Although TAs attending these courses aren't cleared for work with students, they do not lose their assistantship, Salus said. They can still work in the department doing activities such as grading papers or tutoring, Salus said. Despite measures taken by individual departments and the Maryland English Institute, students still claim to have difficulty understanding foreign TAs. But there is a fine line between the TA having difficulty with the language and having difficulty with the material, which is sometimes blurred. Sophomore biology major Charlotte Atiemo agreed students are sometimes too hard on foreign TAs.
Some people are just biased.
In the entomology department, foreign TAs are eligible for special awards, Higgins said. All articles and materials contained herein are property of the Diamondback newspaper, copyright 1998. If you'd like to reprint or reuse them, please contact us .