Russian ESL Instructor, Curriculum & Assessment

CONTACT

856-***-****

*************@*****.***

EDUCATION

MASTER OF ARTS • 2007

LINGUISTICS

English and English Literature

Dnipro National University

CERTIFICATES

• DLI Diagnostic Assessment and

Differentiated Instruction• 2018

• HarvardXHKS101A US Government:

- Congress, Presidency, Courts,

and Bureaucracy

- Social, Economic, and Foreign

Policies • 2024

- Citizen Politics in America: Public

Opinion, Elections, Interest Groups, and the

Media • 2025

KEY SKILLS

• ESL instruction

• Native proficiency in

Russian, Ukrainian languages

• Mastery in foreign language teaching

methodology

• Instructional design and curriculum

development

• Experience teaching and rating

proficiency according to ILR scale

• Mentoring & Faculty development

• Awards: Provost’s Team Excellence

(2017), Dean’s Excellence (2018),

Commandant’s Coin of Excellence

(2018, 2021, 2022, 2023).

• FY25 Presidio of Monterey nominee

for the MG Mary E. Clarke

Instructor of the Year

PROFILE

• Trilingual linguist and research-oriented educator

• 10+ years supporting U.S. military and intelligence community audiences

• Experienced in curriculum development, assessment, and analytical work

• Skilled in tailoring complex material for specialized operational needs EXPERIENCE

FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTOR (RUSSIAN) • JULY 2025 – PRESENT ICA Language Services • Arlington, VA

Directing intensive Russian language instruction for Foreign Area Officers, diplomats and cryptologic linguists preparing for overseas embassy assignments, managing all facets of curriculum development, testing standards, and outcome evaluation.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR • JUNE 2016 – MAY 2025

Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center • Monterey, CA

• Served as a full-time Foreign Language Instructor at the Undergraduate Russian School, specializing in delivering comprehensive language instruction.

• Provided a minimum of 20 hours per week of in-person, culture-based language instruction to U.S. military personnel, ensuring alignment with their specific language acquisition needs.

• Conducted biweekly academic advising sessions, offering diagnostic assessments and personalized guidance on study strategies to help adult students with ambitious career goals achieve academic success.

• Supervised a Universal Curriculum and Assessment Tool (UCAT) across Russian Undergraduate School, developed 50+ interactive learning materials and trained instructors to use the tool for course module design.

FACULTY MENTOR • APRIL 2021 – MAY 2025

• Observed, evaluated, and provided constructive feedback on teaching practices to enhance instructional effectiveness and student engagement.

• Collaborated with faculty to refine and improve teaching methodologies, ensuring alignment with best practices and institutional goals.

CURRICULUM DEVELOPER • NOV 2019 – APRIL 2021

• Developed over 600 textbook pages, 100 homework assignments, and 35 review materials to build a comprehensive, mission-critical Semester 3 curriculum for the DLI Russian Basic Course, tailored for advanced proficiency goals.

OPERATIONS MANAGER • NOV 2013 – MAY 2016

Synergy • Philadelphia, PA

Supervised a team of 20+ service technicians, sales agents, and administrative personnel. Coordinated over 200 City of Philadelphia Energy projects. Built teams with direct responsibility hiring and mentoring employees.

KATERYNA OPANASENKO

Professional linguist • Master educator • ESL Instructor • Faculty mentor • Curriculum developer • Interpreter/translator

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