Theresa Ahles is an experienced ESL instructor seeking a position at an international school with her husband. She has over 14 years of ESL teaching experience in the US, Japan, Micronesia, and China. She is skilled in curriculum development, differentiated instruction, technology integration, and assessment. Her career highlights include developing a successful sheltered immersion program that improved student grades by over 20% and designing seminars on best practices in teaching communicative English.

1. THERESA M. AHLES
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Maple Garden #9-2-901, Nanshiliju 28, Chaoyang Beijing, 100016 China
Tel: (8610) 8450.2039; Email: tmahles111@yahoo.com; Skype: tressahles
English as a Second Language Instructor
Experienced, results-oriented ESL professional with proven ability to formulate and implement
hands-on curriculum tailored to individual student needs. Certified Instructor with Masters Degree
in Applied Linguistics and over 14 years teaching experience in the United States, Japan,
Micronesia, and China. Taught ESL, Integrated/Sheltered English, Speech Communication and
Linguistics to students from 3rd grade through University. Skilled in utilizing an array of Learning
Strategies to promote comprehensible input and concept-based vocabulary development. Frequent
lecturer on CALLA based lesson planning, language acquisition and adult literacy. Designed and
taught professional development seminars on ESL and communicative teaching strategies. Seeking
ESL position at international school with husband, Peter Stelzer (Social Studies/ Humanities
Instructor).
Areas of Expertise
• Curriculum Development
• Differentiated Learning
• Technology Integration
• Team Teaching
• Communicative English
• Guided Reading
• Assessment Rubrics
• Scaffolded Instruction
• Phonics
• Running Record
Career Highlights
• Developed and oversaw successful Sheltered Immersion program to limited English proficient
students. The program implemented Learning Strategies to make grade-level curriculum
textbooks comprehensible to ESL students. Grades improved over 20% in program’s first year.
• Researched and edited language development rubrics for assessing ESL students. Rubrics
became the standardized assessment tool and were adopted school-wide.
• Designed and led numerous multi-day seminars for ESL professionals focusing on developing
best practices for teaching communicative English.
• Revised ESL teaching practices in small island community that demonstrated how to utilize
language acquisition theory within the classroom. Wrote “How-To” handbook listing benefits
and examples of multiple teaching strategies.
• Started the “Teacher Sharing Network”, a forum for faculty to exchange ideas on instructional
methodologies and to develop across-the-curriculum strategies for underperforming students.
• Participated in “Tech Team” program that dramatically increased student’s knowledge of

2. computer programming and resulted in class-designed web site.
THERESA M. AHLES Page 2 of 2
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Professional Experience
Instructor, 2007 - Present
Yew Chung International School of Beijing, China
“Sheltered English” instructor for Year 3 and 4 students, utilizing both in-class and pull-out
teaching models.
Instructor 2007
Japanese School of Beijing
Taught Communicative English to Primary and Middle School students. Responsible for 6 grades
of classes and the design of original instruction plans for each level.
Instructor 2003 – 2005
College of Micronesia, Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia
Taught a variety of courses including Intensive English, Speech Communications, and Linguistics.
Developed and/or updated syllabi and outlines for every course.
Teacher 2000 – 2003
Butler Middle School, Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.
Designed and implemented Sheltered English program for bilingual students. Taught language
arts, science and social studies. Facilitated after school tutoring program in all subjects.
Teacher 1998 – 2000
Dorchester High School, Dorchester, Massachusetts, USA
Taught English as a Second Language (Levels 1-3).
Education/ Certification/ Activities
Masters Degree, Applied Linguistics
University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA (1998)
Bachelor of Arts, Speech Communications
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (1989)
Massachusetts State ESL Teacher’s Certificate
Participated in JET program teaching English to middle and high school students, Shizuoka, Japan
(1991-1993).
Personal
• Born and raised in the United States (U.S. citizen)
• Married with 2 children: Milo (4 years) and Jessie (27 months)

3. • Proficient in Japanese and German. Currently studying Chinese