Your department or program has informed us of your appointment as a new (first time) Teaching assistant (TA) at New York University for the coming academic year 2007-2008. Congratulations.
I am writing to inform you that, on Thursday, August 30, 2007, and Friday, August 31, 2007, there will be important evaluation and orientation meetings for all newly-appointed international doctoral students whose mother tongue is not English. Your spoken English fluency will be evaluated and you will be introduced to the cultural and expected norms of the United States university classroom. These meetings will also identify resources available to you as you navigate your first semester in a United States university context. These resources will be further described during the orientation meetings.
Language Support:
International graduate students who teach should be proficient English speakers. All incoming international TAs (ITAs) whose native language is not English will have their English evaluated by the American Language Institute (ALI) at 9:00am on Thursday, August 30, 2007. For those who do not attain an English proficiency level of EPL 6, the minimum required for incoming international students, ALI will provide English classes. These classes meet two or four nights a week and give intensive practice in the specific pronunciation and language skills necessary for successful interaction in academic and teaching contexts.
Teaching support
We recognize that teaching practices in different countries are often very different from those in a United States context. International TAs will take the Test of Academic Communicative Proficiency to measure how successfully they can function in a US undergraduate context. In this test ITAs are given a topic in their field to present on videotape as if to either a basic undergraduate course in their department, or else to an undergraduate in an office hour. ITAs are offered individual feedback on their performance, supplemented by feedback on their performance in actual teaching contexts.
The International Graduate Student Scholars Program
International TAs meet one-on-one with an experienced American student teaching partner who provides feedback on developing communicative and pragmatic competence in pedagogic or interpersonal contexts.
All orientation sessions meet at the American Language Institute, 48 Cooper Square, 2nd floor. You should plan to arrive for the language evaluation by 8:45am on Thursday, August 30, 2007 with your NYU photo ID. Please count on being at ALI from 9:00am to 5:00pm on both days for this orientation. For directions and maps, visit http://www.nyu.edu/about/campusinfo.html
Note that the evaluation and orientation program for International Graduate Students who Teach is a required component of your new TA appointment. You will receive compensation of $100 per day for required pre-semester training. Attendance will be taken and details about the disbursement of your compensation will be provided.
Questions? Contact Neil Williams, Coordinator of ITA Training, American Language Institute, 48 Cooper Square, New York NY10003; Telephone: 212-998-7058; Fax: 212-995-4135; E-mail: neil.williams@nyu.edu
