Adjunct Specialist, Critical Thinking and Writing

Program OverviewThe 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 & 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. Students also participate in online study and academic refresher weekends during the following academic year.Program GoalsUniversity 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, Kings College London, The University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, and many others.Academic Preparation We introduce students to accelerated study of mathematics, critical thinking, and writing in 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, and 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 SummaryThe 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 AppointmentApproximately 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 ResponsibilitiesThe job’s activities, presented 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 focused on the development of reading and writing skills that form the foundation of a liberal arts education. Areas of study include: developing 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.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‑curri