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The other half of international teaching assistant training: Classroom communication workshops for international students

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Abstract

ITAs often experience particular difficulty balancing their roles as teachers with their roles as students. Student communication skills training is warranted for ITAs because it may be more motivating than instructional skills training, because it captures an otherwise elusive segment of the clientele, and because learning can transfer to ITAs' own teaching repertoires. Such a program can begin with a focus on naming and social identity. The bulk of the program focuses on communication practices for participative learning such as small group problem solving and whole-group responding. A typical workshop concludes with a forum for student concerns, often focusing upon how to interact with one's academic advisor.

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He obtained his Ph.D. in 1978 at the University of Minnesota. Among the courses he teaches are offerings in intercultural communication, applied linguistics, and composition research. He has also conducted research pertaining to perceptions of international instructors.

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Rubin, D.L. The other half of international teaching assistant training: Classroom communication workshops for international students. Innov High Educ 17, 183–193 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00915600

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