Strategies for Teaching Assistant and International Teaching Assistant Development

Catherine Ross is associate director of the Institute for Teaching and Learning and director of Teaching Assistant Programs at the University of Connecticut. Jane Dunphy is director of English Language Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“Understanding why American students behave the way they do is critical in order for interactions with students to be effective and meaningful. The book identifies several areas of educational differences among cultures, raising readers’ awareness and allowing them to avoid potential pitfalls of cross-cultural communication. …Strategies for Teaching Assistant and International Teaching Assistant Development includes several ideas for exercises in articulating personal advising philosophies, prompting advisors to respond to questions regarding what characteristics are necessary in a good advisor and what kind of person would win an “Advisor of the Year” award.With an open mind and a knack for modifying exercises, an imaginative advising mentor could easily use this book as a springboard for introducing new approaches to advisor development.”—NACADA Journal, Issue 30(1) (Spring 2010)

• About the Authors xiForeword xxiiiPreface xxvAcknowledgments xxviiPart I TA Development 1. Getting Started 3Acknowledging Teaching Fears: The Three-Minute Free Response 4Janet RankinAn Approach to Successful Collaborative Learning 6Nancy C. McClureBlended Learning: Focusing on Effective Teaching Through Online Discussions and Concept Mapping 8Gabriele BauerDiversity in the Classroom: Working Effectively with Undergraduate ESL Students 11Shawna ShapiroEngaging Students in Active Learning 16Shawna ShapiroIdentity and Authority in the Classroom: An Exercise for New TAs 21Mary C. WrightPlanning and Facilitating Discussion 24Phillip M. Edwards, Stacy Grooters, Margaret LawrenceProblems, Pitfalls, and Surprises in Teaching: Mini Cases 28Lori Breslow, J. Mark SchusterResponding to Student Writing 35Stacy Grooters, Jennie DormanStand and Deliver: Developing Impromptu Speaking Skills 39Jane DunphyA TA Orientation Plenary Session on University Policies and Resources for Teaching 44Derek BruffTeaching in Computer Classrooms 48Shaun K. Kane, Joe Hannah, Phillip M. Edwards, Jennie DormanTeaching in Lab Settings 52Jennie Dorman, Michelle Smith, Sara O’Brien, Karen Freisem2. Advanced Skills 57Classroom Management Skills: Expanding Your Repertoire 58Lee WarrenDetermining Appropriate Course Goals and Pacing: An Exercise for Advanced TAs 60Allyson Polsky McCabe, Lu ZhangDeveloping Effective Consulting Skills 62Michele Marincovich, Marcelo Clerici-Arias, Mariatte Denman, Robyn Wright DunbarInterdisciplinary Soapbox 68Jill Bible, Robyn Wright DunbarIntroduction to Online Teaching and Learning: Using Asynchronous Discussions Effectively 70Mary C. WrightReaction and Response: Group Problem Solving and Effective Feedback 74Jane DunphyTeaching Practice: Emphasis on Active Learning 76Tershia Pinder3. Professional Development 81ASPECTS: Advancing Students’ Professional Excellence with Certificates in Teaching Series 82Mark DeckerMock Search Committee: Introduction to the Teaching Philosophy 88Judith GibberTeaching Portfolio Overview: Peer and Whole Group Discussion 91Gabriele BauerPart II ITA Development4. Culture 97Cultural Adjustments 98Barbara GourlayDiversity Awareness for ITAs 101Doris Yaffe ShiffmanHigh-Context Versus Low-Context Culture: Case Studies 103Christine Liptak, Colleen Meyers, Kyoung-Ah Nam, Elena StetsenkoThe High School Visit 111Catherine RossInterviews: Surveying College Undergraduates Who Attended High School in the United States 113Margo Sampson, Vel Chesser, Stacey Lane Tice5. Pedagogy 117American Teaching Performance 118Pamela PollockMovie-Based Activities for the ITA Course 120Theresa L. PettitPedagogical Uses of Critical Incidents Videos for ITAs 126Stacey Lane Tice, Margo Sampson, Vel ChesserPractice Identifying and Teaching to a Variety of Learning Styles 128Anne HalbertPreparing the ITA for Office Hours 132Elizabeth Wittner6. Language 135Departmental Introduction Speech 136Kimberly KenyonDeveloping Oral Communication Skills 139Margaret LawrenceDiscovering and Teaching the Vocabulary of the Academic Communities 142Doris Yaffe ShiffmanEditorial Jigsaw 144Barbara GourlayFielding Questions: The IgNobel Prizes 146Barbara ThompsonThe Fine Art of Q&A 148Barbara GourlayThe Greek Alphabet: Speaking in Symbols 150Barbara Gourlay“International Teaching Assistant of the Year” Speech 153Kimberly KenyonMimicking American TA Discourse 156Janet GoodwinPracticing Communication Strategies 156Doris Yaffe ShiffmanPresentation Summaries—Take Two! 161Barbara ThompsonWorking with Authentic TA Discourse 163Janet GoodwinResources 167Index 173