New Modern Language Faculty — Emily Levine, PhD

Emily was drawn to The Northwest School by its commitment to respect, inclusivity, and social responsibility, which she witnessed in action during her interview process. She is excited to join the Modern Languages faculty, seeing her role in teaching ELL as a way to "pay forward" the excellent second-language training she received in high school.

Emily holds a PhD in Japanese Language and Literature from Washington University in St. Louis (2023), an MA in Japanese Language and Literature from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (2015), and a BA in Linguistics from Boston University (2009). During her time at Washington University, she was awarded a full scholarship as a Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Fellow for Women in Graduate Study and conducted archival research in Tokyo through a Japan Foundation Japanese Studies Doctoral Fellowship Award.

In addition to her university-level teaching experience in Japanese language, literature, and culture, Emily has taught English to Japanese high school students through the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme and to international graduate students at Washington University as a TESOL Fellow in the university’s English Language Program.

In her teaching practice, Emily focuses on forging meaningful connections—both personal, with her students, and academic, between the topics and ideas she teaches—while encouraging her students to do the same. Having lived and worked extensively in a second language, Emily understands the challenges of mastering a new language and recognizes that students' skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) can develop at different times and in various ways. She strives to create a classroom environment where these challenges are met cooperatively and where each student's abilities are respected and supported.

Emily is eager to join The Northwest School community this year and looks forward to contributing to its vibrant culture.