The English Language Institute is offering a series of workshops for the Spring 2007 semester designed to help international graduate students become familiar with key communication and teaching skills that are necessary for effective undergraduate teaching.
Participants will also learn about techniques and resources that they can use to develop those skills. Funding for these workshops is provided by the Office of the Provost and the Graduate School.
All workshops begin at 1:30 p.m. and end at 3 p.m. Participants should plan on participating in both sessions of each workshop.
Workshops are free, but advance registration is required and seats are limited. Register for workshops by phone at (865) 974-3404, by e-mail at ELI@tennessee.edu or by using the online form found below.
Workshop 1: Expectations of UT undergraduate students.
Friday, January 19 and Friday, January 26 from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
Characteristics of American college students in general and UT students in particular
Setting appropriate instructor/student boundaries
Regional Englishes -- diversity of English in the classroom
Student perceptions of international Teaching Assistants
Workshop 2: Improving classroom communication: Strategies to compensate for limited English ability.
Friday, February 2 and Friday, February 9, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
Using the board/smartboard/visual aids
Managing the classroom and setting classroom routines
Clarifying technical terms or frequently used phrases
Establishing routines for tests and homework assignments
Making use of the syllabus
Workshop 3: Lecturing and leading classroom discussions.
Friday, February 16 and Friday, February 23, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
Establishing rapport
Effective nonverbal communication
Organizing lectures and using handouts/visuals
Maintaining boundaries and stimulating discussion
Dealing with reticent students
Workshop 4: Difficult questions: Responding appropriately to student questions that are confusing, off-topic, or difficult to understand.
Friday, March 23 and Friday, March 30, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
Developing in-class FAQs
Utilizing other students to clarify
Paraphrasing/reframing questions
Deferring responses to unclear or inappropriate questions
Workshop 5: Managing lab sessions and conferencing.
Thursday, April 5 and Friday, April 13, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
Giving instructions and describing procedures
Dealing with "problem students"
Referring students to campus support providers
Workshop 6: SPEAK Test Strategies.
Friday, April 20 and Friday, April 27, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
Rhetorical functions and SPEAK
Bad/ineffective responses and how to avoid them
How your performance on SPEAK is evaluated
Practice SPEAK activities
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