strategies for helping ells in the writing center jason schlueter, ma
TRANSCRIPT
Strategies for Helping ELLs in the Writing CenterJASON SCHLUETER, MA
Pair and Share
What is your greatest challenge when working with ELL’s in the Writing Center?
What systematic approaches have you or your institution implemented to address these challenges?
My Background
Various Backgrounds Generation 1.5 Country of origin Socio-economic background Educational experiences Societal fog
Loaded Language “The language barrier” Public education Private tutoring Online tutoring “ESL” & First language
A Matter of Expectations
Pragmatic expectations Just getting through
Session expectations Editing versus teaching
Teacher Authority Best practices can be seen
Inflated perception of authority
Motivation Instrumental
Integrative
Adjustment Curve
Honeymoon
Interrupting event
Culture shock
Adjustment
Mastery
Fig 1. This graphic outlines the Oberg’s model of adjustment (Black & Mendenhall, 1990).
Symptoms of culture shock Anxiety
Homesickness
Boredom
Depression
Fatigue
Confusion
Self-doubt
Feelings of inadequacy
Unexplained fits of weeping
Paranoia
Physical Ailments and psychosomatic illness
Physical and/or psychological withdrawal Spending excessive amounts of time reading Need for excessive amounts of sleep Only seeing other people from your culture Avoiding contact with host nationals Short attention span Diminished productivity Loss of ability to work or study effectively Quitting and returning to your home country early
Compulsive eating Compulsive drinking Exaggerated cleanliness Irritability Family tensions Marital stress Excessive chauvinism Stereotyping Hostility toward host nationals Verbal aggressiveness Physical aggressiveness Deciding to stay but permanently hating the country and its people
Note. highlights some of the symptoms that people experience as they transition between cultures by Kohls, R. (2001) Survival Kit for Overseas Living. Maine: Intercultural Press Inc.
A Few More Distractors Teacher distractions
Personal curiosity
Outcomes
Personal bias
Student distractions Overestimating/underestimating
language proficiency
Mainstream vs. minority
Family narrative
Commitments
Productive and Receptive Skills Revisiting the idea of “language gap” Listening
Back channeling
Speaking Code and form switching as a matter of style
Reading An area of focus
Writing Rhetorical differences Reader versus writer focused cultures
Global – Local
Take-Away #1 – Use a fluid approach Think long-term
Relationship – text – outside resources Cultivate meta-awareness
Why is the student coming to you for tutoring? What things in your toolkit can you give to them?
Create question sets to help refocus the sessions Points of negotiation
Use your session notes to find patterns
Take-Away #2 – Help them with cultural and academic literacy
Connect them to college resources Cultivate critical thinking Coach them to persevere Technology Protocol Group work Cultural informants
Take-Away #3 - Remove barriers and empower Consider the Affective Filter Make connections Build on great content Learn about their learning style and educational
experiences Invite them back
A Few Websites Chomp Chomp - http://www.chompchomp.com/
Minneapolis ABE - https://abeweb.mpls.k12.mn.us/
Many Things - http://www.manythings.org/
ESL Point - http://www.eslpoint.com/
Phonetics: The Sounds of English and Spanish - http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english/frameset-ad3.html
BBC Learning Engilsh - http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
MN Literacy Council Journeys Publication - http://www.mnliteracy.org/journeys
Dave’s ESL Café - http://www.eslcafe.com/
Longman Dictionary - http://www.ldoceonline.com/
Writefix - http://writefix.com/
References Armstrong, S. L, Stahl N.A., and Boylan .H.R. (2014) Navigating Early College: Literacy Experiences and Identity
Negotiations of Latina/o Students. Teaching Developmental Reading: Historical, Theoretical and Practical Background Reading. Boston: Bedford St. Martens Print
Armstrong, S. L, Stahl N.A., and Boylan .H.R. (2014) Vocabulary Instruction in Community College Developmental Education Reading Classes. Teaching Developmental Reading: Historical, Theoretical and Practical Background Reading. Boston: Bedford St. Martens Print, 375-387
Black, J.S., & Mendenhall. (1990). The U-curve adjustment hypothesis revisited: A review and theoretical framework. Journal of International Business, 22(2), 222-247. Retrieved May 23, 2007, from JSTOR: http://www.jstor.org
Bernstein, S., Critical Language Awareness and Learners in College. Teaching Developmental Writing: Background Readings. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013. Print, 113-125.
Cruickshank, K., Newell, S., & Cole, S. (2003). Meeting English Language Needs in Teacher Education: a flexible support model for non-English speaking background students. Asia-Pacific Journal Of Teacher Education, 31(3), 239-247.
Dooley, K. (2004). Pedagogy in diverse secondary school classes: Legacies for higher education. Higher Education, 48(2), 231-252.
Harris, M., & Silva, T. (1993). Tutoring ESL students: Issues and options. College Composition and Communication, 44, 525-537.
Kohls, R. (2001) Survival Kit for Overseas Living. Maine: Intercultural Press Inc.
Kozar, O. (2014). The "Language Barrier" in Private Online Tutoring. European Education, 46(2), 74-96. doi:10.2753/EUE1056-4934460204
Murphy, C. & Sherwood, S. (2003). Reassessing the “Proofreading Trap”: ESL Tutoring and Writing Instruction The St. Martin’s sourcebook for writing tutors. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 267-284
Williams, J. (2004). Undergraduate second language writers in the writing center. Journal of Basic Writing, 21 (2), 73-91