Adjunct Specialist, Critical Thinking and Writing - Abu Dhabi - New York University

Description

Program Overview

The NYU Abu Dhabi Summer Academy is an 18-month university preparation program designed to enhance the academic profiles of highly motivated Emirati high school students. The program features intensive instruction in Leadership and Public Speaking, Critical Thinking and Writing, Mathematical Reasoning for the Sciences, College Readiness and Success, and IELTS Preparation over the course of two summers and an intervening academic year. 

Following a competitive admissions process, up to 90 program participants are selected each year as recipients of the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholarships for Outstanding High School Students, which enables them to attend the Summer Academy.

Students are exposed to a rich cultural and rigorous academic program which enhances their ability to gain admission to and perform well at top-tier English-language universities. The program begins during the summer following the 10th year of high school and continues for the following 18 months, with two intensive summer sessions of study in Abu Dhabi at the NYUAD Campus. In addition, students participate in online study and academic refresher weekends during the following academic year.

Program Goals

University Preparation
Students gain the academic, cultural, and social skills necessary for success at top-tier universities. Summer Academy graduates have attended Yale, NYU New York, NYU Abu Dhabi, Princeton, United Arab Emirates University, The London School of Economics, George Washington University, King's College London, The University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, and many others.

Academic Preparation
We introduce students to accelerated study of mathematics, critical thinking and writing, the humanities and to the value of a liberal arts education. 

Cultural Awareness
Students develop their understanding of the social and cultural norms of universities and build useful intercultural competencies for success in university.

Test Preparation
We prepare students to excel on the standardized tests necessary for university entry.

Leadership and Public Speaking Skills
With Leadership and Public Speaking as a required course in the Summer Academy, our program spurs confidence, personal growth, maturity, leadership skills.

Social Networking
We bring together top students from across the UAE who form a supportive and challenging social network among themselves and with Summer Academy alumni who have gone on to university study, graduate school, professions, and leadership careers.

Job Summary

The Specialist will be responsible for overseeing all academic aspects of the Critical Thinking and Writing (CTW) course, including lesson planning, instruction, grading, providing feedback, and holding office hours for two sections of Summer Academy students: those in their first summer (Summer I) and second summer (Summer II) of the program. The course will involve approximately 38 contact hours, with exact hours determined during the hiring process.

In addition to academic duties, the Specialist will support program-related activities throughout the appointment, including weekends. The Specialist is expected to actively contribute to enriching the educational experience of the students and to play a key role in helping the program achieve its goals.

Length of Appointment

• Approximately two mandatory meetings before the summer session starts for orientation activities 
•  Summer Session duration: Five weeks from approximately July 6 to August 7, 2026

Principal Responsibilities
The job's activities in terms that enable someone who knows nothing about the job to understand what is done in each activity.

• Teach the CTW course to two sections - the Classes of 2026 (Summer II) and 2027 (Summer I) in Abu Dhabi
• Work within the existing CTW curriculum, which is focused on the development of reading and writing skills that form the foundation of a liberal arts education. Areas of study include: develop critical thinking and persuasive writing skills, analysis and evaluation of arguments, identification of logical fallacies, development of rhetorical analysis, development of drafting evidence-based claims and the application of texts to the world around us
• Attend any pre-program meetings and/or training sessions
• Work closely with the other CTW Specialists to ensure that both cohorts and all sections receive the same material delivered with a similar high-quality approach
• Supervise and coordinate instruction with teaching assistants(s)
• Be available to individual students and groups in need of assistance, as well as to other specialists undertaking cross-curricular or collaborative projects
• Provide students with ongoing and regular feedback (oral and written) during the course 
• Participate in faculty meetings by providing detailed feedback on student progress 
•  Before the end of the summer session, submit extensive and detailed written feedback on each student to be incorporated into a recommendation letter from the program 
• Attend and provide assistance as needed with co-curricular events and evening activities throughout the summer session, which will entail leading small groups of students on excursions and trips, or supporting the operations of the program as needed
• Attend and provide assistance as needed with co-curricular events and activities throughout the summer session, which will entail leading small groups of students on excursions and trips, or supporting the operations of the program as needed
• Oversee and support students during assigned day trips, extracurricular evening activities, and events, ensuring a safe and engaging environment that promotes learning and development.

About NYU Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. Times Higher Education ranks NYU among the top 30 universities in the world, making NYU Abu Dhabi the highest-ranked university in the UAE and MENA region. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity's shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi's high-achieving students have come from over 120 countries and speak over 100 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.

NYUAD is committed to upholding a culture of non-discrimination, anti-harassment, dignity, and mutual respect; providing equal access and opportunity; and fostering academic excellence in learning, research, and teaching.

Students are drawn from among the world's best. They are bright, intellectually passionate, and committed to building a campus environment anchored in mutual respect, understanding, and care. The NYUAD undergraduate student body has garnered an impressive record of scholarships, graduate-school admissions, and other global honors. Graduate education is an area of growth for the University; the current graduate student population of over 100 students is expected to expand in the next decade as doctoral programs are developed.

Qualifications must support the essential functions and serve as the primary criteria for selecting candidates.

Required Education, Certifications, Licensing, or Training

• Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in English or a related subject
• Availability to teach in Abu Dhabi during the dates listed above
• Ability to provide some online instruction during the dates listed above, if necessary

Preferred Education, Certifications, Licensing, or Training

• Advanced degree in English or related subject
• High-school or college-level experience teaching in English

Required Work and Related Experience

• Demonstrated interest in cross-cultural education and enthusiasm for teaching
• Experience supervising high school students in a co-curricular setting (i.e. school or after school program)
• Availability to assist with the planning of the program prior to the start of classes

Preferred Work and Related Experience

• Work or internship experience teaching English as an additional language
• Familiarity with online and face-to-face instruction