The Tutoring Book - California State University, Sacramento

discussion throughout the reading by asking questions and pointing out areas of concern to them. Reading
out loud appears to be a powerful tool.
One issue that I struggled with throughout the semester was how much emphasis I should place on
correcting the errors students missed while reading, particularly errors related to Lower Order Concerns
(LOCs). Early on, I let minor and apparently random grammar errors slide by unmentioned, focusing
instead on errors that repeated themselves. The next week the writer brought his corrected paper to our
session. It was filled with red ink. The teacher’s notes indicated, “good ideas – but incorrect grammar
impairs understanding.” We were both very disappointed. I felt as though I had somehow failed him.
Without the intuitive sense of “what sounds right” that is available to most native speakers, ESL
writers often demand (and deserve) additional attention to the specifics of English grammar, and direction
on common usage. The literature does contain support for more assertive strategies when discussing
corrections with some ESL writers. In Tutoring Writing, McAndrew and Reigstad (2001) describe a direct
approach offered by Judith Powers (1993). “Powers realized that tutors had to intervene more directly
with ESL writers than with native English speakers” (97).
In this vein, McAndrew and Reigstad assert that “Tutors working with ESL writers must be ready
to become more like traditional teachers and less like helpful collaborators” (97). But how to start? Again,
in Tutoring Writing, McAndrew and Reigstad refer to Muriel Harris and Tony Silva. They recommend
“plunging in – ESL writing often seems plagued by miscues at all levels. Tutors need to be reminded to
maintain a hierarchy of concerns, [Higher Order Concerns] HOCs before LOCs; focus on one or just a
few problems at a time, and explain to writers that miscues are a natural part of learning and using
language, even for native speakers” (98). While on guard to not appropriate their material, I gave myself
permission to guide ESL writers’ grammar a bit more firmly.
Still another benefit of reading out loud is that writers gain practice in correct pronunciation and
inflection so critical to grasping the nuances of English structure. During one session I discovered that
some ESL students’ primary opportunities to read and write English are connected to school. Growing up,
parents in these households conversed in their native language. No English language newspapers or
magazines were routinely available, and so the rhetorical conventions of English composition are literally
foreign material. For those not familiar with composition and academic writing in their primary language,
the difficulties can feel insurmountable. In Understanding ESL Writers, Leki notes that “it does seem
intuitively clear that those who never learned effective writing strategies in L1 cannot employ them in L2
despite a great deal of fluency in L2” (78). With this in mind, it’s easy to see the value of the Writing
Center. Students can practice unfamiliar concepts and work to get their ideas down on paper in a safe and
supportive environment.
Although it’s true that writers we see have matriculated through the educational system in either
this country or abroad, there is no guarantee they received the assistance needed to succeed at the college
level. Vu, a sophomore born in Cambodia and a U.S. resident since grade school, told me that her high
school teachers never mentioned that her writing ability or reading comprehension were lacking. Her
parents spoke almost no English, so were not in a position to help or coach her. She was shocked when
she enrolled at CSUS and her professors told her she lacked the writing skills to navigate through basic
coursework. Time spent in the Learning Skills Center and in the Writing Center has paid off; she now
enjoys working on the essays required in her classes. Vu was one of the first students who obliged me by
agreeing to read her work out loud. As the semester progressed her confidence increased, and her selfcorrection
of obvious errors improved also. During a session in late spring, she produced a paper that had
been marked up – this time with an “A” and “Well Done!” written across the front. She beamed with
pride, and I knew she was well on her way to success in college.
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