The Tutoring Book - California State University, Sacramento

lower proficiency. This is often due to lack of opportunity to practice both latter sets of skills, as many
have had non-native teachers or they have not had the chance to interact with many native speakers. As
they have largely learned English through what they have seen, namely studying vocabulary and
grammar, they are considered “eye learners”. Almost all international students deal with culture shock in
some degree or another when they first arrive in the country, and the amount of English they are exposed
to on a daily basis increases exponentially, and may be at times overwhelming. On the positive side, as
they come from cultures and language backgrounds different from our own, international students often
have diverse opinions and points of view on topics, which tutors may see reflected in their writing. An
important point to remember as a tutor is that when working with an international student, you are dealing
not only with a student who is still learning a new language, but is also still learning a new culture, and all
of its obvious and not-so-obvious idiosyncrasies. While they may be educated and comfortable in some
aspects of the language, they may not be very familiar with social and rhetorical conventions, not just in
writing, but also interpersonal communication.
Immigrant students arrive in America from other countries often as refugees, having left their
home countries to escape political unrest, prosecution or simply to make a better life here in this country.
These students are sometimes sent ahead of the rest of the family to live with relatives or friends. They
vary greatly at times in age and educational background, and many have had interrupted or inconsistent
schooling in the past. Sometimes they may be the first in their family to attend college. Most immigrant
students have limited proficiency both in their first language and English, though many are at least orally
proficient in their first language. There may be considerable gaps in their education, not just in English,
but other areas as well. Immigrant students might struggle with lack of literacy and reading experience,
and their understanding of grammar rules is sometimes hampered by inconsistent schooling. Spending
some time to ask a student about their background and language proficiency, both in their first language
and English, will often provide a lot of insight for tutors who work with these students. Because it is not
always easy to know where a student is coming from, both literally and figuratively, it is important for
tutors to remember too to be patient and respectful of all students.
Between the general categories of international and immigrant students, and sharing
characteristics of both is the very diverse group of Generation 1.5 students. These students are so-named
as many of them are the first generation in their families who have been born here in America to parents
who have emigrated from other countries. These students’ first language is not English but rather the
language of their family. They first began to learn English generally from an early age when they first
entered school at the preschool or kindergarten level. They acquired English not just in school though,
but also on the playground, from their peers, as well as hearing the language from television, movies, the
Internet, and interaction with other native speakers. As they have largely learned English through what
they have heard, they are considered “ear learners”. They grow up learning both languages, most
predominantly in oral form, and by the time they arrive at the university, many are considered to be fairly
proficient in speaking both languages in some degree. But there is a lot of variety in this group. Some
Generation 1.5 students may be more comfortable and adept in English than their first language, and yet
others may not feel that they are fully fluent in English nor their first language. If asked to label
themselves, a lot of Generation 1.5 students see themselves as bilingual or multilingual, but still others
may not even consider themselves to be multilingual students. A lot of these students can pass for native
speakers in terms of speaking proficiency, but their reading and writing abilities are often not as
advanced. Their writing contains a lot of the colloquial and idiomatic language they have acquired in
hearing English, and careful analysis will reveal systematic errors that reflect their spoken proficiency in
English. Many Generation 1.5 students live between two languages and cultures as well, creating an
identity that encompasses traditions blended from those of their own family and community, as well as
the academic and social environment they are immersed in here. Tutors may see the writing of
Generation 1.5 students also often reflects influences from their first language, in word choices or word
order, for example, and at times it may difficult to address and correct. It can be confusing to tutors to
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