International Teaching Assistants: Facing Challenges In and Outside the Classroom

• In Event: It's All in the Mix: The Diversity Within Intercultural Communication Scholarship

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a qualitative descriptive study that analyzed the challenges international teaching assistants (ITAs) face on an American. university campus. The study consisted of 15 in-depth interviews with ITAs representing a variety of different countries. The analysis of the transcribed interviews revealed that, despite their differences in cultural, educational, and linguistic backgrounds, the participants went through similar experiences when experiencing challenges and ultimately adjusting to their teaching assignments in the U.S.

Author

• Diana Trebing, Saginaw Valley State University