WR 220 Methods of Tutoring

Study Guide #7: Issues for Non-Native and Dialect Speakers

Note: This SG is long,  just as SG 1 is long, because Clark packs so much into this chapter.  Yet it is such an important chapter and worth our consideration.  So do your best and I will clarify some concepts in my weekly lecture.

Readings:

Clark, Chap. 7 “Issues for Non-Native and Dialect Speakers”

St. Martin’s, Harris, "Cultural Conflicts in the Writing Center: Expectations and Assumptions of ESL Students"

St. Martin’s, Myers, “Reassessing the ‘Proofreading Trap’:  ESL Tutoring and Writing Instruction”

Whitelock, Working with ESL/Multicultural Writers Across the Curriculum (click here) in the Writing Tutor Corner on the OWL.

ESL "Best Practices" Checklist (click here) on the "Resources for Writers" ESL link.

Define and explain the following terms and concepts in a few very thorough and complete sentences (some definitions may need to be longer than others). Use examples when appropriate. Assume your audience has not read the material and knows nothing about tutoring. Use names and signal phrases connected with theories (ex. According to Krashen, or Rutherford explains, Hinds outlines). I know these can be difficult concepts.  Just do your best. I will clarify terms in my weekly lecture.

Clark

1)  Explain the difference between language acquisition and language learning, according to Krashen.

2)  Explain the concept of “affective filter.”

3)  How does Rutherford’s view of language acquisition differ from Krashen’s?

4)  Explain Hind's typology of language.

5)  Explain the concept of “contrastive rhetoric” according to Kaplan.

6)  What point about writing for an American university audience might a tutor need to explain to a native Arabic language speaker and writer?

7)  Why might plagiarism be problematic for some native Chinese speakers and writers?

8)  How might the “ten” part of the Japanese essay structure be problematic for an American university reading audience?

9)  What are some replacement adjectives a tutor might use for the words “disorganized,” “illogical,” and “incorrect” when speaking to ESL writers?  Why?

10)  Explain the three different attitudes toward writing offered by Matsuda and Cox:  assimilationist, accomodationist, and separatist.  Which stance should a tutor take and why?

Harris

11) What is Harris’s main point in her essay?

Whitelock

12) Describe three insights into working with ESL/multicultural students that you gained from reading the Whitelock report. What connections do you see between the research and students with whom you have come in contact, as a student, tutor, or teacher?

13)  Online Students Only will complete #13 (On-Campus Students--we will do this #13 exercise class).

Below are some rules of African American English (AEE) that show that this is a very complex language governed by complex rules.  In the past some have characterized Black English as Standard English corrupted, which is a very ignorant notion of this dialect and other English dialects that groups have created for the purposes of identity and belonging.

What I want you to do is to read through the rules and then set aside 15 minutes to try to write a paragraph following the rules of this dialect.  Your topic:  "What I have learned about tutoring since we began the course, and what I will do to be an effective tutor."  

This will not be graded.  You will not submit your attempt at writing this paragraph. I just want you to try to compose in follwing the rules of this dialect: 

Print out the rules below and have them next to you as you try to write your paragraph on "what I have learned about tutoring since we began the course, and what I will do to be an effective tutor." Again, write for only 15 minutes and then follow instructions below for reflecting on the experienence.

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Black English Consistences

Based on material by SF Braxton

--from Irene Clark Writing in the Center 3rd. ed.

Total elimination of "to be" in present tense

He a nice man. = He is a nice man.

"Be" or "be's" used to indicate a habitual condition.

The soup be (be's hot). = The soup is (always) hot.

"Was" with plural nouns

They was at the park.= They were at the park.

The future "be" with helper (will)

He be graduating soon.=She will be graduating soon.

"Been" without helpers "have" or "had"

She been sick.=She has been sick.

Third person singular, present tense "s" omitted

He play ball.= He plays ball.

Past tense "ed" omitted

I walk to the park last Sunday.=I walked to the park last Sunday.

Omission of possessive "s"

Jane bag is on the table.=Jane's bag is on the table.

Omission of plural "s"

I have three dog.= I have three dogs.

Pronoun forms

Them kids.= Those kids.

Comparatives

This table be mo better.= This table is better.

"Ain't" replacing "isn't," "aren't," and sometimes "didn't"

This ain't my house.= This isn't my house.

You ain't going with us. = You aren't going with us.

Multiple negatives

Nobody don't work here.= Nobody works here.

Don't nobody ever do nothing. = Nobody ever does anything.

"Going to" becomes "gon" with no helpers

You gon' get sick. = You are going to get sick.

Loss of final "l"

He's a foo'.= He's a fool.

"It" as a dummy subject

It was two people there.= There were two people there.

Elimination of final and middle "r"

He wants mo'.= He wants more.

He woke up do'ing the night. = He woke up during the night.

Dropping the final consonant

He pass the tes'.= He passed the test.

Subsitution of "d" or "f" for "th"

Dey ran home.= They ran home.

She hurt her mouf.= She hurt her mouth.

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Your task: After earnestly trying to write for 15 minutes following these rurles, answer this question:

What insights did you gain into what it is like for students for whom Standard English is not a first language when they try to write academic essays in Standard American English? Be thorough and specific.  Also, if someone were to read what you wrote, what would the reader assume about you?