Teaching Tips for International Graduate Student Teaching Assistants

  1. Be Prepared for class. Look up words for pronunciation. Know what you want to say and have a lesson plan set-out. You may not end up following it precisely but it will give you a guide and allow you to walk into the classroom with confidence. You can always practice any presentation you want to give beforehand too.
  2. Be up-front with your students from the first class. Tell them that you might have difficulty understanding each other and that if they do not understand something, you would be happy for them to ask you for clarification. Do not dwell on this point as it may undermine your authority, causing students to perceive you as unqualified. Remember that you have been hired for your abilities in the discipline.
  3. Speak slowly in class, repeat the things that you say when necessary and/or write questions, terms etc. on the board. You could also provide handouts or make overheads to provide clarity for students.
  4. Be willing to accept informal behaviour (eating and talking in class, addressing one another on a first-name basis), but realize that you do not have to accept disrespectful or rude behaviour from anyone.
  5. Watch TV, read the newspaper, talk with other graduate students in your programme and with your students in class about everyday affairs. This will allow you to practice your English informally, and allow you to learn and understand cultural practices, thoughts, ideas and humour.
  6. If possible sit in on another graduate student TA's class whom you respect to see how things work. Ask for advice on the grading scheme to be employed and the type and extent of comments you are generally expected to provide on student work.
  7. Allow students to discuss their ideas with you and to question your own. The teacher does not know everything and is not always right. Sometimes teachers learn from students and this can be rewarding for both teacher and student. Emphasis should be on students learning to think and work independently not on memorizing and repeating your thoughts and ideas.
  8. Students enjoy informal conversation with their instructors as it makes them feel the professor is interested in them and respects their thoughts and ideas. Arrive at your classroom 5 minutes early and be prepared to hang around for a few minutes after class too whenever possible to allow students to approach you with their questions. Many students find this time the best opportunity to ask questions as they feel less intimidated than they would coming to your office.
  9. If you get to know your students well, learning their names and getting to know them as individuals, you will be able to ask some students informally about how they think the class is going and how it might be improved.
  10. Share with your students your experiences in your home country when relevant opportunities present themselves. Students enjoy learning more about you and where you have come from and will also learn from your experiences that will be different from their own.
  11. Students may query grades. Listen to their questions and offer to re-read their work and/or to explain why they received the grade they did. You are not under any obligation to change the grade, but the student does have the right to ask for further explanation and clarification.
  12. Use all the resources available to you, including the professor for the course, the International Students Services, OIDT, classmates, other international students who have experience in Canadian classrooms, and your students.

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