This paper presents the results of a study to identify the specific needs graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) in speech communication have while teaching. Six GTAs completed a description of their experience as GTAs, maintained a day-by-day teaching log and participated in a group discussion. The paper uses a qualitative-phenomenological approach to reduce and interpret the data. The results presented in the paper give a definition of the GTA experience. The paper identifies specific needs that can be implemented in a GTA training program. One table of data and three tables listing GTA needs are included. (Contains 20 references.) (Author/RS)