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Focused Writing Centers for English Language Learners: Advancing ELLs and English-Fluent Tutors’ Academic Skills
Charis Elliott & Mailinh NguyenLEAP Intensive English ProgramWright State University
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How Do You Give Feedback?
▪ A student needs help with his/her homework. What kind of help would you give?
▪ Individually
▪ Read the student’s writing.
▪ What kind of feedback would you give? How?
▪ In small groups
▪ Discuss the feedback you would give.
▪ Discuss how you would prepare a tutor (non-instructor) to give good feedback.
▪ Share your small group’s thoughts with the large group.
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Giving Feedback
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Wright State University’s Problems & Solutions
▪ The University Writing Center’s difficulties▪ IEP – a lot of demand for
language acquisition help (vs. university-level writing help)
▪ UWC workers did not feel adequately trained to help them.
▪ The UWC’s funding is for university students. IEP students are not part of the university yet.
▪ The LEAP Learning Center▪ LEAP – our IEP (Learning
English for Academic Purposes)
▪ Started as the LEAP Writing Center & expanded with the “expertise” of our tutors (aka consultants)
▪ A place for our IEP students to get one-on-one help with their assignments
▪ One-time appointments (not typical tutoring)
▪ Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013 so far
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Initial Model: University Writing Center
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Research▪ UWC practices for native speakers don’t quite fit ELLs’ needs because...
▪ tutors are discouraged from addressing grammar or addressing issues line-by-line.
▪ cultural differences between tutors and NS students aren’t as big of an issue.
▪ What different things do ELLs need from a tutoring session?• “Tutors should be comfortable using a directive approach, especially with
local concerns such as grammar, punctuation, idioms, and word usage. “ (Barnett & Blumner, 2001)
• Tutors to help them overcome cultural differences in communication style (Bruce & Rafoth, 2004)
• Tutors’ expertise as an English speaker, experience in academic settings, and understanding of American culture
• Tutors to listen carefully as miscommunication is common
• Your additions?
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Source of Tutors: Integration with University Classes
▪ Collaboration with TESOL professors and their courses
▪ Getting volunteers from English Honors courses, Education majors, etc.
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Tutor Training▪ Go to tutors’ classrooms for about 30 minutes at the
beginning of the semester before sessions start
▪ Provide a training PowerPoint ahead of time for them to read
▪ Answer questions they have about procedures
▪ Demonstrate a bit of a session (role-play)
▪ Make ourselves available for questions throughout the term▪ email, office hours, etc.
▪ Provide reference materials for them during sessions
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The “Paperwork”▪ Google Drive
▪ Forms for students to bring to their session
▪ Instructors’ assignments
▪ Collection of common problems & solutions from instructors
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Tutor Sign-up Doc▪ Tutors are given a
deadline of when to finish signing up for all their times.
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LEAP Student Sign-up Doc▪ Instructors are the only
ones who have access to this document.
▪ Instructors are the only ones who can sign up the students.
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LLC Student Session Form
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Nuts & Bolts▪ 3 days a week, 2 hours a day (four 30-minute sessions),
Weeks 4-14
▪ Tutors sign up for their time slots on a Google doc before sessions begin for the term.
▪ Number of tutors may vary with LEAP classes’ demand (projects).
▪ LEAP faculty on hand as supervisors to take attendance, answer questions, & make resources available to tutors
▪ Ideally we’d have one room with computers; we take what we can get.
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Tutors’ Comments
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Students’ Comments▪ “Some people [tutors] are good, but some people are not good.”
▪ Be careful that tutors come from classes that should know English teaching well.
▪ Supervisor more vigilant to stave off wrong information
▪ “In my opinion, writing center can not help me to develop my ideas . However, I found them very helpful to correct the grammatical errors.”
▪ This is one student’s experience. Other participants have directly mentioned help given with the earlier parts of the writing process.
▪ Make sure tutors and students keep their roles in mind – students should be attaining skills to correct their own mistakes.
▪ “They help me to recognize the grammatical errors by my self. And that was very helpful for me.”
▪ “Learn how to write a Amercan essay better"
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Results & Changes We’ve Made▪ “Going green”▪ Electronic schedule
▪ Electronic sign-up
▪ Space
▪ Appointments unfilled & dealing with no-shows
▪ More efficient training
▪ FAQ Documents
▪ Still working: ▪ Faster contact method in
case of emergency absence (tutor)
▪ Students should have a better understanding of what they need when they arrive.
▪ Making sure students come completely prepared
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Application Activity (time permitting) ▪ Discuss in a small group:
▪ Is there a need for something like this in your program?
▪ What similarities and differences does your program have to a college-level IEP?
▪ How would those similarities & differences affect your application of this model to your context?
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QUESTIONS?
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Resources & Feedback▪ Our documents:
http://ohiotesolmoodle.org/2013/handouts/session_c.html
▪ Individual session feedback: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/otesol13s
▪ Overall conference feedback: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/otesol13 . In order to receive a certificate of attendance we ask that you fill out this survey.
▪ Ohio University’s OPIE Writing Lab: http://www.ohio.edu/linguistics/opie/writing_lab.html
▪ Feel free to email Charis ([email protected]) if you have any questions in your own endeavors to set up a learning center!
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References▪ Barnett, R. W., & Blumner, J. S. (2001). The Allyn &
Bacon guide to writing center: Theory and practice. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
▪ Bruce, S., & Rafoth, B. A. (Eds.). (2004). ESL writers: A guide for writing center tutors. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers.