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”

Rhetorical PatternsRhetorical Patterns• Usual culpritUsual culprit

Cultural Rhetorical PatternsCultural Rhetorical Patterns

EnglishEnglish• LinearLinear

SemiticSemitic• ParallelParallel

OrientalOriental• IndirectIndirect

RomanceRomance• DigressiveDigressive

EnglishEnglish

LinearLinear Clearly stated thesisClearly stated thesis

• Developed step-by-stepDeveloped step-by-step Topic sentenceTopic sentence

• SupportSupport• SupportSupport

Periodic “Reminders of the Periodic “Reminders of the thesis”thesis”

Primarily uni-directionalPrimarily uni-directional

SemiticSemitic

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

CulturalCultural• Disorganized / RamblingDisorganized / Rambling• RepetitiveRepetitive• Unoriginal/plagiarizedUnoriginal/plagiarized

LinguisticLinguistic• Grammatical errorsGrammatical errors

Appropriate ResponsesAppropriate Responses

#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

• 3 to 5 choices3 to 5 choices

Provide StructureProvide Structure

Basic organizational patternsBasic organizational patterns• Paragraph Paragraph

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

(remember rhetorical patterns!)(remember rhetorical patterns!)

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

Participial adjectivesParticipial adjectives

ClausesClauses• Noun clauses—“slots”Noun clauses—“slots”• Adjective clausesAdjective clauses

Reduced formsReduced forms

• Articles—count vs. non-countArticles—count vs. non-count

TransitionTransition Reference List Reference List (Rhetorical pattern influence)(Rhetorical pattern influence)

Verb Tenses Reference Verb Tenses Reference TextText

ChartChart - Azar - Azar

- Murphy- Murphy

Active VS. PassiveActive VS. Passive

-”ing” VS. “ed”-”ing” VS. “ed”

Articles– count VS. non-countArticles– count VS. non-count

SIMPLE PRESENTSIMPLE PRESENT

Tom Tom studiesstudies every day. every day.

PRESENT PROGRESSIVEPRESENT PROGRESSIVE

Tom Tom is studying is studying right now.right now.

PRESENT PERFECTPRESENT PERFECT

Tom Tom hashas already already studiedstudied Chapter One.Chapter One.

PRESENT PERFECT PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVEPROGRESSIVE

Tom Tom has been studyinghas been studying for for two hours.two hours.

SIMPLE PASTSIMPLE PAST

Tom Tom studied studied last nightlast night

PAST PROGRESSIVEPAST PROGRESSIVE

Tom Tom was studying was studying when when they came.they came.

PAST PERFECTPAST PERFECT

Tom Tom hadhad already already studiedstudied Chapter One before he Chapter One before he began studying Chapter Two.began studying Chapter Two.

PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVEPAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

Tom Tom had been studyinghad been studying for for two hours before his friends two hours before his friends came.came.

SIMPLE FUTURESIMPLE FUTURE

Tom Tom will studywill study tomorrow. tomorrow.

FUTURE PROGRESSIVEFUTURE PROGRESSIVE

Tom Tom will be studyingwill be studying when when you come.you come.

FUTURE PERFECTFUTURE PERFECT

Tom Tom willwill already already have have studied studied Chapter Four before Chapter Four before he studies Chapter Five.he studies Chapter Five.

FUTURE PERFECT FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVEPROGRESSIVE

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)

““slots”slots”• subject / verb / (D.O.) / (I.O.)subject / verb / (D.O.) / (I.O.)

The boy / drove / the carThe boy / drove / the car The tall boy / recklessly drove / the car that The tall boy / recklessly drove / the car that

he had stolenhe had stolen The unbelievably tall boy wearing a torn, The unbelievably tall boy wearing a torn,

black leather jacket and a broken pair of black leather jacket and a broken pair of handcuffs….handcuffs….

Adjective clausesAdjective clauses

reduced formsreduced forms• Remember the verb!Remember the verb!

PlacementPlacement• Touch the word it describesTouch the word it describes

RelaxRelax

Look for patternsLook for patterns One thing at a timeOne thing at a time Develop referral systemDevelop referral system