An Ongoing ESL Training Program in the Writing Center
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Date
2012
Authors
Nowacki, Jessica Chainer
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Currently, nearly 130,000 Chinese students are
studying at higher education institutions in America
(Xueqin par. 1). In a case study of 13 student visits to
the Rutgers University Writing Center, Renee Pistone
observes that the five ESL students in this group
“indicated a high level of frustration (by a perceived
lack of caring on the part of their Professors) who
made comments on their assignments” (10). The
students visiting Pistone’s center were looking for
more than just help with their papers; they were
looking for reassurance, kindness, and a clearer
understanding of their professors’ expectations (10).
While Pistone’s study does not deal specifically with
Chinese ESL students, her observations reflect the
kinds of interactions consultants in the writing center
at my small Midwestern liberal arts college have
encountered with the Chinese students that rely on us
for writing assistance since our school has not yet
instituted any language-specific support after the ESL
sequence—a choice entirely common in American
higher education institutions. As a new writing center
coordinator in the midst of a growing China-based
International Program, I struggle to train my
consultants to work with a population that, aside from
the financial gain to the institutions they attend, is
largely ignored in terms of support services and
trained personnel that meet their specific linguistic and
cultural needs.