TO:
Departmental Representatives for Non‑native English Speaking Teaching
Assistants
FROM: Jane Alsberg
DATE: September
10, 2004
RE: Fall
SPEAK Test Dates
I. SPEAK Policy
According to the UIUC
Policy Statement Regarding the Appointment of Non-Native Speaking
Graduate Students as Teaching Assistants, updated March 1, 1997, all
non‑native English speaking graduate students who are candidates for
classroom teaching assistantships must take the SPEAK or TSE and
receive a score of 50 or higher.
II. SPEAK Dates
Please refer to the
enclosed schedule. Please note the separate dates for first
time takers and retakes. In order for academic units to receive
scores as early as possible, first time test takers will be scheduled
earlier in October.
III. SPEAK
Registration
REGISTRATION
SYSTEM:
We will be using
the student's University Identification Number (UIN) for SPEAK
registration. Please inform your students that they will need
their UIN and a picture ID when they arrive for the test.
Since there are
limited spaces available, register your SPEAK examinees as soon as
possible by calling 333‑3370. When registering a student who is
retaking SPEAK, please be prepared to provide the following
information: number of times previously taken, course and section
number of ESL course, or the tutor's name. A student will not
be registered until this information is provided. Note:
Students may take the SPEAK test a maximum of three (3) times.
SPEAK sign-up for Fall 2004 will be accepted on or after
Monday, September 13. Individual departments will be responsible
for notifying their own students of the test date and time. SPEAK
results will be mailed to the department SPEAK representative in
approximately four to five weeks from the test date.
The tests will be
given in Room G17 of the Foreign Languages Building. Students should
arrive no later than the time assigned. It is recommended that
students taking the SPEAK test prepare in advance by listening to the
practice test in the Media Center of the Undergraduate Library.
Practice booklets are not available at CTE. Enclosed is a Procedures
and Pointers sheet describing SPEAK for examinees. Please give a
copy to each student whom you register for the SPEAK.
IV. SPEAK
Language Improvement Activities
The language
improvement requirement for those retaking SPEAK may be fulfilled by
enrollment and attendance in a graduate-level ESL course (ESL
504,
506, or 510) or obtaining a minimum of 10 hours of private language
tutoring with an CTE-approved tutor.
PLEASE NOTE:
-
To satisfy the
requirement, instruction must take place in a semester after
the SPEAK test was taken.
-
A tutor list is
available from the Division of English as an International Language
(DEIL) located at 3070 Foreign Languages Building.
-
A letter from the
tutor indicating completion of ten hours of tutoring must be brought
to the SPEAK test.
V. SPEAK Appeals
Please refer to the
enclosed schedule.
VI. ITA
Orientation
Attendance at the ITA
and All-Campus TA Orientations is required of new ITAs. Please notify
new ITAs, and continuing ITAs who are required to make up previously
missed orientation sessions, of the dates. Please refer to the
enclosed schedule.
JA/as
Enclosures
October 6, 2004
Faculty services