By Deirdre Vinyard<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our classrooms are increasingly diverse in all ways, including an increase in the languages students bring. As you assign writing in your classes, you want to ensure that you are providing the best possible feedback to all your students, and you may wonder how you should vary your comments for multilingual (ML) writers. It\u2019s possible to assume that the differences you see in texts produced by ML writers require alternative approaches to response. In fact, ML writers grapple with the same array of writing challenges that all writers have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Writers develop their writing and language in a second language in the same ways that writers do in their first : writing develops through reading and lots of writing practice which includes feedback from sensitive readers (teachers, tutors, colleagues). Studying grammatical rules can help writers with editing but does not change the internal grammar from which they draw when drafting. When writers edit, they can only use a few rules consciously in a productive way. For these reasons, protracted study of grammatical rules\/exercises does not forward writing ability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
ML students additionally may exhibit traits in their writing that appear unfamiliar to readers who are new to seeing second language (L2) texts. Because writing (and language) are culturally rooted, ML writers may bring rhetorical shapes and orientations to their writing that differ from typical U.S. style academic writing. Additionally, writers who are still developing their English language skills exhibit sentence-level differences from English dominant writers. It is important to remember that when you read a text written by a ML writer, you should be as generous and open as you are with any other text and assume that there is a logic to the text even if you don\u2019t immediately recognize it. Read through the difference you see in rhetorical approach or in sentences to gain an understanding of the writer\u2019s intent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When writers are struggling with the concepts they are trying to articulate, their sentences tend to tangle. This does not represent a lack of grammatical knowledge; during the composing process, writers clarify ideas, and the initial stages can be messy. If you see a sentence that you can\u2019t understand, ask the writer to tell you what they mean\/want to say. The retelling may clarify the grammar or help the writer gain greater understanding of the concept they are trying to share. Remember that if you are working on an early draft, you should strive to understand what the writer is communicating but hold off on any sentence-level editing. The revision process will eliminate many of the sentences where the writer is struggling with meaning. Leave sentence work to later drafts except where meaning is obscured. It\u2019s always important to ask about sections where the meaning is unclear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another place where writers often struggle and language becomes murky is the first few paragraphs of a text, especially when the writing is composing across languages. This may be a space where they are warming up or \u201cclearing their throat.\u201d In such a case, you might suggest the writer free write for a bit before trying to begin their text. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One last word about grammar in general. ML writers who are still developing their English language abilities will make \u201cerrors\u201d when they are trying out new grammatical structures and rhetorical forms. This messiness is a sign of potential growth. If a language learner only uses syntactic forms that they are very sure of, they may never grow in their ability to use the language. Sometimes a bit of tangle is a positive sign. And finally, the texts of a ML writer may never be indistinguishable from that of an English dominant writer, nor should they be. Difference doesn\u2019t equal deficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All writers sometimes struggle to determine sentence boundaries. While fragments can be used stylistically in some genres, run-ons are never acceptable. You can direct writers to the Purdue OWL entry on fragments<\/a>, and comma splices\/run-ons<\/a>. There are also exercises if writers want to practice correcting and identifying sentence boundary issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common verb tense problem for all writers is tense shift, and ML writers are no exception. This is easily addressed by directing the writer\u2019s attention to the question of time consistency in their text. The Purdue OWL also has a section devoted to tense shift<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, English has a very complex verb tense system, and sometimes ML writers are unsure of the construction of a particular tense. This handout<\/a> on our Writing Center<\/a> website reviews the construction and use of English verb tenses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Article usage in English is another highly complex area of grammar. This handout<\/a> has some basic rules for ML writers. It is good to remember that article usage is late acquired for many ML writers. Those who acquire English as an additional language later in life may always need an editor for articles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gaining vocabulary in general English and in a specific disciplinary discourse takes years and is mostly accomplished through reading. Bilingual dictionaries, while helpful (and necessary) often don\u2019t supply the kind of nuance needed for clear communication. Some of the lexical awkwardness you might see in a text produced by a ML writer is a result of poor resources. It can be helpful simply to suggest words to a writer who is grappling with new vocabulary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Often ML writers know the correct word \u201cgroup\u201d that they need but choose the wrong form.\u00a0\u00a0Pointing this out to a writer can be helpful. Here\u2019s a\u00a0handout<\/a>\u00a0with some examples of word forms in English. The Purdue OWL also has an excellent reference on\u00a0academic vocabulary and related words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are tough and idiomatic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By Deirdre Vinyard Our classrooms are increasingly diverse in all ways, including an increase in the languages students bring. As you assign writing in your classes, you want to ensure that you are providing the best possible feedback to all your students, and you may wonder how you should vary your comments for multilingual (ML) writers. It\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":433,"featured_media":0,"parent":1682,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2244","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/writing-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/writing-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/writing-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/writing-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/433"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/writing-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2244"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/writing-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2244\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3437,"href":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/writing-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2244\/revisions\/3437"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/writing-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/writing-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Verb Tense Issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Article Usage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Vocabulary and Word Forms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Prepositions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Quick Checklist for Reading Texts of Multilingual Writers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Cited and Recommended Sources<\/h2>
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