What the analytic versus holistic scoring of international teaching assistants can reveal: Lexical grammar matters

Second-language (L2) testing researchers have explored the relationship between speakers’ overall speaking ability, reflected by holistic scores, and the speakers’ performance on speaking subcomponents, reflected by analytic scores (e.g., McNamara, 1990; Sato, 2011). These research studies have advanced applied linguists’ understanding of how raters view the components of effective speaking skills, but the authors of the studies either used analytic composite scores, instead of true holistic ratings, or ran regression analyses with highly correlated subscores, which is problematic. To address these issues, 10 experienced ITA raters rated the speaking of 127 international teaching assistant (ITA) candidates using a four-component analytic rubric. In addition, holistic ratings were provided for the 127 test takers from a separate (earlier) scoring by two experienced ITA raters. The two types of scores differentiated examinees in similar ways. The variability observed in students’ holistic scores was reflected in their analytic scores. However, among the four analytic subscales, examinees’ scores on Lexical and Grammatical Competence had the greatest differentiating power. Its scores indicated with a high level of accuracy who passed the test and who did not. The paper discusses the components contributing to ITAs’ L2 oral speaking proficiency, and reviews pedagogical implications.

The transracial aesthetic labour of an international teaching assistant

PurposeThis paper introduces the concept of transracial aesthetic labour to understand why and how an international teaching assistant (ITA) vocally changes meanings of his racial identity.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a narrative analysis to detail instances of transracial aesthetic labour.FindingsFor the ITA, this labour involved orally distancing from or aligning with particular Indian stereotypes for specific contexts.Research limitations/implicationsTransracial aesthetic labour may occur in other industries that deem race an integral part of sounding right or looking good for the job.Practical implicationsThe findings highlight the need for ITAs and universities to rethink the meaning of transracial to combat racist perceptions of ITAs' speech.Originality/valueThe paper advances the aesthetic labour literature by exploring how race is vocally performed for this labour and introducing ITAs as aesthetic labourers.

Voice and Mirroring in SLA: Top-Down Pedagogy for L2 Pronunciation Instruction

There are two broad approaches to the research and teaching of second-language (L2) pronunciation—‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down’—which roughly align with structural and communicative approaches to language teaching. A bottom-up approach, explicitly focusing on de-contextualised linguistic forms, is structuralist and predominated in the second half of the 20th century; a top-down approach to L2 pronunciation takes a more communicative orientation, defining the instructional goal not as acquiring a native-speaker accent, but rather as ‘intelligibility.’ In consideration of this pronunciation goal (i.e. intelligibility) and recent L2 acquisition theoretical frameworks emphasising the role of social and contextual factors in shaping interlanguage (IL) systems, we argue that a top-down approach is paramount to L2 pronunciation instruction. Drawing on variationist research on IL phonology and a brief recount of International Teaching Assistant pronunciation course programs in the US, we present the Mirroring Project as an effective top-down pedagogical approach for L2 pronunciation instruction.

It Sharpens My Brain

In this case study, the author investigated how international teaching assistants in the U.S. learned English language and teaching skills within a course they took about teaching at an American college. Four participants from three different countries and three disciplines volunteered to participate in this study. The results suggested that by talking with a partner, all of the participants acquired communication and conferring skills and learned teaching skills by practicing, sharing, getting feedback, and reflecting with their peers. All participants contributed to this social learning environment and enjoyed the communication between each other no matter what backgrounds and disciplines they came from. Their conversations revealed their strengths and challenges and represented their various cultural backgrounds, disciplines, and personal goals. The findings from this study suggest that teachers in the international teaching assistant training program should encourage peer learning and provide opportunities for students to work in pairs or small groups. They should also plan meaningful activities for students through which students can learn language skills and cultivate communicative competence.

Empirical profiles of academic oral English proficiency from an international teaching assistant screening test

Language proficiency constitutes a crucial barrier for prospective international teaching assistants (ITAs). Many US universities administer screening tests to ensure that ITAs possess the required academic oral English proficiency for their TA duties. Such ITA screening tests often elicit a sample of spoken English, which is evaluated in terms of multiple aspects by trained raters. In this light, ITA screening tests provide an advantageous context in which to gather rich information about test taker performances. This study introduces a systematic way of extracting meaningful information for major stakeholders from an ITA screening test administered at a US university. In particular, this study illustrates how academic oral English proficiency profiles can be identified based on test takers’ subscale score patterns, and discusses how the resulting profiles can be used as feedback for ITA training and screening policy makers, the ITA training program of the university, ESL instructors, and test takers. The proficiency profiles were identified using finite mixture modeling based on the subscale scores of 960 test takers. The modeling results suggested seven profile groups. These groups were interpreted and labeled based on the characteristic subscale score patterns of their members. The implications of the results are discussed, with the main focus on how such information can help ITA policy makers, the ITA training program, ESL instructors, and test takers make important decisions.

Tale of the Tape: International Teaching Assistant Noticing During Videotaped Classroom Observations

International teaching assistants face challenges in learning the norms for teaching in American universities. In order to address this learning curve this article describes a qualitative study of twenty international teaching assistants that examined how these participants viewed observations as part of their professional development. The study explored the noticing practices of international teaching assistants who participated in an initial interview, followed by a classroom observation so that the ITAs could notice their own teaching practices in the classroom. After examining the ITAs’ noticing of events during observations, the article will conclude with general recommendations for effective use of observations as part of the training of international instructors.

Managing Anxiety: A Case Study of an International Teaching Assistant’s Interaction with American Students

This case study utilizes structuration theory to explore the complexities in the academic interaction between a Chinese international teaching assistant (ITA) and her American students. Through four semi-structured participant interviews, eight classroom observations, and student feedback, major themes and variations were identified regarding the feelings, concerns, and strategies of the ITA’sinteraction with American students from the ITA perspective. The assumption is that despite the possible obstacles in cross-linguistic and cross-cultural academic interaction, ITAs have the drive and potential to successfully navigate through the challenging process. Implications for improving ITA training and practices are discussed.