Seminar for International Teaching Assistants (SITA)

All International GraduateTeaching Assistants (GTAs) at FAU must demonstrate specific standards of language proficiency in order to begin classroom instruction and in order to maintain eligibility for tuition and stipend benefits. The Seminar for International Teaching Assistants (SITA) prepares international GTAs to achieve and maintain these standards. SITA is a collaboration between the Graduate College and the Center for Global Engagement through the Intensive English Institute.

SITA prepares international graduate students to teach/assist with the instruction of certain undergraduate courses at FAU. Such preparation includes developing an understanding of the teaching role in American university classrooms, training in English pronunciation and intonation, practicing classroom communication skills, and learning teaching strategies.

All International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) must successfully complete the SITA course in fulfillment of the state requirement to ensure that international faculty, including GTAs, have the appropriate level of English proficiency to perform well in the classroom.

SITA Registration Deadline: September 1, 2025

SITA Waiver Deadline: September 3, 2025

Registration for SITA:

All new international GTAs must enroll in the SITA course. You are a new International GTA if this is the first time you have a GTA position with FAU, regardless of whether this is your first semester at FAU. The course is offered in the fall and spring semesters.

The course is also available to other international GAs or graduate students who do not currently have a GTA assignment but plan to seek a position for future semesters.

Click HERE for SITA Enrollment Instructions

The Fall 2025 SITA course begins on Friday, September 5 and ends on Friday, October 10, 2025. The program consists of the following:

Communicative Language Speaking Skills in the Academic Setting

A six-module online course focused on speech, pronunciation, intonation, and other speaking strategies to support international GTAs with effective communication. This course is required for all international GTAs; however, a waiver may be granted under special circumstance. Participants will be provided with access to the Blue Canoe app for pronunciation based activities and will be required to complete a 10 to 15 lesson presentation. Assignments and the final presentations must be completed before October 10.

The American Classroom Workshop Series (mandatory for all new international GTAs and open to all international GAs and other international graduate students who plan to seek a GA position in the future)

The workshops focus on communicative language in the academic context of working with undergraduate students in the U.S. university setting. All workshops will be held on Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in DP49 (Center for Global Engagment) Room 101.

Workshop 1 (mandatory for all new international GTAs): Overview of SITA (Discussion of academic and learning expectations in the U.S. setting) (September 5); facilitator: Aviva Katzenell, Academic Director and Coordinator of the SITA Program.

Workshops 2, 3 and 4 are required of all international GTAs without any prior teaching experience in the U.S. college or university setting

Workshop 2: Understanding the Context of the American College Classroom (September 12); facilitator: Konstancja Szymanska, Director of the Intensive English Institute

Workshop 3: Effective Engagement in the University Classroom (September 19); facilitator: Angel Nevin, Assistant Director -- Quality Enhancement Plan and Learning Assistant

Workshop 4: Academic Motivation for Teaching and Learning (September 26); facilitator: Viktoria Korogodsky, Global Learning Specialist

All program participants are invited to participate in the final fall SITA event:

Course Completion Certificates and Social Gathering: Friday, October 10 (time and location TBD).

How to Apply for a SITA Waiver

Deadline to submit the SITA waiver for Fall 2025 is Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Eligibility Criteria (you must meet all three criteria below):

1) Language Proficiency (check at least one of the following criteria):

___ iBT TOEFL composite score of 80+ with a minimum score of 26 in the speaking section, OR

___ A minimum score of 7 on the IELTS test, OR

___ Studied and received bachelor’s degree or higher from an institution of higher education with the primary medium of instruction in English

2) Departmental Recommendation:

The academic department chair must sign the SITA Waiver Form to recommend the waiver.

Upon submitting the waiver request, the SITA Administrator will review the waiver application along with the recording you provided as part of your SITA registration and make a recommendation to the Graduate College.The SITA administrator will notify you and your department chair of the final decision.

Contact: Aviva Katzenell, Academic Director and SITA Administrator (sita@fau.edu).