Details for Summer 2013

  • 2013 Summer ITA Institute

    Institute: July 29 to August 9
    Final Panels: August 12 & 13

    Departments must apply for students to be admitted to the ITA Institute. Students may not apply on their own.

    For the application link and password, contact Hollie Swanson.

  • 2013 SPEAK Test Dates

    Dates will be posted here when the schedule is set.

    For more information on the SPEAK Test, call the PIESL office at 472-8832.

Introduction

In keeping with its commitment to excellence in undergraduate education, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has established a minimum level of English language proficiency for all international graduate students with instructional assignments. International graduate students for whom English is not their native language and who expect to receive instructional assignments must successfully complete the Institute for International Teaching Assistants.

The Institute, established in the summer of 1988, is a multi-purpose program designed to prepare international graduate students from various university departments to teach American undergraduates. This goal includes developing an understanding of the teaching role in American university classrooms, providing intensive training in English pronunciation and intonation, practicing classroom communication skills and instructional strategies, and assisting students during their first semester teaching with follow-up observations.

The Institute requires a genuine commitment to participate and to be successful. Students are expected to be on time and attend all sessions. Students whose attendance, participation, or performance during the Institute is below standard may be dropped from the program.

For more information on the ITA Institute, contact Dr. Laurie Bellows.


Nearly 70 students from 20 countries participated in the 2012 Summer Institute for International TAs.

Application to the ITA Institute

All international students who wish to become graduate teaching assistants and who are required to submit to Graduate Admissions evidence of English proficiency (for example, TOEFL or IELTS scores) must successfully complete the Institute and demonstrate before a panel of faculty and undergraduate students their ability to comprehend and convey the information needed to be an effective teacher.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the ITA Institute, applicants must:

  • Have international student status
  • Be admitted to UNL Graduate Studies
  • Score a 45 or higher on the SPEAK Test
  • Be recommended by their department chair/head, graduate chair, or TA supervisor

Application

ITA Institute applications can be completed and submitted online by a department representative.

Applications will not be accepted from students.

For information on submitting online applications, contact Elizabeth Edwards.

Waivers

Waivers from attending the Institute can be granted by the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. A student will be granted a waiver if he/she:

  1. receives a 60 on the SPEAK Test
    AND
  2. receives a recommendation based on a final panel presentation
    AND
  3. either
    • has successful teaching experience at a U.S. college or university
      OR
    • is enrolled in a college teaching-related, department sponsored course that is equivalent to the Institute
      OR
    • is a graduate of a U.S. university

Waivers may also be granted by the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for other reasons.

Requests for a waiver must be submitted in writing by the student's academic department chair or graduate chair to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Download the ITA Institute Waiver Form (PDF).

English Proficiency

Prospective graduate teaching assistants who do not speak English as a native language and who did not graduate from a U.S. college or university* must complete the Institute for International Teaching Assistants and be certified as ready to teach before they can be appointed as a graduate teaching assistant.

To be eligible for the Institute, students must score a 26 or higher on the speaking section of the iBT TOEFL or achieve a minimum score of 45 on the SPEAK Test.

  • International graduate students with a score of 26 or higher on the speaking section of the iBT TOEFL are not required to take the SPEAK Test and are eligible to enroll in the Institute for International Teaching Assistants.
  • International graduate students with a score of 25 or lower on the speaking section of the iBT TOEFL must take the SPEAK Test and receive a score of 45 or higher to be eligible to enroll in the Institute for International Teaching Assistants.

*Prospective graduate teaching assistants who do not speak English as a native language but who hold a degree from a U.S. college or university are eligible for a waiver from the Institute for International Teaching Assistants. To obtain a waiver from the Institute, a student must have an iBT TOEFL speaking score of 26 or above and either: a) be a graduate of a U.S. college or university; b) have successful teaching experience in a U.S. college or university (documented by former advisor, TA supervisor or department chair/head); OR c) is (or will be) enrolled in a college teaching-related, department sponsored course that is equivalent to the ITA Institute. Note: Students who have received a waiver must still complete a final panel and be certified as ready to teach.

The SPEAK Test

The SPEAK Test is a taped and timed test developed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and scored locally at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The SPEAK Test requires students to demonstrate their spoken English proficiency by responding orally to a variety of printed stimuli designed to elicit both controlled and spontaneous reactions. English proficiency is scored on the basis of comprehensibility, pronunciation, grammar, and fluency.

The SPEAK Test is offered approximately four times per year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for a moderate fee. The SPEAK Test is used to determine whether an individual is eligible to enroll in the Institute for International Teaching Assistants.

For more information on the SPEAK Test, call the PIESL office at 402-472-8832.

ITA Institute Completion and Follow-Up

Eligibility to Teach

To be considered for a teaching assignment by their departments, ITA candidates must be considered "ready to teach" by a panel consisting of a faculty member from the candidate's department, an ESL rater, a faculty person from an unrelated department, a faculty person with teaching expertise, and an undergraduate student. Candidates present a 10-minute lesson on a topic assigned by their departments. Candidates who demonstrate spoken English proficiency and the ability to present their topic in a clear and organized fashion are judged ready for a teaching assignment. Although Institute graduates are not guaranteed a student contact assignment, approximately 80 percent of the students who are recommended receive assignments during the following year.

ITA candidates who are judged not ready for a teaching assignment are encouraged to take further spoken language lessons or to get tutoring assistance through the university's Programs in English as a Second Language (PIESL) office.

Departments determine the type of assignment an ITA receives. Common assignments include grader, tutor, laboratory assistant, and recitation leader. In some cases, ITAs are given full responsibility for a class. Each department exercises its own judgment about content readiness and sets its own standards for performance in the classroom.

ITA Follow-Up

The Office of Graduate Studies provides detailed follow-up for all Institute participants who receive classroom-teaching assignments at the conclusion of the Institute (summer and fall).

Follow-up activities include classroom observation, diagnostic and developmental consultation, and student surveys.

Departments may contact the Office of Graduate Studies to schedule follow-up consultation visits and one-on-one consulting with new TAs.

ITA Institute: Frequently Asked Questions

Is the ITA Institute mandatory?
How is an ITA’s eligibility for the Institute determined?
What if an ITA does not meet the required score on the SPEAK Test?
How often is the ITA Institute offered?
How are the panel recommendations made?
What if an ITA is not recommended by the final panel?
When does a waiver apply?
Does an ITA who is granted a waiver still have to make a final panel presentation?
What developmental support is available to new ITAs in their classroom assignments?
Who determines an ITA's eligibility for employment?
Who staffs the ITA Institute?
Who sponsors the ITA Institute?
What is the ITA Advisory Committee?


Is the ITA Institute mandatory?
Yes. International graduate students, for whom English is not their native language, must successfully complete the ITA Institute and demonstrate before a panel of faculty and undergraduate students their ability to comprehend and convey the information necessary for them to be an effective teacher at UNL.

How is an ITA's eligibility for the Institute determined?
The SPEAK test score is used to determine whether or not an individual is eligible to enroll in the Institute for International Teaching Assistants. Eligibility for the Institute is determined by a score of 45 or higher on the SPEAK (Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit) test and a department recommendation.

What if an ITA does not meet the required score on the SPEAK Test?
Students who don't score a 45 or higher on the SPEAK Test must seek further language training and wait at least six months before they retake the exam.

How often is the ITA Institute offered?
The summer Institute is offered during the last week of July and the first two weeks of August.

How are the panel recommendations made?
To be considered for a teaching assignment by his/her department, an ITA candidate must be rated “ready to teach” by a panel consisting of three faculty members (one from the candidate’s department), an ESL rater, and an undergraduate student. Candidates who demonstrate spoken English proficiency and the ability to present a ten-minute “lesson” in a clear and organized fashion are judged ready for teaching assignment. A general rating system is used to determine whether the student is “ready” or “not ready.”

What if an ITA is not recommended by the final panel?
If a student is not recommended as “ready to teach” by the final panel, a department may file an appeal with the ITA coordinator and request an opportunity for the student to make a second panel presentation. However, if the department chooses not to file an appeal, the student must either seek further language training or get help with his or her teaching skills. The department should contact the ITA coordinator for more information.

When does a waiver apply?
Waivers (PDF) from attending the Institute can be granted by the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs if a student receives a 60 on the SPEAK Test and (a) has successful teaching experience at a U.S. college or university; (b) is enrolled in a college teaching-related, department-sponsored course that is equivalent to the Institute; OR (c) is a graduate of a U.S. high school and a U.S. university. A request for a waiver must be submitted in writing by the student’s academic department chair or graduate chair to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Does an ITA who is granted a waiver still have to make a final panel presentation?
Yes. The department should contact the ITA coordinator to make arrangements. Final panels are typically scheduled the second week of August.

What developmental support is available to new ITAs in their classroom assignments?
At the request of the department, an instructional consultant follows-up with new ITAs approximately five weeks after the semester begins. Classroom observations are conducted and student surveys used to provide the new ITA feedback on his or her language, teaching, and intercultural skills. One-on-one consultation focuses on the ITAs strengths and areas for improvement, identifying areas needed attention, and when appropriate, alternative teaching strategies.

Who determines an ITA's eligibility for employment?
Eligibility for employment as a teaching assistant is determined by Graduate Studies and the employing department after the international graduate student: (a) scores a 45 or higher on the SPEAK Test; (b) completes the ITA Institute or processes a Waiver; and (c) is recommended by a review panel of faculty and undergraduate students.

Who staffs the ITA Institute?
The ITA program, which generally enrolls 35-60 participants, is staffed by two full-time teaching skills instructors and two ESL instructors. Student assistants, one graduate and one undergraduate, help facilitate microteaching sessions and give feedback. Additional undergraduate students are recruited to serve as “classroom consultants” who give feedback to the ITA candidates.

Who sponsors the ITA Institute?
The summer ITA Institute is funded and administered by the Office of Graduate Studies.

What is the ITA Advisory Committee?
An advisory group established in 1991 oversees the policies and programs for international graduate students who wish to qualify for teaching assignments at UNL. This group includes representatives from Graduate Studies, Programs in English as a Second Language (PIESL), the departments of Chemistry, Computer Science and Engineering, and Mathematics and Statistics. Since 1995, the ITA Advisory Committee has revised the Institute waiver policy, restructured final evaluation panels, and set new scoring standards for the SPEAK Test.