Communication between Russian teaching assistants and American undergraduate students

Thesis (M.A.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2004This research employs qualitative narrative analysis in order to better understand the lived experience of American undergraduate students' interactive relationships with Russian Teaching Assistants particularly in Communication courses 13lx 'Fundamentals of Oral Communication - Group Context' and 141x 'Fundamentals of Oral Communication - Public Speaking' at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Narrative interviews revealed several emergent themes. They are: assertiveness in the classroom, language barrier, grading difficulties, Russian TAs' enthusiasm, and getting used to the classroom environment.Introduction -- I. Literature review -- Statement of the problem -- Culture -- Culture shock and cultural adjustment -- American values and assumptions -- Individualism and privacy -- Equality -- Informality -- Directness and assertiveness -- A Russian TA in the UAF classroom -- II. Methodology -- Co-researchers -- Interviews -- Narrative analysis -- Researcher as a tool -- III. Description of co-researchers' narratives -- Isaiah's narrative interview -- Sarah's narrative interview -- Dave's narrative interview -- Amie's narrative interview -- Steve's narrative interview -- Carly's narrative interview -- Tatyana and Irina's narrative interview -- Narrative summary -- IV. Narrative analysis -- Assertiveness in the classroom -- Language barrier -- Grading difficulties -- Russian TA's enthusiasm -- Getting used to the classroom environment -- Summary -- References -- Appendix