EDUCATION REPORT - Foreign Student Series 19: Teaching Assis

EDUCATION REPORT - Foreign Student Series #19: Teaching¹ Assistants
By Nancy Steinbach

Broadcast: Thursday, January 06, 2005

This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Education Report.

We continue our reports about foreign students at American colleges and universities. Today, we discuss one way students may earn money after they successfully complete an entry-level study program. Those wishing to continue their education could work as a teaching assistant, or T.A.

A teaching assistant usually works² about twenty hours each week. Teaching assistants are paid to help professors teach students in entry-level study programs.

Generally, the professor gives a talk, or lecture, to a large group of students one or two times a week. The teaching assistant meets with smaller groups of students during the week. The T.A. gives tests and reads any homework or reports the students may be required to write.

Teaching assistants also meet with students who seek help. They attend teaching meetings. And some working with science professors help to organize laboratory³ equipment.

Most American colleges and universities must honor⁴ legal requirements when employing foreign students as teaching assistants. One of these is that the T.A. must speak English well. Many universities require one or two tests for all teaching assistants for whom English is not a native language.

One of these is the Test of Spoken English, or T.S.E. The Educational Testing Service offers this test. Foreign students can take the T.S.E. before they arrive in the United States.

The other test is the Speaking Proficiency⁵ English Assessment⁶ Kit⁷, also known as the SPEAK test. The college or university usually gives this test to make sure that students will be able to understand the teaching assistant.

West Virginia University in Morgantown employs men and women from all around the world as teaching assistants. It requires good marks on either test before a foreign student is permitted to teach. The university suggests that such students give a short talk to a group of people to make sure they will be understood.

Teaching assistants whose English is not good enough are given duties that do not require communication with students. They are expected to get help to improve their spoken English. They will lose the job as a T.A. if their English has not improved after one year.

This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Nancy Steinbach. This is Gwen Outen.

1 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

2 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

3 laboratory   

n.实验室，化验室

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a laboratory.她捐款成立了一个实验室。
• Our laboratory equipment isn't perfect,but we must make do.实验室设备是不够理想，但我们只好因陋就简。

4 honor   

n.光荣；敬意；荣幸；vt.给…以荣誉；尊敬

参考例句：

• I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
• It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。

5 proficiency   

n.精通，熟练，精练

参考例句：

• He plied his trade and gained proficiency in it.他勤习手艺，技术渐渐达到了十分娴熟的地步。
• How do you think of your proficiency in written and spoken English?你认为你的书面英语和口语熟练程度如何？

6 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

7 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。