Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching Assistants

I'm interested in offering a teaching assistantship to a graduate or undergraduate student who is a nonnative speaker of English. What policies pertain to this situation? 

University policy requires that all prospective non-native English speaking TAs take the TOEFL iBT, SETTA test or IELTS test. As an alternative, they may take the SETTA test upon accepting admission to the University. Responsible administrators are to make sure that prospective TAs meet the proficiency requirements. Results from these exams will determine a student’s initial eligibility for a TA assignment. Refer to Appendix: English Language Proficiency Requirements for additional information.

How do you define "non-native" speaker? 

A non-native speaker of English is a multilingual person for whom the primary language in the home during childhood was not English, and who received all or most of their elementary, secondary and undergraduate education outside the United States.

How can both graduate and undergraduate students increase their eligibility for TA duties?

Students may increase their eligibility for TA duties by successfully completing coursework (GRAD 5102 or GRAD 5105) with the Center for Educational Innovation (CEI) or by improving their score on the SETTA test.

A new ELP rating will be assigned at course completion.

What do classroom communication courses entail?

CEI provides two different courses to meet the various language needs of prospective TAs. In general, courses meet several times a week and include seminar, tutoring and practice teaching components. There is no charge to the department for these courses.

How do I find out the English Language Proficiency rating of students in my department?

The ELP rating for individual graduate or undergraduate students is available on a password-protected web report. To access this information go to UM Reports in MyU. Log in, click on “Key Links,” then “Reporting Center.” Search for “English Language Proficiency — Eligibililty for TAs” to get the report. You may then search by EMPLID (if you are searching for a specific student) or by institution and then academic program.

Can students request disability accommodations for the TOELF, iBT, IELTS or SETTA?

For disability accommodations for the TOEFL, iBT or IELTS, students may contact the testing agency directly. To explore disability accommodations for the SETTA, the student may contact the Disability Resources office on their campus.