IU Indianapolis policy requires that international teaching assistants (TAs) who are being considered for an instructional role in which they will have direct contact with undergraduate students must demonstrate their English proficiency before beginning their appointment. The IU Indianapolis Policy on Oral English Competency for International TAs can be found on the Graduate Office Testing website.
In the SPEAK test, you demonstrate how well you speak English. The test lasts approximately 20 minutes. You will hear recorded questions in your headphones, and your answers will be recorded. The questions are also printed in the test book and the time you will have to answer each one is printed after each question. You are encouraged to answer the questions as completely as possible in the time allowed. While some of the questions on the test may not appear to be directly related to your academic or professional field, each question is designed to tell the raters about your oral language ability. The raters will evaluate how well you communicate in English.
You do not have to sound like a native speaker of English to pass the SPEAK Test. Focus on speaking clearly, confidently, and with as few errors as possible, in a way that you would be easily understood by undergraduate students from the U.S. Midwest.
There are three possible outcomes of the SPEAK Test. If you obtain a score between 50-60, you can be a TA and won’t have to take an EAP course. If you get a score between 40-59, you must enroll in ENG G520 while performing your instructional duties. A score below 40 means you must successfully complete ENG G520 before taking on instructional duties.
Please contact your academic advisor if you believe you need to take this test.