This paper investigates spoken directive language use in office hour consultation contexts by international teaching assistants (ITAs) in training, individually and in comparison with practicing academic professionals. The purpose is to inform instruction in advanced spoken English for academic purposes, to contribute to intercultural pragmatics…

A topic of continued discussion has been whether international teaching assistant (ITA) education is best done within academic departments, or within university-wide programs organized by English as a Second Language (ESL) specialists. This report describes a pilot ITA practicum which may potentially combine the best of both approaches: Academic…

In the context of classroom communication, there is a premium on the clarity of the message, and instructors will typically employ multiple linguistic cues to highlight information structure. Using a model of intonation in discourse [Brazil, D. (1986). "The communicative value of intonation in English." Birmingham, England: University of…

In addition to acquiring communicative competence, teaching assistants who speak English as a second language must learn human relations skills, and how to teach content through appropriate teaching methods and skills that will help them bridge the cultural and language differences they experience in U.S. institutions of higher education. (CB)

Reviews literature dealing with International Teaching Assistants and provides a rationale for teaching them pronunciation using cognitive-based field-specific methods. An account of the application of such a teaching method to instruct Chinese and Korean chemistry teaching assistants at a North American University is also given. (55 references)…

Analysis of 38 international teaching assistants' (ITA) performance on general-topic and field-specific SPEAK tests (tests of spoken English proficiency) indicated that, although ITAs as a group did not differ significantly in performance across the two tests, pass or fail recommendations for eight subjects would depend on which test was used. (27…

Analyzes the use of directives by a nonnative English-speaking demonstrator in a university electrical engineering laboratory. Findings show that the demonstrator placed heavy reliance on one directive form ("you" plus verb), which native speakers would more likely express as imperatives. Applications include materials development in…

The design and implementation of successful international teaching assistant (ITA) training curricula require careful simultaneous attention to intertwining theoretical and practical questions encompassing abilities of successful ITAs, correlates of successful teaching, acquisition of discourse skills, and program marketing and operational issues.…

Columbia University has developed a variety of classroom materials for training international teaching assistants (ITA) in practical, readily transferable teaching skills. Training courses are designed to help ITAs develop a professional self-image in their field of expertise and foster a deeper understanding of their role in the American…

Describes the University of Delaware's drama-based approach to enhancing the intelligibility of international teaching assistants (ITA). This training addresses the segmental and suprasegmental features of ITA pronunciation within the context of cultural, pedagogical, and linguistic factors unique to the university classroom environment, and…

Describes the results of using field-specific written materials in a language laboratory setting to teach oral skills in a support course for international teaching assistants for the purpose of promoting automaticity in oral production and raising the intelligibility of students through the improvement of fluency and pronunciation. (25…

The advanced phase of the University of Florida's international teaching assistants training program extends the linguistic and pedagogical training of these assistants by concentrating on one-on-one and small group interactions with native speakers. Detailed analysis of videotaped interactions help in the development of strategies for the…

Explores the problems of international teaching assistants (ITA) in graduate education programs, stemming mostly from cultural, language, and educational philosophy differences. A case study of one university's attempts to investigate problems connected with ITA training identifies objectives for selection, admission, training, and retention of…

Describes a technique for videotaping classroom performances of native and international teaching assistants (ITA) to teach ITAs about specific, definable English language skills, U.S. academic culture and pedagogical performance, and to help them develop communications strategies for coping with largely undefinable future communicative needs.…