Many TAs who speak English as a second language overcome great linguistic and cultural barriers to be able to communicate effectively in the classroom. When Huaizhong Ren, a graduate student and TA, first came to the math department, his English was marginal, said Millie Stengel, administrator of graduate studies at the department. Ren learned written English in his homeland of China, but he found difficulty applying his knowledge in a classroom setting. The classes themselves were of nominal importance to improving his English skills, Ren said, compared to the experience of hearing everyday spoken English and watching American television with closed captions.
Asian languages are particularly difficult transitions to English.
Written Chinese consists of characters that are roughly equivalent to English words. The characters are then put together to form sentences. About 3,000 characters are necessary for everyday use, Ren said. Cultural differences can be at least as daunting as linguistic ones, said Sharon Salus, acting assistant director of the Maryland English Institute. American students rely more on discussion, Ren said.