Graduate International Teaching Assistants
All new ITAs at URI need to schedule a testing appointment the week before or during the first week of classes in order to take the test for oral proficiency in English. For details regarding the test and the requirements for ITA certification, please see the English Proficiency Policy.
ITAs are encouraged to enroll in ELS 512 or ELS 612 in order to strengthen their skills in pronunciation, listening, speaking, teaching, and cross-cultural communication.
ITA Certification and English Proficiency Policy*
In order to meet the requirements of the Board of Governors’ mandate for certification of oral proficiency in the English language, International Teaching Assistants need to be certified through the ELS Program. As stated in the Mission Statement, the University of Rhode Island is committed to effective learning that encourages close student-faculty interaction. The University attracts talented undergraduates, graduate students and faculty from diverse backgrounds and from around the world. To ensure effective collaboration in this diverse intellectual community, the University requires that all graduate teaching assistants have the necessary English proficiency to communicate effectively in their instructional duties.
Each graduate teaching assistant is responsible for certifying that he or she has the necessary English proficiency required for the teaching assignment. This certification of English proficiency becomes part of the student’s record. The certification requirement can be met in several ways:
- Demonstrate completion of three or more years of undergraduate study at a university in an English-speaking country (e.g. U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Belize). Transcripts must be on file at the Graduate School.
- Submit an Overall score of 65 or higher on the PhonePass SET-10 for English test, or submit a score of 50 or higher on the SPEAK test or TSE (Test of Spoken English).
- Submit an Overall score of 55-64 on the PhonePass SET-10 for English test or a score of 45 on the SPEAK test and demonstrate teaching effectiveness, either through a departmental teaching evaluation or through a teaching assessment administered by the English Language Studies Program.
International Teaching Assistants who do not meet the above requirement must enroll in ITA courses offered by the English Language Studies Program.
- If they score below a 65 on the PhonePass SET-10 for English test or below a 50 on the SPEAK test, ITAs may be assigned teaching tasks, but they must complete ITA coursework and pass a teaching assessment before their English proficiency can be certified. Students who are not yet certified must take steps to improve their oral communication skills until certification is achieved.
Each department is responsible for checking that this English proficiency requirement is met. This requirement applies to all graduate assistants employed in classroom or laboratory settings, whether as teaching assistants, instructors, or lecturers.
*Approved by the URI Council of Deans on August 25, 2004.
Revised to include PhonePass SET-10 scores on August 5, 2005.
