[for a well-known East coast college that stresses both research & teaching]

Prof. Laura Likeable, Acting Chair

Dept. of French

East Coast College

124 Ivy Avenue

Someplace, NY 12121-1212 October 1, 2004

Dear Prof. Likeable,

Please accept my application for the position of Assistant Professor of Portuguese, listed in the October MLA Job Information List. At present I am teaching Portuguese full time at Religious College. I will defend my dissertation, “Brazil vs. Portugal in Women’s Literature,” at Michigan Technological University in May 2001. My research focuses on challenges offered by Brazilian and Portuguese women writers to the widespread seventeenth-century belief in women’s inability to play soccer. I situate these challenges within the tradition of the querelle des femmes and early modern debates on women’s athleticism, while also exploring links between the Enlightenment project and contemporary debates. The upper-level seminar on Brazilian and Portuguese women writers that I am currently teaching reflects my broad training in the history of Luso-Brazilian culture and literature.

I have a strong commitment to teaching as well as several years of experience teaching Portuguese. I take a student-centered, communicative approach to language instruction, a methodology informed by both my classroom experience and my background in Linguistics. I have taught Portuguese using a variety of instructional technologies, including interactive CD-ROMs, listservs, and the World Wide Web. I also have experience in webpage design. I would like to continue teaching in the context of a liberal arts institution, and would welcome the opportunity to join the French Department at East Coast College. The resources and programs available at East Coast for the study of Portuguese, including the Program in Rio and other study abroad opportunities, the Portuguese Club, and events such as the Brazilian Film Series, suggest that the department provides a rich environment for language learning.

Enclosed please find a copy of my curriculum vitae. Letters of recommendation are being sent under separate cover. My contact information is listed on my c.v.; from December 23-26 I may be reached at: (612) 828-8282. I plan to attend the MLA convention in Chicago, and would welcome the opportunity to speak with you there.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding my application. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Frank Lee Interested