Working with ESL Writers

                                                   Response to "English as a Second Language"
    "Working with ESL (English as a second language) writers" discusses the process of working with students whose first language is not English, from the overall goal to the minutia of the task. Throughout this article the author makes it a point to debunk several myths or stereotypes that new tutors may have. It covers the first day jitters down to what exactly ESL writers are looking for when they come into the writing center. After reading this I was a calmed as it also goes over myths we tutors have created for ourselves.

    The first stereotype that is discussed is that non-native speakers have a weak command of the standard written English language. It is true that speaking a language is much easier than writing it, so even though there is an accent in the voice and verb tenses may be incorrect, what they are saying can still be understand because we get the speaker's intention. The issue comes when the "accent" is visible on paper. I do believe NNS that come into our writing center have a weak command of the English written language. My personal experience has always been that the NNS speakers struggle more with writing than speaking. Our demographic as a junior college is different than a four year university whereas unlike a four year we have much older students who have speaking incorrectly longer then lets say a university student.

    The article goes on to address the dreaded time when we fight becoming editors rather than tutors. Many students both NNS (and native speakers) have come in with a finished ten page essay asking you to look over their grammar. What this paper points out is that they may not be talking about their grammar every time and we should not limit ourselves at look at every single line.  When they ask this question it is really a way of asking for feedback. They want to know if their vocabulary is adequate and if their organizational skills are up to par. Simple checking their verb tenses will not make them better writers.

    Overall I do have a few issues with this paper. The piece takes for granted that we are a four year university and that most our students are up to par with the most basic of writing skills. In reality the students' abilities vary greatly, as does the average in age. I also do not think our school is setting a level of ability needed to pass a course rather relying on how much progress has made since the beginning of the semester. I was reminded however to look into what NNS were really asking when they come into the WC. In the end I am grateful for having read his article.

Works Cited