10C
Monday,August19,1996
CAMPUS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Some students find fault with foreign TAs
They are confusing speak too quickly students complain
By Brian Vestle
Special to the Kansan
For some students, just passing economics is a challenge. But students may find themselves facing yet another challenge: a language barrier.
Students say they are frustrated with foreign teaching assistants' ability to present material. Many students complain that the teaching assistants speak in a cluttered and confusing manner and too quickly to understand.
"They really make understanding economics twice as hard," said Jason Leiker, Kansas City, Mo., senior. "Not only do you have to deal with the difficult material, but you also have to try and comprehend this material from someone who is just as confused."
The problem has led some students to enroll in economics classes during the add/drop period to get a discussion class not taught by a foreign student, said Jason Edmondson, Lawrence junior.
"A lot of students hear things from their friends or other students who have taken discussion classes with international teaching assistants," he said. "It persuades them to do everything they can try and enroll in a non-international teaching assistant's class."
But professors say they only accept students who have the knowledge and ability to teach economics as part of the graduate assistant program.
Gautam Bhattacharyya, director of the economics graduate assistant program, said the department made sure foreign students took the necessary steps before they were admitted to the program.
Foreign students who want to become graduate assistants must pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
"They try and use the teaching assistant's ability as a scapegoat."
Sombit Barat
Calcutta, India, graduate student
and the Test of Written English. More importantly, they also must pass the Test of Spoken English with a minimum score of 570, a score set by the Applied English Center, said Christa Hansen, speak test coordinator in the center.
"We want an international student to be able to really grasp the English language before they even begin to teach," Hansen said. "Compared to other Big Eight
schools' requirements, a minimum score of 570 is a tough limit to reach.
Last spring, eight of the 17 teaching assistants in economics were foreign students. All passed the required tests.
One of the teaching assistants, Sonjit Barat, Calcutta, India, graduate student, who is graduate assistant in ECON 522, said that teaching assistants knew that students had some difficulty understanding them and that assistants tried to make necessary adjustments.
"We try to speak slower and repeat things three or four times when we are presenting or discussing material," Barat said. "We try to open up a discussion amongst the students and ask for questions throughout the class. We also try to schedule extra office hours whenever we can give a student the opportunity to come and talk to us one-on-one."
Some teaching assistants think that students themselves often are to blame. Mike Wentz, graduate assistant in ECON 520, said many students did not take advantage of the opportunities to meet
with teaching assistants.
"The students who are really serious about getting a good grade in the class and learning the material put forth the effort," Wentz said. "The other students who are not as serious do not," Wentz said.
Barat said students who didn't put in the effort blame their problems on the presentation of the material.
"This situation really plays easily into the students' hands when they are not confident in the way they are performing in the class," Barat said. "They try and use the teaching assistant's ability as a scapegoat."
Most of the teaching assistants say they do a good job overall. This semester two economics teaching assistants have been nominated for teaching awards.
"We are really good at what we are trying to teach," Wentz said. "Some of us are not quite there yet, but the graduate experience will enable us to practice on clearly presenting what we know about economics."
Cooling off
Casey Ramos, 11, (left) and Shannon Fisher, 10, enjoy swimming lessons at the Lawrence Aquatic Center, 741 Kentucky St. After more than two
months of delays due to bad weather. The center, which features a zero-depth entry, finally opened to the public July 20.
Edmée Rodriguez / KANSAN
Homesick students can find help,comfort
By Jean Norton Kansan staff writer
Leaving home for the first time may make some students homesick, but there are people at the University of Kansas who can help.
Counseling and Psychological Services, or CAPS, located on the second floor of Watkins Memorial Health Center, helps students deal with homesickness or any other emotional problems they may be having. The program offers individual and group counseling, said Frank DeSalvo Jr., program director.
"Some students miss the routine of seeing family and friends everyday," he said. "These students need to develop a kind of surrogate family here but sometimes need some help."
Students who are enrolled and have paid campus fees are eligible to use the program, DeSalvo said. The first session is free and each additional session is $9. Group therapy sessions form when there are enough students with similar problems.
The program's staff includes licensed social workers, psychologists and a psychiatrist.
Many students are too embarrassed to ask for help, but feeling sad after leaving home is normal, DeSalvo said.
"The point is to understand that this does happen to many folks," he said. "It is a natural part of developing
independence. It's not a weakness but an indication of transition."
Students who don't know anyone should make one good friend, DeSalvo said. If the student has trouble making that kind of connection, then the program can help develop these skills.
The Student Assistance Center also can help students who are having problems adjusting to life at the University. The center specializes in helping create better study habits and improving time management. It's located in 22 Strong Hall and can be reached at 864-4064.
Lorna Zimmer, director of the center, said center personnel find out what the students miss and help them get an idea of what their needs are.
"I think almost everybody has homesickness." Zimmersaid.
Homesick students can also find help at the KU Psychological Clinic, which provides outpatient mental health services to students and the Lawrence community. The staff includes licensed clinical psychologists, licensed social workers and graduate students in clinical psychology.
The clinic is located in 315 Fraser and is open from 12:30 to 4:30 Monday through Friday. Its phone number is 864-4121. KU students pay is $6 an hour; non-students pay $42 an hour.
Services at all three clinics are confidential.
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