The doctoral student should engage in university teaching while in the doctoral program. Teaching can be in the form of a teaching assistant or co-teaching. In special cases, the doctoral student may be assigned as the lead instructor for a course. Teaching assistants assist faculty with day-to-day course management. Activities may include grading, online course management, designing class activities, class management, hosting office hours, and delivering some lectures. Students who co-teach take additional responsibilities that include syllabus design, planning instruction, delivering course content, additional grading, and managing the classroom environment.
Teaching Assistant Orientation
All doctoral students serving as a teaching assistant for a special education course must attend a College of Education Teaching Assistant Academy held at the beginning of the fall semester. Additionally, the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) website provides information and support for teaching.
English Proficiency Interview
The University requires a high level of English proficiency for those who teach. To ensure that teaching assistants, co-teachers, and instructors of record have a successful teaching experience, Illinois’s policy requires the following: International and non-native English-speaking graduate students must demonstrate oral English proficiency prior to being appointed as classroom instructors. This includes TA appointments for face-to-face classes, blended and online instruction, accompanying/coaching, and office hours. For more information, please see the Oral English Assessment (EPI) website.
Assistantships, Traineeships, and Unpaid Experiences
Assistantships
Assistantships are funded through the department or a grant. A student may be assigned as a Research Assistant (RA) or Teaching Assistant (TA). In some instances, an assistantship may double as program experience. For example, a student may be paid to be a research assistant and gain experience and opportunities to publish a manuscript that may be related to their special field exam. These experiences are assigned based on needs of the department and in consultation with the advisor.
Traineeships
These are experiences that are unique to Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)-funded scholars. Students receive stipends through their fellowship opportunities and in return provide service in the form of teaching assistance or research assistance. These experiences are assigned based on the needs of the student’s fellowship and are determined by the principal investigator in consultation with the advisor.
Unpaid Experiences
Students may elect to volunteer their time to join a research project or lab. Students wishing to gain formal TA experience that is unpaid must register for independent study credits in consultation with the faculty member they have asked to teach with.
Evaluation of Students in Assistantships and Traineeships
The immediate supervisor evaluates Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants, and Trainees in the Department of Special Education. Evaluations are conducted at the midway point and end of each semester. The completed electronic evaluation is shared with the student, and a copy of the signed evaluation is kept in the student’s permanent file. Assistantship and traineeship evaluations are taken into consideration when students are being recommended for continued funding.
Congratulations! You've taken the first step to becoming a student of the College of Education. The application process is different for undergraduate and graduate studies.