As legislated in 1988, the ITA/TF Training Program is designed to train, assist, and evaluate current and prospective international teaching assistants, teaching fellows, and research assistants to ensure that all courses at UNT are clearly taught in English. The program is a service to the university, to departments on campus, and to international graduate students.

"When I arrived from Beijing in fall of 2001, I was offered a teaching assistantship contingent upon completing the ITA Training Program. Through the presentation and pronunciation workshops and the Lecture Series on Teaching Effectiveness, I've really improved my speaking and teaching skills. One-on-one teacher feedback and professional software for pronunciation helped me overcome my weakness. I can understand the undergraduates much better, and vice-versa." - Guanmin Wu.

Procedure

At the beginning of each semester, all new ITAs/TFs/RAs are tested for oral language proficiency by department representatives and the ITA Coordinator. Some ITAs with excellent oral language skills are exempted from attending the ITA Training Program. Others are required to attend a lecture class and a workshop for either presentation skills or basic pronunciation and discussion. All ITAs participating in the ITA Training program are also given access to the Intensive English Language Lab where they use various software programs designed to improve their language skills. ITAs with weak verbal skills are often assigned to research or grading positions in their department and are not required to take the ITA Training Program unless the department requests it. Students who are not required to take the training program may choose to participate if they so desire. Students participating in the ITA Training Program are evaluated again at the end of the semester by department representatives and the ITA Coordinator to determine future teaching assignments.

Topics in the Lecture Series

1. Non-verbal Communication
2. Characteristics of a Good Lecture/Good Teacher
3. Learning Strategies/Lesson Planning
4. Perceptions, Roles and Problems for ITAs
5. The Informal Language Barrier
6. Understanding Questions
7. Effective Questions and Instructions
8. Establishing Rapport in the Classroom
9. Role Play of Problem Situations

Contact Information

Please contact the ITA Program Coordinator for more information.

Michael Lioy
ISB Building, Room 230, Pod "H"
307 Avenue B
Denton, Texas 76203-0739
Work (940) 369-7269
Fax (940) 565-4822
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