Criteria for Language Appointments
Revised Spring 2021
*The term TA (Teaching Assistant) is used as the general term for apprentice personnel, although there are actually three categories of teaching assistants (assistant, associate, fellow).
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
All appointments must meet the eligibility criteria of Graduate Education.
TA APPOINTMENTS TO LANGUAGE COURSES
General Considerations:
The Department has three goals: a) to provide the best possible teaching in Lower Division courses; b) to offer all our graduate students training and experience in college-level language instruction.
SPAN 495 is required of all new TAs. Students’ performance in SPAN 495 is taken into consideration by the Undergraduate Affairs Committee when making initial teaching appointments.
The Department will do its best to accommodate TA preferences, offer professional development opportunities, and consider the instructor’s ability to perform well in the assigned course. The Department is committed to assigning teaching responsibilities fairly and equitably.
The Department strongly encourages all TAs to take advantage of the multiple opportunities that S&P and UCLA at large offer for pedagogical training and other professional development. It is the expectation of the Department that all TAs will exercise their due diligence in these areas in order to ensure the maximum quality of instruction for the undergraduate students enrolled in our language courses.
The Department strongly encourages TAs to apply to teach all levels of Spanish (L2 series, Heritage Language series, Advanced Composition, and Intensive Spanish) throughout their tenure, in order to ensure a well-rounded teaching portfolio once they enter the job market.
The Department strongly encourages all TAs in the Portuguese section to apply to teach all levels of Portuguese (PORT 1, 2, 3, 11A, and 11B), as well as Spanish (L2 series, Heritage Language series, Advanced Composition, and Intensive Spanish) throughout their tenure, in order to ensure a well-rounded teaching portfolio once they enter the job market.
Procedures:
All applicants are rated by the Undergraduate Affairs Committee (UGAC) with the assistance of the Director of the Language Program (DLP). Subsequently, a ranked list of all applicants and assignments is presented to the Department Chair for approval. Any proposed changes to the ranking must be discussed by the UGAC.