MSU candidates for TA appointments who were required to demonstrate English proficiency as a condition for regular admission to Michigan State University must also demonstrate that they meet a minimum standard of proficiency in spoken English before they can be assigned teaching work that involves oral communication with undergraduate students.
Those ITAs who received a waiver of the TOEFL or of other accepted tests of English proficiency for admission, must also meet the requirement of proficiency in spoken English before they are assigned to teaching work that involves oral communication with undergraduate students.
To meet this requirement, those International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) may use any of the four options listed below:
- Presenting a valid TOEFL iBT speaking section score of 27 or higher.
- Receiving a score of 50 or higher on the MSU Speaking Test.
- Presenting a valid IELTS Speaking score of 8.0 or higher.
- Successfully completing AAE 451 or AAE 452 (ITA language support courses) AND receiving a score of 50 or higher on the ITA Oral Interaction Test (ITAOI).
Students with an MSU Speaking Test score of 45 may be given limited types of teaching assignments without the need for appeal. These types of assignments (which would have to involve only minimal spoken interaction) include holding office hours, working in a help room, or meeting with only 1 or 2 students at a time during a classroom session or lab. If you have any questions regarding whether a particular assignment satisfies the requirements of this policy, please contact the Grad School.
Individual exceptions from these requirements (on a case-by-case basis in rare circumstances) will be considered by the Graduate School in consultation with the ELC upon the request of the department and with the endorsement of the Associate Dean of the College.