International Graduate Assistant Internship Program

English Language Proficiency Requirements for International Teaching Assistants

International graduate students who will serve as teaching assistants at the University of Georgia are assigned a placement level based on their TOEFL speaking score or IELTS speaking band score. The placement level determines eligibility for instructional responsibilities and required coursework.

Placement Score

Placement Level Expectations

Level 4

Students are eligible to serve as Instructor of Record and may fulfill TA policy requirements by completing GRSC 7770.

Level 3

Students may hold limited instructional responsibilities while enrolled in LLED 7769, which serves as a departmental equivalent to GRSC 7770.

Below Level 3

Students may not hold instructional responsibilities and must complete LLED 7768 followed by LLED 7769 before assuming instructional duties.

TOEFL Score Update

As of January 2026, Educational Testing Service introduced a revised TOEFL speaking scale from 1 to 6. The University of Georgia accepts scores from both the previous 0-30 scale and the revised scale as long as the scores remain valid.

Important Note

Duolingo English Test scores are no longer accepted for placement under the Graduate Teaching Assistant Policy.

For full details, consult the UGA Graduate Teaching Assistants Policy.

Curriculum

LLED 7768 is designed to improve the classroom communication of international teaching assistants through English training. Sessions include:

• Diagnosis of English language patterns that may interfere with intelligibility when communicating with North American undergraduate students.
• Structured opportunities to improve language proficiency
• Practice with the English sound system
• Work on North American word stress and sentence stress production
• Review of question forms and intonation patterns
• Practice of vowels and consonants
• Fluency exercises

LLED 7769 is designed to improve the ability of international teaching assistants to communicate effectively within the cultural context of North American undergraduate instruction. Sessions include:

• Diagnosis of communication patterns that may interfere with conveying intended meaning when communicating with North American undergraduate students.
• Techniques to establish rapport with students
• Demonstrations of a variety of effective teaching strategies
• Discussions of classroom management procedures
• Tips on how to lead discussion sessions, plan lessons, evaluate and advise students
• Observation and practice of effective teaching communication strategies
• Practice giving directions, explanations, and short lectures

Eligibility

• The University System of Georgia and UGA require that all new graduate assistants with teaching responsibilities receive support for their instructional roles.
• LLED 7768 and LLED 7769 are courses designed specifically for graduate students whose native language is not English and who are or will be teaching at UGA.

How To Apply

Contact Linda Harklau for further information on these courses. The Center for Teaching and Learning provides a resource to assist with determining an individual’s English language proficiency requirements as relates to UGA’s Policy for Teaching Assistants, available here: English Language Proficiency Requirements Guide. You may also email the Center for Teaching and Learning’s GradTeach team at gradteach@uga.edu for more information on university policy for international teaching assistants.assistants.