International TAs often express concern about their language and communication skills not only in their positions as TAs but also in their academic coursework. In addition to taking the formal courses in English, international TAs have devised their own methods and techniques for improving their English language skills. In order to understand the sometimes fast-paced faculty lectures, one international TA said that he tape recorded all of his professors' lectures. In listening to the taped lectures he could repeatedly listen to the parts he found difficult to understand. This helped him better understand the lectures and also to improve his listening skills in general. The following are some other international TA suggestions:
"At first some of us lived together, and we spoke Chinese. I decided I needed to move out of that Chinese group and find an American family. To live together with an American family really helped me to improve my English." (TA, China)
"I watched a lot of TV and so that helps a lot because you are following a story. So what will happen is that you learn better by listening to the words and pronunciation and all that." (TA, Iran)
