Blog Posting #3 - Bri


How does the case study in “Crossing Cultures” bring to mind experiences you have had as a teacher of and/or a writer in a second (foreign) language? 

I have two Chinese students in my Rhetoric course this semester.  One of them is the strongest writer in the class.  For our first essay, her rough draft was by far the most well-organized and clearly articulated.  My other Chinese student misunderstood the assignment entirely.  Instead of writing about a single topic, she wrote about the three topics she had initially submitted during the proposal process for this essay assignment.  I offered her a deadline extension. 

I like that this article points out the educational opportunities that exists for both tutor and international student during their sessions together.  I’m looking forward to learning from my students about the cultural differences between American and Chinese values. 

Which transfer problems like these have you noticed in the writing of second language writers?

Because this is my first semester working with non-native speakers, and they are just now turning in their first formal writing assignments, I cannot provide a thoughtful comment on transfer problems in writing.  However, I think tense issues will be more difficult for my second language writers, especially since in Chinese they do not use inflection on verbs to express tense.  I have noticed that my Chinese students do not voluntarily participate with discussion in class, and have wondered if this is due to the phonological transfer problems this handout identifies. 
 
Which of the rhetorical and linguistic features (from the Appendix list) do you think would be easier or more difficult for second language writers?

I think using the correct form of a word could be more difficult for second language writers, whereas, the overall structure for an essay may be easier. 





Comments

  1. AshlynFebruary 11, 2020 at 11:27 AM

    This brings up a question I've also had, which is how we can encourage ESL students to speak up in class more. I personally never participated as an undergrad even though instruction was in my first language; I can only image the added stress having to communicate in a second language would create. I think maybe part of the solution is to do small-group discussions (part of what I've noticed about the three Chinese students I've had is that they also all speak incredibly softly, such that I can scarcely hear them sometimes, so small-group settings seem to help for reasons of proximity if nothing else), but in terms of class-wise things, what are good ways to create an environment where ESL students feel as welcome speaking up as native speakers?

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