The Writing Center The Writing Center and Non-Native and Non-Native Speakers of English Speakers of English Amy Spencer Amy Spencer Director of the Academic Director of the Academic Resource Center Resource Center Ohio Dominican University Ohio Dominican University Ohio Writing Center Consortium February 16, 2007
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The Writing Center and Non-Native Speakers of English Amy Spencer Director of the Academic Resource Center Director of the Academic Resource Center Ohio.
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The Writing Center The Writing Center and Non-Native Speakers and Non-Native Speakers
of English of English
Amy SpencerAmy Spencer
Director of the Academic Resource Director of the Academic Resource CenterCenter
Ohio Dominican UniversityOhio Dominican University
Ohio Writing Center Consortium
February 16, 2007
Q #1Q #1
What is the cultural / linguistic background of your students?
Q #2Q #2
What frustrates you in your What frustrates you in your interactions w/ESOL writers? interactions w/ESOL writers?
What are you seeing that you What are you seeing that you find difficult to deal with?find difficult to deal with?
OverviewOverview Challenges Challenges
• CulturalCultural• LinguisticLinguistic
Appropriate ResponsesAppropriate Responses
Cultural Cultural
Expectations of educationExpectations of education• StructureStructure• Teacher = authorityTeacher = authority
Understanding of timeUnderstanding of time• MonochronicMonochronic• PolychronicPolychronic
Student passively agreeableStudent passively agreeable• Well educated person quotes “masters”Well educated person quotes “masters”
Parallel structureParallel structure Redundant Redundant WordyWordy ““Takes too long to Takes too long to
get to the point”get to the point”
Parallel construction in Hebrew:Parallel construction in Hebrew:
Give until the Lord,Give until the Lord, O ye sons of the mighty, O ye sons of the mighty, Give unto the Lord Give unto the Lord glory and strength glory and strength
Oriental
Confucius says…..
Indirect
Romance RussianRomance Russian
DigressionExtraneous material
Plus entirely different sentence structure
American Traffic Law as Compared with Traffic American Traffic Law as Compared with Traffic law in Switzerlandlaw in Switzerland
At first glance the traffic law in United States At first glance the traffic law in United States appeared to me simpler than in Switzerland.appeared to me simpler than in Switzerland.
The American towns in general have the The American towns in general have the disposition of a cross, and for a driver who knows disposition of a cross, and for a driver who knows how to situate himself between the four cardinal how to situate himself between the four cardinal points, there is no problem to find his way. Each points, there is no problem to find his way. Each street has numbers going crescendo from the street has numbers going crescendo from the center of the town to the outside.center of the town to the outside.
There are many accidents in Switzerland, as There are many accidents in Switzerland, as everywhere else, and the average of mortality everywhere else, and the average of mortality comparatively to the proportion of the countries comparatively to the proportion of the countries is not better than in the United States. We have is not better than in the United States. We have the problem of straight streets, not enough the problem of straight streets, not enough surveillance by policemen on the national roads, surveillance by policemen on the national roads, and alcohol. The country of delicious wines has and alcohol. The country of delicious wines has made too many damages. (Kaplan, 19)made too many damages. (Kaplan, 19)
Linguistic? Or Cultural?Linguistic? Or Cultural?
Most of what we’re calling linguistic errors Most of what we’re calling linguistic errors are culturally basedare culturally based
#1 Do not assume shared #1 Do not assume shared expectations expectations
you are probably not starting on the you are probably not starting on the same pagesame page
Don’t rely on “tried and true” Don’t rely on “tried and true” methods that you use with native methods that you use with native speakers of Englishspeakers of English
MisMatch!MisMatch! Because collaborative Because collaborative
techniques depend so techniques depend so heavily on shared basic heavily on shared basic assumptions or patterns, assumptions or patterns, conferences that attempt conferences that attempt merely to take the merely to take the techniques we use with techniques we use with native-speaking writers native-speaking writers and apply them to ESL and apply them to ESL writers may fail to assist writers may fail to assist the writers we intend to the writers we intend to help (Powers 370).help (Powers 370).
Uncomfortable!Uncomfortable!
More intervention than considered More intervention than considered appropriate with native-speaking appropriate with native-speaking writerswriters
Informant rather than collaboratorInformant rather than collaborator Stay with student when possibleStay with student when possible
• Learn culture if possibleLearn culture if possible• Avoid assumptions of common groundAvoid assumptions of common ground
New ApproachNew Approach
Traditional conferencing strategiesTraditional conferencing strategies• Share 5-paragraph backgroundShare 5-paragraph background• Read out loud to hear & correct the problemRead out loud to hear & correct the problem• Assumes a native earAssumes a native ear
For ESL student, shift toFor ESL student, shift to• Analyze assignments to see exactly what is Analyze assignments to see exactly what is
expectedexpected• Think aloud composingThink aloud composing• Model processModel process
Information GatheringInformation Gathering
Explicit guidelines Explicit guidelines • Communicate with facultyCommunicate with faculty• Gather information @ audience Gather information @ audience
expectationsexpectations• Supply formats for presenting written Supply formats for presenting written
responses to various academic responses to various academic audiences and inform students of what audiences and inform students of what their audiences will expect in terms of their audiences will expect in terms of presentation, evidence, phrasing, etc presentation, evidence, phrasing, etc
Pre-WritingPre-Writing
May need assistanceMay need assistance• interpreting the background readinginterpreting the background reading• referring to the text appropriatelyreferring to the text appropriately
Talk through the processTalk through the process Relate to syllabus (objectives)Relate to syllabus (objectives) Discuss sample paper/paragraphDiscuss sample paper/paragraph
Example: Dr. HallExample: Dr. Hall
Character is ____________Character is ____________• What makes you think so?What makes you think so?• Textual supportTextual support• IntegratedIntegrated• Correctly citedCorrectly cited
What does “Good” Look Like?What does “Good” Look Like?
Provide sample essaysProvide sample essays Models of phrasingModels of phrasing Emphasis on student intentionEmphasis on student intention
• ““What do YOU want to say?”What do YOU want to say?” Sentence patternsSentence patterns
ChecklistChecklist Transition (“Known to New”)Transition (“Known to New”)
EssayEssay• Always link to syllabus/expectationsAlways link to syllabus/expectations
ReadingReading• Be aware that this may be the Be aware that this may be the
underlying problemunderlying problem
Later InterventionLater Intervention
Process approach is preferableProcess approach is preferable But…But… What to do with a “done deal”?What to do with a “done deal”? Higher Order Concerns Higher Order Concerns
Problems & Possible SolutionsProblems & Possible Solutions
Redundant?Redundant?• Mark all repetitionMark all repetition• Choose one (or combine)Choose one (or combine)
Disorganized?Disorganized?• Write content of sentences in margin Write content of sentences in margin • Rearrange to combine like itemsRearrange to combine like items• Add controlling idea (topic sentence)Add controlling idea (topic sentence)
Awful Grammar?Awful Grammar?• = Probably Linguistic= Probably Linguistic
Grammatical ErrorsGrammatical Errors
TransitionTransition• Verb tenseVerb tense• Active vs. PassiveActive vs. Passive
Tom Tom will have been will have been studyingstudying for two hours by for two hours by the time his roommate gets the time his roommate gets home.home.
Summary Chart Of Verb Tenses
Azar, 1999
Clauses (Clauses (often related to often related to fragments)fragments)