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International student presenting in front of a class.

Language and Teaching Classes for Graduate Students

Courses

The Language and Teaching Development program supports multilingual, international graduate student instructors and faculty. Through classes and individual appointments, instructors have the opportunity to develop oral English communication skills and effective teaching strategies.

 

Graduate Student Support

Our Communication for Teaching classes are designed to prepare graduate students for upcoming teaching assistant work or to support students with concurrent appointments as teaching assistants. To be eligible for the classes, students must be proposed by their department to work as a TA and they must complete the English Language Certification Exam. Enrollment in the class is based on the results of the English Language Certification Exam (see below for more information). The Communication for Teaching class focuses on developing oral English proficiency and strategies for effective, student-centered teaching. Students are encouraged to build confidence and feel a sense of belonging in a collaborative and supportive learning community.

Language Proficiency for TA Positions

“What steps do I take as a multilingual student to qualify for a TA position?

  • Step 1: When you are ready to find a TA position, apply through your department or the hiring department.
  • Step 2: If the department wishes to hire you, the department’s graduate coordinators will sign you up to take the English Language Certification Exam (ELCE), if required. It may be necessary to take the ELCE to demonstrate your language proficiency if you do not qualify for an exemption. The (ELCE) is administered by UC San Diego’s Extended Studies. For more information about the ELCE, see English Language Certification Exam (ELCE) for UCSD International Graduate Students | UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies For questions, please contact ip-itaprogram@ucsd.edu.
  • Step 3: If required, take the Communication for Teaching class with us. After you take the English Language Certification Exam (ELCE), you will receive a score report, letting you know if you are required to take the “Communication for Teaching” class. We will enroll you in the class.”

Individual Sessions

The Language and Teaching Development program provides multilingual, international graduate students who have participated in Communication for Teaching the opportunity to sign up for one-on-one sessions with an instructor to practice conversational skills, explain their research, practice pronunciation, and rehearse dialogues.