By Deepti Dhir
In a recent cross-consultation, Titcha and I came up with model discussions in one-to-one sessions that meet the goal of language learning. These ten consultant-student conversations stand out in that they are not responses to errors in a student’s draft, but ways to meaningfully address the question, “How do I improve my English?” in a writing center session.
We can talk with students about:
1. What has been helpful in the past
Language learners usually have some sense of the techniques that have helped them acquire English in the past and are painfully aware of the ones that weren’t as helpful. Accessing these learning experiences is a useful way to begin the discussion.
2. Noticing specific linguistic features in articles or news segments
We can direct students to read an article from a newspaper such as the New York Times or to listen to a segment from NPR or even to watch a TED talk online. In each of these instances, have students notice a particular feature such as the beginnings of sentences in the reading, strong verbs used by the writer or speaker, the use of transitional phrases or vocabulary words used to talk about a specific topic. As listening in a foreign language can sometimes be more of a challenge than reading, direct students to read the online transcripts of a radio show or a TED talk.
3. Using an online corpus tool as a resource: www.wordandphrase.info
At Baruch’s writing center, we are now all familiar with this tool and can present it to students as a way to notice how features of English are actually used by authors in writing. The corpus also helps students realize what words frequently or typically occur with other words in the English language.
4. Model phrases that build more language
While we may provide model academic language in response to an error we perceive in a student’s draft, it is equally useful to provide students with model language to open the doors to new vocabulary. For example, we might open up a word document and make a list of phrases that a student could use to evaluate an author’s argument in a future assignment such as “The author fails to address…” or “The argument is effective because…” Students particularly need language to signal or add signposts in an essay. We can help them with a phrase like “While this may hold true for X, another issue is the…” This is an example of metadiscourse that language learners can benefit from, whether or not they are making language errors in their papers.
5. What a U.S. audience wants or needs
Part of learning a new language and culture is the understanding of how context affects what to say and to whom. It is this knowledge that students sometimes lack. For example, in one of my sessions, a student used the term “Korean Eyes” to talk about a Korean perspective or viewpoint, and I, as an outsider, needed much more explanation to understand this somewhat foreign idea. I advised her to dedicate a paragraph to discussing the concept of “Korean Eyes” in her paper for her U.S. audience. In this way, building a greater awareness of audience helps students, especially international students, understand what content needs more elaboration or what would be appealing to a U.S. reader that they are still getting to know.
6. What is most important in a model text
A language learner may agonize over single words and sentences in trying to make sense of a text. One approach is to direct students to read a model text and signal what is important to pay attention to in it. Helping students notice what to focus on will ease the burden they feel of needing to understand every word on the page. In further facilitating comprehension, we can also announce the main idea or key takeaway from a text before the student actually starts to read it.
7. Vocabulary learned during the session
We can direct students to recognize that long-term language learning consists of not only a focus on grammar but also a focus on vocabulary. At the end of a session or when completing our session record, we might ask a student to review the key words or phrases they learned in the 50-minute session. We might also extend the discussion into ways students can compile vocabulary over time, either in a notebook or using notecards, for example.
8. How to use language learning resources effectively
Many students may rely on a bilingual dictionary to translate from their native language into English. Translating word for word, however, does not always produce the meaning that the student desires. In facilitating the language learning process, we can direct students to begin to move towards an English-English dictionary, which can be used in conjunction with their bilingual dictionary. Using an English-English resource will allow them to remain in the target language (English) without having to rely solely on translating from one language to another.
9. Taking advantage of interpersonal communication
We should highlight the social environments that contribute to language acquisition. If the goal is to increase exposure to the target language, students can place themselves in social situations and in interactions where they are practicing English. It is therefore not outside the scope of a writing center discussion to address the issue of interpersonal communication in a student’s social environment.
10. Varieties of discourse in English
When deciding whether to tell students to watch movies in English or read a scholarly article to improve their English, it is useful to make the distinction between conversational and academic English. If a student only watched TV shows, this would be a useful strategy for mastering conversational, everyday English, some idiomatic expressions, gaining cultural knowledge and perhaps understanding what a U.S. audience finds funny or humorous. In addressing varieties of discourse, we can direct students to make a conscious choice about the kind of language they need or want more exposure to.
Published December 15, 2015
