1. UIC’s International Teaching Assistant Program
Policy
Screening/Testing
English Development Courses
Announcements
Today I would like to give you an overview of the ITA Program, the English Oral Proficiency Policy for International TAs, our screening process and some announcements.
Vandana Loebel,
Director, ITA Program

2. Overview of the State of Illinois Law
State law (State of Illinois Bill 1516) requires all international teaching assistants that provide instruction in a classroom, discussion group, laboratory, or office hour situation to be certified as orally proficient in speaking and communicating in English.
The State of Illinois Senate Bill 1516
Some of you may be familiar with English proficiency policy but for those new DGS and graduate support staff, here is a brief summary of the state law. (read the law). UIC initiated a policy in response the law in the late ‘80s and the ITA program is charged with implementing UIC’s policy. We are responsible for ensuring that UIC is in compliance with the law.
The ITA Program is responsible for ensuring that UIC is in compliance with the State of Illinois Law

3. The ITA Program Dual Mission
Assist colleges
and departments
in making English proficiency determinations through oral language assessments
Assist International Teaching Assistants in reaching the goal of acceptable intelligibility for instructional responsibilities
Our mission is two-fold…we provide the necessary language screening for new ITAs and assist ITAs in reaching the goal of acceptable intelligibility in the classroom setting through our English development course.
In the next three slides, I will explain how we make English oral proficiency determinations from start to end.

4. Overview of the Oral Proficiency Intake Process
Incoming Domestic and International TA lists REQUESTED in May and November
Speaking and Listening Scores on the IELTS and TOEFL (iBT) are reviewed and students are contacted to arrange English proficiency interviews
Brief overview of our Intake process. In May and November, we request lists of new and incoming domestic and international TAs.. Lists are used for 2 purposes – 1 to provide a contact list for the annual campus-wide TA Orientation for new TAs and 2 for scheduling oral proficiency assessments.

5. Please look at your handout for details of the certification process
Most programs admit graduate students with speaking and listening scores that are a minimum of 20 and 17. These scores are good for admission but too low for teaching responsibilities.
Our minimum waived scores for teaching are 26 in speaking and 24 in listening in the TOEFL and 8.0/7.5 in the IELTS. Students who come in with scores above these levels are screened through a 5-minute oral verification check to verify the veracity of these scores.
All other students including those whose English test scores that have been waived due to prior academic study in US institutions MUST complete a minute Oral Certification Interview (OCI) that is double blind rated.
Possible outcomes are that students are fully certified and cleared for all instructional responsibilities or Conditionally certified and must take 1-2 semesters of English development courses.
A third possible outcome is that we strongly recommend that the student be given limited instructional responsibilities for at least one semester until their English improves.

6. Oral Certification Interview (OCI) Oral Verification Check (OVC)
Assessments
Oral Certification Interview (OCI)
20 minute face-to-face audio-recorded interview
The OCI is a 20 minute face-to-face audio-recorded interview that has both academic and non-academic elements to determine proficiency levels and the oral verification check is a brief 5-minute interview to verify graduate admission test scores.
Oral Verification Check (OVC)
5 minute face-to-face interview for verification

7. Certification Outcomes
FULL CERTIFICATION
Cleared for FULL Teaching Responsibilities
Cleared for FULL Teaching Responsibilities with concurrent enrollment in English courses
CONDITIONAL CERTIFICATION
After students are tested, they may receive a full certification to teach, or a conditional certification with full or limited teaching responsibilities. Students on a conditional certification are required to take one or two semesters of our English language support courses. At the end of the semester, all conditionally certified students in these courses are given an outtake performance evaluation and their oral proficiency certification status is adjusted accordingly.
LIMITED Teaching with concurrent enrollment in English courses for 1-2 semesters

8. Three GC Courses for International Teaching Assistants
GC Communication and Teaching Methods for ITAs
GC Oral Academic Discussion and Interactional Skills for ITAs
GC Advanced Pronunciation Skills for International TAs

9. NOVEMBER 15th – New International TA lists will be requested
TESTING DATES TBA due to a possible move from BSB to SSB – will keep you posted
Certification Forms will be put into Box Folders to be shared with Departments instead of ing department DGS and Department Staff
Please contact for additional information or if you have questions
ANNOUNCEMENTS

10. Thank You. Please contact the ITA program at itap@uic
Thank You!! Please contact the ITA program at if you have any questions.