GC 510: Oral Communication for ITAs

Course Information

What is GC 510?

GC 510 is a 4-credit course designed for current or prospective non-native English-speaking Teaching Assistants who want to communicate more clearly as instructors in the American college classroom.  This course provides students with oral communication and presentation strategies for classroom and laboratory contexts.  Students will practice teaching basic topics in their academic fields during video-recorded Microteaching Workshops, develop strategies for interacting successfully with their undergraduate students, and practice basic American English pronunciation features.

Microteaching Workshops meet separately from the class and serve as a “lab section” for the course; in the workshops, students use skills and knowledge learned in class to practice teaching short, interactive lessons to their classmates.  To ensure that everyone can teach multiple times throughout the semester, enrollment is limited to 6 students in each workshop section.

When does GC 510 meet?

This semester-long, in-person course meets twice a week:  1 weekly class session (1 hour 50 minutes) and 1 weekly in-person Microteaching Workshop (50 minutes).  The course is offered during both Fall and Spring semesters.  Schedules for classes and linked lab sections (Microteaching Workshops) are listed below.

Note: to be properly registered, you must enroll in 2 components: one class section and one Microteaching Workshop section.

In Fall 2025, 4 class sections will be offered, each with 2 options for Microteaching Workshops:

  • 10:00-11:50 AM on Wednesdays (CRN 38513)
    • Select ONE Microteaching Workshop:
      • 10:00-10:50 AM on Mondays (CRN 50350)
      • 12:00-12:50 PM on Wednesdays (CRN 49049)
  • 2:00-3:50 PM on Wednesdays (CRN 38514)
    • Select ONE Microteaching Workshop:
      • 2:00-2:50 PM on Mondays (CRN 50354)
      • 1:00-1:50 PM on Wednesdays (CRN 50353)
  • 10:00-11:50 AM on Thursdays (CRN 38518)
    • Select ONE Microteaching Workshop:
      • 10:00-10:50 AM on Tuesdays (CRN 50352)
      • 12:00-12:50 PM on Thursdays (CRN 50351)
  • 2:00-3:50 PM on Thursdays (CRN 38517)
    •  Select ONE Microteaching Workshop:
      • 2:00-2:50 PM on Tuesdays (CRN 38512)
      • 4:00-4:50 PM on Thursdays (CRN 50355)

GC 510 classes and Microteaching Workshops will meet in one of ITAP’s classroom spaces in SSB (Student Services Building): Room 1180 or Room 2790.

 

Course Objectives

This course is designed to help students to:

  • Improve their overall ability to communicate in English in an academic setting
  • Develop presentation skills for the classroom or lab
  • Improve their pronunciation in classroom settings and student interactions
  • Better understand the cultural aspects of American universities
  • Complete the oral English certification process (if needed)

Course Topics (subject to change)

  • pronunciation basics
  • asking effective questions
  • answering student questions
  • office hours
  • American university culture
  • using visual aids
  • non-verbal communication
  • classroom management
  • dealing with difficult students

GC 510 Student Testimonials

This course impact positively on my teaching abilities.  I have now much better idea how to come up with the expectation of American students.

So much confidence gain from this course.

The impact was tremendous because I have no idea about American classroom before and this class give me lots of useful hints to be a successful TA.

Now, I prepare not only for the course content, but also to maintain a better teacher-student relationship within the class, so that they pay more and more attention to class.  My teacher was a great role model for me.