanics
SOFIA AVAKIMYAN 3
Responsible for creating tailored instruction for a Chinese speaker to develop academic writing
skills in preparation for graduate work
Conducted needs assessment to determine the requirements and content of the students
program
Assisted the student in improving formal fluency and organizational skills
Applied coaching approach to feedback to increase the students autonomy
Responsible for designing and teaching an eight-week intensive TOEFL iBT preparation course to
mixed-level adult learners
Created inductive tasks based on authentic materials to develop students TOEFL iBT
reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills
Employed a combination of electronic and print test-preparation materials to improve
students note-taking, skimming, scanning, synthesizing, and summarizing skills
Incorporated language games aimed at developing oral skills and broadening students
vocabulary as well as creating an enjoyable learning environment
Responsible for teaching various practical English courses including grammar practice, a mixed-
skills content-based course, and analytical reading to undergraduate students
Conducted a number of interviews with a language learner, and explored his language learning
process, with special focus on social and cultural factors
Learned to conduct a qualitative study
The following conclusions were drawn: a) Learners intrinsic motivation that comes from
within needs to be supported by the social learning environment; b) Formal language
instruction is more likely to be effective if it provides students with meaningful
interaction; and c) language teachers need to be aware of their students identities
which can provide better understanding of underlying factors of the language learners
successes and failures
PUBLICATIONS
PRESENTATIONS
Engaging Students in the Writing Process through Google Wave (Demonstration). The 41st Annual
State Conference Teaching and Learning English in a Global Community, California Teaching
English to Speakers of Other Languages (CATESOL), Santa Clara, California. April 2225, 2010.
Numerals in the Language of New Technology and Computer Mediated Communication. The XIV
International Conference of Students, Postgraduate Students and Young Scientists Lomonosov-
2007, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia. April 1114, 2007.
Numerals and Modern Means of Communication. The XII International Conference of National
SOFIA AVAKIMYAN 6
Association Teachers of English (NATE): Bridging Cultures and People through English,
Novosibirsk, Russia. June 2630, 2006.
Some Functional Aspects of Numerals in Present-Day English. The VIII Student Scientific
Conference of Nizhnevartovsk State University of Humanities, Russia, 64-65. The 8th Student
Scientific Conference of the Nizhnevartovsk State Humanities University, Nizhnevartovsk, Russia.
April 130, 2006.
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Languages:
Russian and English bilingual
French Intermediate reading and writing skills, beginning speaking and listening skills
Technology:
General knowledge of computer software and its integration in language teaching: Audacity,
Blogger, Engrade, Google Drive, Hot Potatoes, Moodle, Movie Maker/iMovie, MPEG
Streamclip, Pixton, Vimeo, Voicethread, Wiki
Proficiency Guidelines:
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines
Canadian Language Benchmarks
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Saskatchewan 20102012
Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) 20092011
National Association of Teachers of English (NATE), Russia 20062010