Conditions of appointment for TAs who are not U.S. citizens

As stated in Section 3 of Executive Order 28, appropriate training and close supervision of newly appointed TAs is expected. Because of the specialized training needed by TAs whose native language is not English, or whose previous experience as a student or teacher has been primarily in a different educational system, the Graduate School places three conditions on the appointment of TAs who are not U.S. citizens¹.

Teaching duties² may be assigned to non-U.S. citizens, provided that they (1) meet English language proficiency requirements, (2) meet spoken English proficiency requirements, and (3) participate fully in the International Teaching Assistant Program at the Center for Instructional Development and Research (CIDR).

1.       English Language Proficiency Requirement:
  (also see: Graduate School Memorandum 8)

(a)    International graduate students and permanent residents may be appointed as TAs without additional English language proficiency testing if they achieve a minimum score of:

–         580 TOEFL

–         or 237 TOEFLC

–         or 70 TOEFLiBT total of listening, writing, and reading (speaking section is not included)

–         or 90 MLT

–         or 7.0 IELTS

(b)    International graduate students and permanent residents admitted with scores as indicated below must take the University of Washington Academic English Program  (AEP) Diagnostic Examination to determine what additional English language courses will be required upon matriculation.

      500-579 (TOEFL)        173-236 (TOEFLC)            45-69 (TOEFLiBT)

80-89 (MLT)                6.0-6.9 (IELTS)

International graduate students and permanent residents who are admitted with these scores must pass all required English language courses or another approved examination before being assigned teaching duties.

2.       Spoken English Proficiency Requirement

In addition, international graduate students and permanent residents cannot be assigned teaching duties (including those whose duties include instruction of their native language conducted in their native language) unless they meet the spoken English requirement in one of the three ways listed below:

(a)    have achieved a score of at least:

–         230 on the SPEAK administered by the University of Washington

–         or 26 on the speaking portion of TOEFLiBT

–         or 55 on the TSE.

(b)   If student receive scores of 200-220 on the SPEAK or 23-25 on the speaking portion of the TOEFLiBT, departments may contact the Graduate School to request an appeal interview.  Students who pass the appeal interview may then be appointed as TAs.

(c)    TAs who fail to meet the spoken language requirement in (a) or (b) must pass English 102 (an ESL course for international teaching assistants).

While they are completing English language requirements, TAs may be assigned to non-teaching duties that do not include direct interaction with students. Such duties would include, but not be limited to, marking homework, grading, setting up labs, preparing instructional materials, running equipment in the classroom, etc., if no interaction with students is involved.

3.       Participation in the CIDR ITA Program

(a) Participation: All international graduate students and permanent residents in their first two quarters of teaching, regardless of prior degrees or assigned duties, are required to participate fully in the International Teaching Assistant (ITA) Program at CIDR. The ITA Program consists of the ITA sections at the TA Conference and ongoing individual consultations throughout the TA's first two quarters of teaching.

(b) Documentation: In order to facilitate coordination of TA training and support activities between CIDR and individual TAs' departments, CIDR will produce an End-of-Quarter Teaching Report for each TA summarizing his or her work with CIDR that quarter. These reports will be given first to the international TA, who will be given a chance to respond. Copies are then provided to departments and to the Graduate School, and departments also may submit their additional comments on these documents to the Dean of the Graduate School each quarter.

(c) Early Follow-up: In cases in which observations by a CIDR consultant or feedback from students indicate that a TA requires immediate assistance in order to perform his or her teaching duties effectively, CIDR will inform the appropriate departmental representative as soon as possible during the quarter, and will work with the TA and the department in responding to the situation.

Footnotes: 

1.       International graduate students who are citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom are not required to meet the English language proficiency requirement or the spoken English language requirement before being appointed as TAs.

2.       Teaching Duties are defined as interactions with students over instructional issues.  Examples of teaching include:  

n       holding office hours

n       reviewing test or paper scores/evaluations with students

n       answering questions in special centers such as those focused on assistance with writing, math, chemistry, etc.

n       tutoring

n       conducting labs

n       leading discussions

n       assisting students to solve problem sets

n       commenting on studio work

n       lecturing