Working With Non-Native and Bilingual English Speakers

The Writing Center has developed a presentation specifically for faculty on working with non-native and bilingual speakers in the classroom. 

The forum covers a variety of topics relevant to your work with non-native and bilingual English speakers and provides a venue for you to share experiences and ask questions. We also watch an excellent short video, Writing Across Borders, to stimulate discussion on faculty and student perspectives on non-native and bilingual speakers in academic settings. You will leave the forum with some new and practical resources for teaching and hopefully a clearer picture of the needs and concerns of our international students and bilingual English speakers.

Sample forum topics:

Common definitions and labels of non-native and bilingual speakers
Common troublespots with academic English skills
Contrastive rhetoric and contrastive analysis
Classroom dynamics and cultural sensitivity
Ethical dilemmas for professors
Suggestions and resources for professors
Writing Center services for faculty and non-native/bilingual students

See the links below for some of the materials provided to forum attendees:

Writing Across Borders Discussion Questions

--to accompany the short film produced by Oregon State University

Hierarchy of ESL Errors

--a list of the ten most common grammar errors committed by non-native speakers, ranked from most to least serious. Useful for responding to and assessing non-native student writing.

Suggestions and Resources for Professors

--tips for your classroom and coursework along with a bibliography of print and online resources related to understanding and teaching non-native and bilingual speakers (check back periodically for updates)

Writing Interview Form (Sample)

--suggested for use at the beginning of any course to discover the language, writing, and academic backgrounds of your students, especially non-native and bilingual speakers. Adapt the questions as you see fit.

Services for Non-Native/Bilingual Speakers brochure 
(Microsoft Publisher required to view)

--produced by the Writing Center for distribution to non-native and bilingual speakers

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