International Teaching Assistant Training Program
International Teaching Assistant (ITA) Training Program
Preparing international students for success as Teaching Assistants at UD
The International Teaching Assistant (ITA) training program, developed by the English Language Institute, is designed to prepare non-native, English-speaking international graduate students for effective teaching at the University of Delaware.
Linguistically oriented, the program focuses primarily on language use for instruction and provides an orientation to American classroom culture and basic pedagogy. Additionally, the program enables participating graduate students to build and hone their presentation skills, which will assist them in professional settings such as conference presentations, job talks and client meetings.
At the conclusion of the program, participants will be able to:
- Speak more clearly in various instructional settings, approximating as closely as possible standard American pronunciation, intonation and stress.
- Overcome communication difficulties through enhanced speech patterns.
- Recognize speech, non-verbal behavior and common conversation and discourse.
- Interact effectively with students in a variety of instructional settings.
- Develop foundational skills for university-level instruction.
- Understand the academic expectations of the University of Delaware.
Background information
Graduate students who hold Teaching Assistant (TA) appointments (commonly referred to as “TA contracts”) and are not native speakers of English—referred to hereafter as international TAs (ITAs)—must demonstrate a minimum level of spoken English proficiency before they can begin teaching duties that involve oral communication with undergraduate students.
To fulfill this requirement, ITAs must meet both of the following criteria:
Achieve at least the minimum scores for the desired Instructional category determined by their department on the UD SPEAK test: typically, a score of 50 or above.
- Achieve at least the minimum scores for the desired Instructional category determined by their department on the UDIA test: typically, a score of 230 or above.
SPEAK and UDIA assessment
The table below outlines the instructional categories for which International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) at the University of Delaware may qualify. These categories have been established by the Office of the Provost, with qualifications administered by the English Language Institute in collaboration with the Graduate College.
To qualify for a specific instructional category, ITAs must take both the SPEAK and UDIA tests. Placement into a category is based on achieving the minimum required scores on both assessments.
Once assigned to a category, ITAs may perform any of the recommended instructional duties within their category or any lower category (indicated by a higher numerical designation). For example, a Category I ITA is eligible to carry out all possible teaching responsibilities, including serving as the instructor of record for an entire course. In contrast, a Category III ITA may fulfill the duties associated with Categories III, V and VI, but not those of Categories I or II.
Instructional Category |
SPEAK Test Minimum Score |
UDIA Test Minimum Score |
Recommendations for Instructional Duties |
I¹ |
55 |
250 |
The ITA is capable of full teaching responsibility as the instructor of record. |
II¹ |
50 |
250 |
The ITA is capable of leading laboratory, discussion, review and problem-solving sections as well as online course sections for non-majors. |
III. |
50 |
230 |
The ITA is capable of leading laboratory, discussion, review, problem-solving sections or online course sections for majors. |
IV². |
45 |
240 |
The ITA is capable of teaching foreign language classes where the language of instruction is the language in which the ITA is fluent. |
V. |
45 |
230 |
The ITA is capable of grading written exams or papers, as well as tutoring, holding office hours and assisting in computer or language laboratory. |
VI. |
35 |
215 |
The ITA is capable of assisting instructors in preparation of class or laboratory materials. Not recommended for delivering verbal instructions to native English-speaking students. Not recommended for delivering verbal instructions to native English-speaking students. |
¹ No appeal of test scores into this category is permitted.
² This category is only open for TAs in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures.
Academic departments will provide a list of international students on TA contracts to be assessed to Ken Hyde. These students will be contacted to schedule testing.
For questions about the categories listed above or how students qualify for these categories, contact Ken Hyde, coordinator of the ITA program for ELI, or Suprawee Tepsuporn, senior assistant dean for professional development at the Graduate College.
Students who have been registered for the ITA training program must take (1) the SPEAK test, a test of English speaking proficiency, and (2) the UDIA, a teaching test.
Both the SPEAK and UDIA tests are available online starting at the end of May and running until July 17. ITAs recommended by their academic department to participate in the ITA Training Program will receive an email from the program coordinator. Please respond promptly to schedule appointments for the tests.
Participation in the ITA Training Program is strongly encouraged for all international graduate students, especially those whose SPEAK and UDIA scores fall below the minimum required for their department’s desired Instructional category. The program provides a valuable opportunity to strengthen language and teaching skills in preparation for retaking the exams before the start of the semester, with the goal of meeting departmental requirements and qualifying for broader instructional responsibilities.
Registration for the ITA Training Program is coordinated through academic departments:
For international students on TA contracts: Department ITA liaisons will notify the English Language Institute (ELI) of all international graduate students who are funded as teaching assistants. These students have the option to enroll in the ITA training.
For other interested students: International graduate students not registered by their department may contact the ITA program coordinator directly for more information or assistance with joining the program. Please note that participation in the ITA Training Program—or achieving high scores on the SPEAK or UDIA tests—does not guarantee a paid teaching assignment on campus.
Students who enroll in the ITA Training Program are expected to:
- Attend all classes regularly, both for their progress and out of respect for their peers and instructors.
- Limit absences to no more than two per course. Excessive absences may result in withdrawal from the program.
- Schedule department meetings and personal matters outside of class time to avoid conflicts with their training schedule.
Participants are placed into appropriate courses based on their performance in the SPEAK and UDIA tests. The program consists of several core courses:
- Culture and Pedagogy: Taken by all students, U.S. classroom norms and teaching strategies are introduced.
- Workshops: Provides practice and feedback on a range of teaching-related tasks.
- Oral Intelligibility: For students needing support with fluency, this course focuses on clear spoken communication.
- American Pronunciation: Assigned to students who need focused support in accent reduction and pronunciation.
- Explore UD: For students not placed in linguistic support classes, this course involves working in teams to research and present on aspects of the University of Delaware and U.S. teaching culture.
Across all courses, students actively practice teaching skills by developing sample lessons and receiving feedback from faculty and peers.
All ITAs whose initial SPEAK and UDIA scores fall below the minimum required for their academic department’s desired instructional category will have the opportunity to retake both exams before the start of the semester, regardless of whether they participate in the ITA Training Program. To prepare for retesting, students may choose to enroll in the program or study independently.
Please note that failure to meet the minimum required scores for the intended Instructional category may prevent an ITA from fulfilling assigned teaching duties, which could impact eligibility for a TA stipend.
For the 2025–2026 academic year, retesting will take place on August 21–22, 2025.
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