Audience: Tutors in the Writing Center working with ESL students
Where would the reaserch be most beneficial? WC newsletter/ WC best practices
Nov. 3, 2010
Where would the reaserch be most beneficial? WC newsletter/ WC best practices
Nov. 3, 2010
Time: 5:00pm
Before session began:
Student been seen by tutor several times. Student is a freshman that has demonstrated difficulties in grammar and overall focusing on topic.
Session:
Tutor: “Hi xxx how are you?’
Student: “Fine”
Both sit facing each other side by side.
- S: takes off sweater and places it on chair.
- T: “Did you have a chance to work on what we went over the last time we met?”
- S: takes notebook out of bookbag and places it on the table
- T: waits for S to open notebook
- S: opens notebook, she sits
- S: points to something in the notebook
- S: “I did the outline and started working on my thesis statement.”
- S: looks up at tutor turning book so T can see it
- T: looks at notebook (facial) eyes fixed on writing in notebook, pauses after reading some and moves back in chair
- S: attention fixed on T response
- S: seems to sigh quietly as T sits back in chair
- S: “Did I do something wrong?”
- T: “No, of course not” (pauses) continues reading, “Can you read this part for me?”
- T: point to writing in notebook
- S: He helped me with the story.”
- S: “My uncle told me the story about a wolf who tricked people.”
- T: “Do you know the name of the story?”
- S: “It’s a folktale, El Lobo”
- T: “Can you tell me about the folktale?”
- S: “ok” (facial look) seemed puzzled
- S: told a story about a wolf that would trick children into walking with him into the forest. The children hated their life at home and went with the wolf to have a life of fun with no rules.
- T: “Do you know what the moral of the folktale is?”
- S: “Uh, to listen to your parents and how following rules is important.”
- T: “Ok, now think about who is going to be reading your essay, your audience?
How can your audience figure out the purpose of the story and the importance it had to the phone call you received?”
- S: (Facial look) seemed to be thinking (wheels turning in her head)
- T: “Let’s read the instructions for the essay.”
- S: takes out sheet of paper from back of notebook
- S: begins to read, “write a well developed essay on an important phone call you received that changed your life.”
- T: “Let’s look at your outline and focus on what you want the audience to know.”
- S: looks at outline
- T: asks S to read outline line by line
- S: follows T instruction and begins reading
- T: points to writing, “ What are you trying to say here?”
- S: “That I didn’t know any cultural stories from my country.”
- T: “What country is this folktale from?”
- S: “Peru”
- T: “How would your audience know this?”
- S: “I should tell them right?”
- T: (facial) smiled at S
- T: “If that’s what you feel would help the audience understand the importance of the phone call.”
- S: “Yeah, I think that’s what I’ll do.” (looks up at T) “Should I tell the whole folktale too?”
- T: “If you think it would help your audience relate back to the important call.”
- S: begins to draw lines from some areas of her outline to other parts of her outline. S mumbles to herself as she continues writing and crossing out “no not here, other here is better”
- T: “Why don’t I stop talking and let you continue making changes. Is that ok if you? Do you feel comfortable doing this on your own?”
- S: “Is our time up?” S sits back in chair
- T: “No, but I want to let your ideas flow freely without me interrupting you.”
- S: “Oh Ok, Can I stay here and do it?”
- T: “Sure”
- S: leans forward again and continues writing.
- T: “Let me know if you get stuck on something?”
- T: remains attentive to S throughout the remaining time of writing session
- S: continues writing
Writing sessions ends some time later. T looks at S work and encourages her to keep working on it for the next time which would be Monday.
What observation I found interesting:
Body language:
T: eyes fixed on S writing
T: reads and then sits back in chair
S: attention fixed on T responses
S: sits back in chair waiting for T reaction to reading
S: (facial) seems surprised at T request to tell folktale
S: (facial) seems to have a puzzled look after T asked questions about the folktale
Verbal responses:
T: tone of voice seemed (teacher style voice) throughout session
T: “Can you read this part to me”
S: “Uh, …to listen to parents”
T: “Let’s read the instruction…”
T: “Let’s look at outline…”
T: “How would audience know this..”
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