Special programs -- International teaching assistants

The international teaching assistants training program, coordinated by Associate Director Joe Matterer and Ken Hyde, hosted almost 100 students from over 20 countries in August to help them improve their English pronunciation, become familiar with the university and learn how to teach effectively in an American college. As their instructors, the ITA program welcomed back ELI assistant professor Leslie Criston, ITA teacher Dave Cassling, visiting faculty Sandy Nickel and Debbie Kemp-Jackson, UD instructor Carey Fleiner, and program cocoordinator Ken Hyde, who taught classes on culture, pedagogy and accent reduction.

In addition, two graduates of previous ITA programs, Solveig Bosse (ITA ’06) and Husni Abu Bakar (ITA ’06), along with Erica Hansen from the Department of Linguistics, taught pronunciation classes. Earlier in the year,12 other students were selected by the Office of Graduate Studies to participate in the winter program based on their excellent English speaking skills. They studied for two weeks with Ken Hyde, learning about American classroom culture and how to be highly effective teachers in their fields.