Resources for International Faculty & TAs

This page provides links and resources for international faculty who are new to Vanderbilt. Other pages on the Center for Teaching's web site have resources including:

• Teaching Vanderbilt Undergraduates -- with information on policies and common practices;
• For New Teachers- for people new to university teaching;
• Teaching Strategies, Topics, Resources- from lecturing and leading a discussion to integrating new technologies into your classes.

The Teaching Resource Center at the University of Virginia has a helpful introduction to teaching American students. This site is intended for new international Teaching Assistants at Virginia, but it is useful for anyone new to teaching university students in the United States.

The Office of Faculty and TA Development at Ohio State has an excellent handbook on Teaching in the United States. Chapters that might be of particular interest are on:

• Academic culture in the US
• Second language anxiety and coping strategies
• Communication skills
• Teaching strategies to enhance student learning
• Describing visual aids

Common Questions allows you to listen and respond to typical questions asked in university classrooms, spoken in the idiom and at the pace used by many American students.

"Teaching in the U.S. Classroom" is a post to the Tomorrow's Professor listserv that includes useful information for international instructors teaching in a U.S. classroom for the first time. The article includes responses from international teaching assistants and faculty to questions asked about their teaching experiences, as well as tips for how to succeed in an American classroom.

Vanderbilt's Center for Teaching has other resources on teaching in the United States, including:

• Althen, G. (2003). American Ways , 2nd ed. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
• Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning (1993). Teaching in America (VIDEO). Harvard University.
• Sarkisian, E. (1997). Teaching American Students , Rev. ed. Cambridge: Harvard.

The English Language Center provides language instruction for faculty, students, and staff.

International Student and Scholar Services has a range of programs and services for international faculty, students, and families.

Center for Teaching consultants work individually with faculty and teaching assistants on any issue related to teaching - from preparing to teach your first class in the United States to applying recent research on learning to your classroom. To arrange an appointment with a consultant, contact us, call (615) 322-7290, or visit us at 1114 19th Avenue South, 3rd Floor.

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