Teaching Assistants in Italian

Note: Dates on this page are for the Spring 2024 application process. This information will be updated for the upcoming academic year when available.

Information for TA Candidates in Italian

Thank you for your interest in the teaching assistantships at Bryn Mawr College’s Transnational Italian Studies Department.

At the beginning level, Teaching Assistants supplement and support Italian language classes by teaching group sessions. To acquire some fundamental pedagogical skills, Teaching Assistants have to participate in a pre-employment language workshop, which usually takes place on the Thursday and Friday before the beginning of the fall semester. During these two days, TA candidates are exposed to major trends and techniques in language acquisition theory and praxis. TA candidates will be selected at the end of the workshop.

Three assistantships are available this year for beginning classes. To be eligible for such a position, you must be a Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, or Swarthmore undergraduate student and be enrolled in or have completed courses at the 200-level or have equivalent proficiency in Italian.

IMPORTANT: Assistants are selected by the department at the end of the workshop. Please note that we try to place as many candidates as possible but we cannot promise you a job ahead of time. If you are on financial aid you should therefore make sure you have a secure job for next year in addition to this one.

At the beginning level, the Teaching Assistant is responsible for:

1.  One hour/week drilling the students with the material taught by the instructor in the Masterclasses; supervising interactive and task-oriented activities designed to encourage communication in the target language. Such activities include rapid-paced communicative drills, dialogues, pantomime, role-playing, discussions, debates, interviews, skits, and videos.
    
2.  Preparing for the sessions.
    
3. Meeting with the course coordinator for problem-solving and discussion of the following week's activities.

Total: 2 ½ hours per week as follows:

• 1-hour teaching group session on Fridays or Mondays.
• 1-hour preparation.
•  ½ hour meeting with the course coordinator (time to be arranged).

Occasionally, assistants teach two sections. Since they prepare the same material for two sections, the total number of hours would then be 3.5 hours.

You will be paid a good work-study rate for these positions. The rate for 2023/2024 is $14.00 per hour (the rate for 2024/2025 TBD). Interested candidates in these positions must read the general information about the position, interview with the coordinator, Giulio Genovese, and complete the online application form by May 1^st.

Once you have been notified that your application has been received and accepted, please fill out the online Italian TA Registration Form at your earliest convenience, but no later than June 1^st.

Transnational Italian Studies Department