TA Training
English-speaking students:
The teaching assistant workshop is required for graduate students who have been awarded or are pursuing a teaching assistantship.
The course (INST 7920, College Teaching Seminar) is a 3-week, 1-credit, online class that is graded pass/fail. No incompletes are allowed for this course. Students can register for it using Access.
The workshop will address:
- course preparation
- facilitating classroom discussions
- lecture effectiveness
- testing and grading
- active and problem-based learning
There is also a required, 2-hour classroom session that addresses FERPA, sexual harassment prevention policies, and how to accommodate students with disabilities. Students should expect to invest 40-45 hours of time to complete the training.
Passing the course does not guarantee a TA position. Departments are responsible for granting teaching assistantships and making sure these students are registered for this course. Any TA who is not registered will have their award rescinded. However, the workshop only needs to be completed once. Students may continue to work as TAs during future semesters once they have passed the class.
The School of Graduate Studies will pay the class fee and provide you with a copy of the textbook ("McKeachie's Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers," 12th edition). Textbooks cans be picked up in the School of Graduate Studies Office, Old Main 164. Additionally, the $30 class fee will appear on your billing statement, but it will be paid by the SGS.
Fall 2009 course information:
- The CRN is 50168
- The course instructor is Daren Olsen
- If you have problems registering, contact DD Leonard
Nonnative speakers
The teaching assistant workshop for international students is required for graduate students who have been awarded or are pursuing a teaching assistantship.
The workshop is a 1-credit course (IELI 7920). Registration for the course is handled by the instructor. The course will address:
- understanding American undergraduates
- classroom practices and environment
- microteaching practicum
- classroom language
- cross-cultural awareness
- classroom management
All applicants must demonstrate a high level of proficiency in spoken English. This will be measured by the SPEAK Test or the Test of Spoken English (TSE). Students must score at least a 200 on the first version of either of these tests. On the SPEAK II or TSE II, with a different scoring scale, the cut-off is 45. If you score below the cut-off, you should work with your department regarding alternative assistantships that do not involve teaching.
The workshop culminates in a videotaped presentation of the student that is evaluated based on overall comprehensibility and effectiveness in a teaching role. Passing the course does not guarantee a TA position. Departments are responsible for granting teaching assistantships and making sure these students are registered for this course.
The TA workshop for international students is only offered during the fall semester and is available in 2 formats: (it would be nice if the following formats could be divided into 2 columns)
Full-time option: 8 hours a day for 2 weeks
- Fall 2009: August 10-14 and 17-21, 8 hours a day
- Participants must make an appointment with the workshop director, Tom Schroeder, to take the SPEAK tests during the first week of August (3-7). E-mail him with the date and time you would like to take the test, along with your name, local e-mail, and phone number.
Part-time option: 8 weeks in the middle of the semester, 2 evenings a week, for approximately 3 hours
- Fall 2009: September 21-November 11, Monday and Wednesday from 4:30 p.m. -7:20 p.m. in Old Main 343
- The SPEAK test will be given during the first week of the workshop