【Article by EMI Resource Center】

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – The NCCU EMI Resource Center at National Chengchi University hosted its 114-2 End-of-Semester EMI TA Training Workshop today, May 18. Attracting teaching assistants (TAs) from diverse academic disciplines, the event featured Gina Jin—a Ph.D. candidate at the Graduate Institute of Technology, Innovation and Intellectual Property Management and writing advisor at the Center—as the keynote speaker.

Under the theme “Beyond Language: EMI Learning Support & Consultation Skills for TAs,” the workshop challenged participants to rethink their roles in English-Mediated Instruction (EMI) classrooms, shifting from "answer providers" to "learning facilitators."

Gina opened the workshop by asking, “What are the real difficulties students encounter?” While TAs frequently observe students struggling to follow lectures, misunderstanding assignments, or hesitating to ask questions, Gina emphasized that these issues extend beyond language proficiency.

"Students are not frustrated simply because their English is poor," Gina noted, "but because they do not know how to learn in English." She explained that these barriers are deeply rooted in comprehension, learning strategies, and self-confidence.

To equip TAs with systematic guidance skills, the workshop introduced two core practical frameworks:Three Consultation Frameworks and the DCG Model (Diagnose, Clarify, Guide). In Three Consultation Frameworks, TAs learned to categorize student struggles into comprehension, expression, or learning strategy issues. Gina advised that when a student asks a TA to "fix" a report or repeat a lecture, the TA should avoid doing the work for them. Instead, they should help the student identify the root cause—whether it is a lack of background knowledge, confusion over course logic, or unfamiliar terminology—and direct them to appropriate resources. On the other hand, the DCG Mode uses strategic questioning (e.g., “Where exactly are you stuck?” or “What methods have you already tried?”) to transform vague student anxiety into clearly defined problems, guiding them back to course materials to build independent problem-solving skills.

During the second half of the workshop, TAs engaged in case analyses and role-playing exercises simulating real EMI classroom scenarios. Participants played roles as students, TAs, and observers to practice scaffolding and strategic questioning techniques. Many attendees reflected that their greatest challenge was resisting the impulse to provide immediate answers. TAs also shared that when students lack disciplinary background knowledge, effective support often means recommending supplementary materials, such as explanatory videos, to help them build a foundational understanding.

In her closing remarks, Gina emphasized that EMI TAs are crucial supporters and facilitators in a student's academic journey. She encouraged participants to approach future challenges through the lens of long-term learning support rather than quick fixes. Workshop participants noted that the training not only provided practical consultation strategies but also deepened their understanding of the professional role and value of EMI teaching assistants.