One on One with Second Language Writers: A Guide for Writing Tutors, Teachers, and Consultants

This book provides tips for those assisting second language writers. One-on-one encounters with writers often contribute more to the development of student writing abilities than any classroom activity because they are personalized and responsive to individual needs. For the encounters to be successful, however, the tutors, teachers, and consultants must be prepared, must be knowledgeable of what it means to write and the factors that make writing more and less effective, and must also know the students. This guide focuses on the body of knowledge that those conferencing with second language writers need in order to be able to think on their feet, recognize needs, and steer conversations in productive directions. It provides tips about activities that can be adapted to individual contexts, authentic writing samples to practice with, a glossary, and a list of useful resources. The book is appropriate for use in university and secondary school writing centers, teacher training programs for both general composition and ESOL instructors, and as an individual reference tool. The book attempts to use non-technical language, although terminology is introduced where it is felt that it might be useful when conferencing with students.