Key Information
Working Theories for Teaching Assistant Development: Time-Tested & Robust Theories, Frameworks, & Models for TA & ITA Learning, Edited by Greta Gorsuch
2012 [ISBN: 1-58107-224-4; 680 pages, 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, soft cover]$54.95
This extensive, edited volume showcases established and emerging scholars in the field of Teaching Assistant (TA) and International Teaching Assistant (ITA) education. Working Theories goes beyond reporting good practices or program descriptions, which typically comprises many books on TA and ITA development. Instead, Working Theories places time-tested, robust theories, frameworks, and models of TA and ITA learning and development at the center of graduate student education by providing a scholarly venue for description, explication, and application of these theories. In turn, these theories and models from psychology, sociology, pedagogy, discourse analysis, and second language learning will be presented in such as way as to inform good practice, but above all, motivate future research.
The Contents
Introduction, by Greta Gorsuch, Texas Tech University
Chapters Focusing on Teaching Assistants in General
Scalable Design Principles for TA Development: Lessons from Research, Theory and Experience, by Patricia Hardre, University of Oklahoma
The Role of Theory in TA and ITA Research, by Dale T. Griffee, Texas Tech University
Feedback about Graduate Teaching Assistants’ Pedagogical Practices: Content Validation of a Survey Informed from Principles of the “How People Learn” Framework, by Monica F. Cox, Jiabin Zhu, Jeremi London, Jeeyeon Hahn, and Benjamin Ahn, School of Engineering Education, Purdue University
A Theoretical and Empirical Basis for Studying Student-Instructor Relationships, by Patricia A. Jarvis, Illinois State University and Gary L. Creasey, Illinois State University
Teaching Assistant Development Through a Fresh Lens: A Self-determination Framework, by Patricia Hardre, University of Oklahoma
Preparing the Future Professoriate in Second Language Acquisition, by Amy S. Thompson, University of South Florida; Shaofeng Li, University of Auckland; Benjamin White, Marshall University; Shawn Loewen, Michigan State University; and Susan Gass, Michigan State University
The Development of Disciplinary Communication Competence Among Teaching Assistants: A Research Agenda,by Nanda Dimitrov, University of Western Ontario
Using Grounded Theory to Develop Emergent Explanations on how Second and Foreign Language TAs Construct Their Teacher Theory, by Dale T. Griffee, Texas Tech University
Conceptualizing Graduate Teaching Assistant Development Through Stages of Concern, by Miriam Ferzli, Tamah Morant, Barbie Honeycutt, Sarah Egan Warren, Molly Fenn, and Brenda Burns, North Carolina State University
Appropriating Conceptual and Pedagogical Tools of Literacy: A Qualitative Study of Two Novice Foreign Language Teaching Assistants, by Beatrice Dupuy, University of Arizona and Heather Willis Allen, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Does Instruction Make a Difference? Concept Development in Applied Linguistics M.A. Students, by Greta Gorsuch, Texas Tech University
Articles Focusing More Exclusively on International Teaching Assistants
Rapport Management of International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) in Their Teaching, by Yuan Zhang, Illinois State University
Bridging Theory and Practice: A Microethnographic Case Study of International Teaching Assistants Socialization into an American University, by Baburhan Uzum, Michigan State University
The Roles of Teacher Theory and Domain Theory in Materials and Research in International Teaching Assistant Education, by Greta Gorsuch, Texas Tech University
A Corpus-Based Study of Teaching Assistant (TA) and International Teaching Assistant (ITA) Language Use in University Settings, by Catherine Smith, University of Minnesota (Morris)
Written English into Spoken: A Functional Discourse Analysis of American, Indian, and Chinese TA Presentations, by John Levis, Greta Muller Levis, Tammy Slater, Iowa State University
The Impact of High Stakes Test of Spoken Language Ability on the Development of ITAs’ Strategic Competence, by Shahrzhad Saif, Universite Leval
Chinese International Teaching Assistants and the Essence of Intercultural Competence in University Contexts, by Mary Jo Fletcher LaRocco, Salve Regina University
Learning to Make Suggestions in a Chemistry Lab, by Binmei Liu, University of Florida
The Editor
Greta Gorsuch is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics & Second Language Studies at Texas Tech University, and has researched educational programs and ITA education for ten years. Her publications have appeared in English for Specific Purposes, Journal of Faculty Development, The Journal of Graduate Teaching Assistant Development, and Education Policy Analysis Archives, among others. She edited The Language Teacher (The Japan Association of Language Teaching) and has guest edited special issues of System and TESL-EJ.