Strategies for Reducing Negative Emotional Reactions to International Teaching Assistants in U.S. College Classrooms

• In Event: The Power of Emotion on College Student Learning and Success: Embracing Opportunities to Enhance Instructional Practices

Abstract

“The ITA problem" first originated at the University of Wisconsin in the late 1960's. The problem is one concerning the accented speech of international teaching assistants in their second language, English. The situation continues today, as international teaching assistants are increasingly asked to teach complex course content such as mathematics and science. International teaching assistants are a special kind of ESL student with particular exigencies: they must be responsible for teaching native speakers of English, even though they are themselves non-native speakers. Students and stakeholders in their education have shown negative emotional reactions to the “the ITA problem”. The author has written a book on this issue, and would like to share some communication-based strategies for reducing the emotional reactions, and increasing audience receptiveness to international teaching assistants, who are fulfilling a needed role in our institutions of higher learning.

Author

• Esther Yook, George Mason University