ESL Information for International Teaching Assistants

The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee International Teaching Assistant Assessment (MITAA) is a requirement for some international teaching assistants who are non-native speakers of English and who will be assigned classroom duties as part of a graduate teaching assistantship.

Background: The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System established policy 20-17 in December 1991 concerning the selection, training and evaluation of teaching assistants. Section 1.B states: “Non-native English speakers must be required to demonstrate proficiency in spoken English before they are assigned classroom duties as teaching assistants.”

The English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs Office has established the MITAA as the tool for assessing spoken English proficiency of international teaching assistants.

The MITAA evaluates English language proficiency for the classroom. The assessment is administered by the Office of ESL Programs in Curtin Hall, Room 672 (tel: +1 (414) 229-5757; e-mail: esl@uwm.edu).

NOTE: Not all prospective International Teaching Assistants must take the MITAA. You do not have to take the assessment if you have a recent (within the last 2 years) standardized test score:

• 23 or better on the Speaking section of the internet-Based TOEFL (iBT)
  or
• 7.0 or better on the Speaking section of the IELTS

If you are a graduate of an American university or college, you may not need to take the MITAA.

If you are unsure if you need to take the MITAA, please check with your academic department.