As a newly appointed international teaching assistant at the University of Delaware, you will be required to participate in a 4-week International Teaching Assistant (ITA) Training Program conducted by the University’s English Language Institute. The ITA program is funded through the Office of the Provost and administered by the Office of Graduate Studies. The program begins on July 17, 2013 and ends on August 16, 2013. The purpose of this program is to prepare you for your responsibilities as a teaching assistant by providing you with special instruction in speaking and listening skills for the classroom, as well as a cultural and pedagogical orientation to the American university and the University of Delaware in particular. A more detailed description of the program is attached. Participation in the entire program is required. Students may not enter late. Below the Participant Calendar, you will find detailed information on testing, your stipend, insurance and housing. It is your responsibility to read these sections and understand what they mean to you as a graduate student.
We look forward to meeting you when you report for registration at 9:00am on July 17, 2013. We feel confident that you will find the program to be a valuable experience as you prepare to take on your teaching assistant responsibilities at the University. Please submit the online registration form by June 2nd, 2013 (http://www.udel.edu/oiss/forms/ita_summer.html). If you wish additional information about the program, please contact Kenneth Hyde at kenny@udel.edu.
- Acceptance Deadline: June 2, 2013 - you must return your registration form to OISS by this date.
- Move-In Day: July 11, 2013 - This is the first day that registered participants can move into the dorms.
- Start Date: July 17, 2013 - the program starts on this date with Registration and on-boarding for payroll.
- SPEAK Test: July 17, 2013 - All students take an English intelligibility test.
- UDIA Test: July 18-19, 2013 - All students take a teaching test on these days.
- Opening Day: July 23, 2013 - All students and teachers meet for the program convocation. Classes start.
- End Date: August 16, 2013 - the program classes ends on this date.
- Final UDIA Test: August 15-16, 2013 - Final teaching tests for students who did not achieve a passing score at the beginning of the session.
- Last Move-Out Day: August 16, 2013 - all program participants must move out of the dorms by this date.
- Stipend: $1,100.00 - See below for an explanation of your stipend.
At the beginning of the program on July 17, 2013, you should report to the English Language Institute (ELI), 108 East Main Street, at 9:00 am for registration and on-boarding in the UD computer system. During the next three days, you will be tested for general English language proficiency and instructional/speaking skills in a classroom setting, using the SPEAK, the institutional version of the Test of Spoken English (TSE), and the UDIA, a test which assesses language in an instructional setting. The results of these two tests will be used to determine your readiness for instructional duties and to determine which courses you will participate in during the training program. The tests are re-administered at the end of the program. International teaching assistants who do not pass these tests at the end of the program and/or who are not recommended for instructional assignments should enroll in the fall semester International Teaching Assistant Language Tutoring program. Low testresults will not cancel your fall semester funding, but will affect your instructional assignment. Failure to achieve appropriate scores by the end of December is likely to affect (perhaps cancel) your funding in the spring semester.
There will be no charge for the course. You will receive a stipend of $1,100.00 for participating in the program. Stipends are subject to U.S. withholding taxes, and the amount withheld will depend upon treaties your government has with the United States. You will be paid on August 15th and 31st provided that you complete all the required employment forms during the first three days of the program. When you come to register on July 17, 2013, please bring your passport, I-94 and I-20 or DS-2019 with you.
Medical insurance is mandatory for all University of Delaware students. If you do not have insurance, you will be required to enroll in the University of Delaware's medical insurance program for the time period of the ITA program. The University will pay a portion of the insurance premium, and you will be required to pay a portion. There is also opportunity for you to purchase more coverage for an additional fee. More details on coverage and insurance requirements while you are a student at the University of Delaware, please see visit the health information page. If you are already covered by an insurance plan, please bring documentation in English with you on July 17, 2013. The policy must be payable through a U.S. insurance company, and the insurance coverage must meet the minimum requirements set by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.
We can arrange for temporary housing in a university dormitory. The dormitory will be available beginning July 11, 2013 for those who arrive early. You must leave the dormitory by August 16, 2013 (these dates may change). You may want to check the housing page for more information on permanent housing. If you request this temporary housing, you will be placed in a University of Delaware dormitory room. (See online registration form for costs). When you leave the dormitory, the University's Housing Office will bill you the charges that you must pay, based on how many nights you stayed in the dormitory. Pillows and linens (sheets, towels and blankets) are not provided. You may bring them with you, or you may purchase them in Newark. Meals can be purchased at the dining halls. For those of you who arrive in Newark on the morning of July 17, 2013, bring your luggage with you when you come to the ELI to register. We can store your luggage during testing, and we will transport you to the dormitory later that day.
You will need to bring sufficient funds to support yourself until you receive your first paycheck. We estimates that you will need about $25.00 per day for food. For housing costs, it is a common practice for landlords to require both a security deposit and one month's rent in advance for apartments and rooms. The average fee for a shared apartment and rented rooms is about $400 to $500 per month, not includ-ing utilities. Therefore, it would be advisable for you to have $900.00 with you for rent and a security de-posit in case you find permanent housing before you get your first sti-pend check. In addition, you should bring cash for other expenses for the first three and a half weeks.
