L2 writer in a first-year writing class
Activating the support network
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/wap.27720Keywords:
multilingual writer, freshman composition, ESL accommodation, university support servicesAbstract
This paper describes the experiences of an international student who moved mid-semester from a mainstream section of a first-year composition class to a 'sheltered' section, comprised of L2 writers and taught by a TESOL professional, because of the difficulties encountered by the student. This pedagogical reflection focuses on the system of support available to the international students of our university and the reasons that the system first failed to help the student in question but, in due course, proved to assist in the student's success. Improved communication between the elements of the support network ultimately made a difference in the experience of the student and led to changes implemented in the support system. Better application of services already in place and additions to the system under discussion benefited the international students at the university. The recommendations developed as a result of this project may be useful to other institutions with similar student populations.
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Nguyen, H. M. (2013). Faculty advisors' experiences with international graduate students. Journal of International Students, 3(2),102–116.
Obong, E. E. (1997). Nonacademic needs of international and noninternational college and university students. New York: Vantage Press.
Pappamihiel, N. E. (2001). Moving from the ESL classroom into the mainstream: An investigation of English language anxiety in Mexican girls. Bilingual Research Journal, 25(1-2), 31–38. doi: 10.1080/15235882.2001.10162783
Royer, D. J., & Gilles, R. (1998). Directed self-placement: An attitude of orientation. College Composition and Communication, 54–70. doi: 10.2307/358352
Shuck, G. (2006). Combating monolingualism: A novice administrator’s challenge. WPA: Writing program administration, 30(1-2), 59–82.
Silva, T. (1993). Toward an understanding of the distinct nature of L2 writing: The ESL research and its implications. TESOL Quarterly, 27(4), 657–677. doi: 10.2307/3587400
Silva, T. (1994). An examination of writing program administrators' options for the placement of ESL students in first year writing classes. WPA: Writing Program Administration, 18(1/2), pp. 37–43.
Silva, T. (2005). Film interview. In: W. Robertson (Director) & S. Roberts (Editor). Writing across borders. Oregon State University: OSU Writing Intensive Curriculum & The OSU Center for Writing & Learning.
Sherry, M., Thomas, P., & Chui, W. H. (2010). International students: A vulnerable student population. Higher Education, 60(1), 33–46. doi: 10.1007/s10734-009-9284-z
Teo, A. K. (2006). Social-interactive writing for English language learners. The CATESOL Journal, 18(1), 160–178.
Zawacki, T. M., Hajabbasi, E., Habib, A., Antram, A., & Das, A. (2007). Valuing written accents: Non-native students talk about identity, academic writing, and meeting teachers’ expectations. Fairfax: George Mason Diversity Research Group.
Braine, G. (1996). ESL students in first-year writing courses: ESL versus mainstream classes. Journal of Second Language Writing, 5(2), 91–107. doi:10.1016/S1060-3743(96)90020-X
Britton, S., Chamberlain, T., Davis, C., Easley, D., Grunden, C., & Williams, J. (2003). Assessing international student perceptions of the classroom environment at a US business school. Journal of the Indiana University Student Personnel Association, 65–79.
CCCC Statement on second language writing and writers. (2001). College composition and communication 52(4), 669–674.
Chiang, Y., Schmida, M., Nguyen, H., Mack, P., Kim, J., & Nguyen, C. (2002). Language identity and language ownership: Linguistic conflicts of first-year university writing students. In Zamel, V. & Spack, R. (Eds.). Enriching ESOL pedagogy, Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. 393–409.
Collins, T. G., & Lynch, K. (2001). Mainstreaming? Eddy, rivulet, backwater, site specificity. In McNenny, G., & Fitzgerald, S. H. (Eds.). Mainstreaming basic writers: politics and pedagogies of access, 73–84. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Costino, K. A., & Hyon, S. (2007). “A class for students like me”: Reconsidering relationships among identity labels, residency status, and students’ preferences for mainstream or multilingual composition. Journal of Second Language Writing, 16(2), 63–81. doi:10.1016/j.jslw.2007.04.001
Curtin, E. (2005). Teaching practices for ESL students. Multicultural Education, 12(3), 22–27.
Doherty, R. W., & Hilberg, R. S. (2007). Standards for effective pedagogy, classroom organization, English proficiency, and student achievement. The Journal of Educational Research, 101, 24–34. doi: 10.3200/JOER.101.1.24-35
Duff, P. (2001). Language, literacy, content, and (pop) culture: Challenges for ESL students in mainstream courses. Canadian Modern Language Review, 58(1), 103–132. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/cmlr.58.1.103
Ferris, D., Brown, J., Liu, H. S., & Stine, M. E. A. (2011). Responding to L2 students in college writing classes: Teacher perspectives. TESOL Quarterly,45(2), 207–234. doi: 10.5054/tq.2011.247706
Frey, N., & Fisher, D. (2010). Identifying instructional moves during guided learning. The Reading Teacher, 64(2), 84–95. doi: 10.1598/RT.64.2.1
Friedrich, P. (2006). Assessing the needs of linguistically diverse first-year students: Bringing together and telling apart international ESL, resident ESL and monolingual basic writers. Writing Program Administration, 30 (1/2) (2006), 15–35.
Garza, A. V., & Crawford, L. (2005). Hegemonic multiculturalism: English immersion, ideology, and subtractive schooling. Bilingual Research Journal, 29(3), 599–619. doi: 10.1080/15235882.2005.10162854
Harris, M., & Silva, T. (1993). Tutoring ESL students: Issues and options. College Composition and Communication, 525–537. doi: 10.2307/358388
Hart, R. H. (1974). Problems of international students enrolled in Texas public community colleges as perceived by international students and international student advisors. Doctoral dissertation, University of Southern California.
Horner, B., & Trimbur, J. (2002). English only and U.S. college composition. College Composition and Communication, 53.4, 594–630. doi: 10.2307/1512118
Hyland, K. (2007). Genre pedagogy: Language, literacy and L2 writing instruction. Journal of second language writing, 16(3), 148–164. doi:10.1016/j.jslw.2007.07.005
LeClair, C., Doll, B., Osborn, A., & Jones, K. (2009). English language learners' and non–English language learners' perceptions of the classroom environment. Psychology in the Schools, 46(6), 568–577. doi: 10.1002/pits.20398
Leki, I. (2006). The legacy of first year composition. In P.K. Matsuda, C. Ortmeier-Hooper, & X. You, (Eds.). The politics of second language writing: In search of the promised land. Parlor Press, 59–74.
Matsuda, P.K. (1998). Situating ESL writing in a cross-disciplinary context. Written Communication, 15 (1) (1998), 99–121.
Matsuda, P.K. (1999). Composition studies and ESL writing: A disciplinary division of labor. College Composition and Communication, 50 (4) (1999), pp. 699–721. doi: 10.1177/0741088398015001004
Matsuda, P. K., Saenkhum, T., & Accardi, S. (2013). Writing teachers’ perceptions of the presence and needs of second language writers: An institutional case study. Journal of Second Language Writing, 22(1), 68–86. doi: 10.2307/358488
Mount, M. (2014). Academic reading and writing at the college level: Action research in a classroom of a homogeneous group of male students from Saudi Arabia". EWU Masters Thesis Collection. Paper 267. Retrieved from http://dc.ewu.edu/theses/267
Nguyen, H. M. (2013). Faculty advisors' experiences with international graduate students. Journal of International Students, 3(2),102–116.
Obong, E. E. (1997). Nonacademic needs of international and noninternational college and university students. New York: Vantage Press.
Pappamihiel, N. E. (2001). Moving from the ESL classroom into the mainstream: An investigation of English language anxiety in Mexican girls. Bilingual Research Journal, 25(1-2), 31–38. doi: 10.1080/15235882.2001.10162783
Royer, D. J., & Gilles, R. (1998). Directed self-placement: An attitude of orientation. College Composition and Communication, 54–70. doi: 10.2307/358352
Shuck, G. (2006). Combating monolingualism: A novice administrator’s challenge. WPA: Writing program administration, 30(1-2), 59–82.
Silva, T. (1993). Toward an understanding of the distinct nature of L2 writing: The ESL research and its implications. TESOL Quarterly, 27(4), 657–677. doi: 10.2307/3587400
Silva, T. (1994). An examination of writing program administrators' options for the placement of ESL students in first year writing classes. WPA: Writing Program Administration, 18(1/2), pp. 37–43.
Silva, T. (2005). Film interview. In: W. Robertson (Director) & S. Roberts (Editor). Writing across borders. Oregon State University: OSU Writing Intensive Curriculum & The OSU Center for Writing & Learning.
Sherry, M., Thomas, P., & Chui, W. H. (2010). International students: A vulnerable student population. Higher Education, 60(1), 33–46. doi: 10.1007/s10734-009-9284-z
Teo, A. K. (2006). Social-interactive writing for English language learners. The CATESOL Journal, 18(1), 160–178.
Zawacki, T. M., Hajabbasi, E., Habib, A., Antram, A., & Das, A. (2007). Valuing written accents: Non-native students talk about identity, academic writing, and meeting teachers’ expectations. Fairfax: George Mason Diversity Research Group.
Published
2018-09-24
Issue
Section
Reflections on Practice
How to Cite
Knoblock, N., & Gorman, S. (2018). L2 writer in a first-year writing class: Activating the support network. Writing and Pedagogy, 10(1-2), 275-296. https://doi.org/10.1558/wap.27720
