One of the most common challenges I have run into when working with EAL writers on grammar is how to set and maintain the agenda. I cannot count how many times a writer has come in expecting me to correct all of their grammar issues. This is difficult because, as a tutor, I want to make sure that I can help the writer understand the suggestions I am making, rather than having them simply apply corrections to their paper without giving the grammar concept a second thought.
More often than not, in my experience, EAL writers are eager to learn as much as they possibly can about English grammar, and this can lead to them trying to bite off more than they can chew in a single appointment. Because of this, it is essential to narrow down grammar-based appointments to specific agenda items rather than tackling “grammar” as a whole. This way, the writer can get extensive help with a select few grammar concepts rather than just scratching the surface of several concepts.
Using information from a few different sources, I have compiled a list of six questions to ask yourself when collaboratively setting a grammar-based agenda with your writer:
1. Do the grammar errors get in the way of understanding what the writer is trying to say?
In the “Grammar in the Agenda” section of the UCWbL EAL Tutoring Guide, it says that you should evaluate whether the grammar errors impede meaning.
If you are unable to understand what the writer is trying to say, it would probably be best to address the issue. If it is just a minor error that does not change your understanding of the writer’s main intent, there is probably no need for it to be in the agenda.
2. Do the grammar errors occur frequently throughout the writer’s text?
“Grammar in the Agenda” also notes that you should keep an eye out for the frequency of the specific type of grammar errors you find.
If you only find one or two instances of a particular mistake, it was probably just a slip up, and it wouldn’t be beneficial to add this to the agenda. However, if you find a handful of the same type of error, it probably means that the writer does not have a firm grasp on that particular grammar concept, and it might be helpful to add it to the agenda.
3. Do the grammar errors seem especially unfit for the type of writing?
The “Grammar in the Agenda” section also points out that different contexts of writing have different grammar requirements. A research paper and a short story are going to be held to much different standards. This is something to keep in mind when you create your agenda with your writer.
4. Do you have the time and resources to effectively identify, explain, and collaborate to fix the grammar errors during the appointment?
The last point that “Grammar in the Agenda” brings up is whether the time and modality allow you to effectively work through the grammar pattern. If you find yourself in a half hour long appointment where the most pressing agenda items have nothing to do with grammar, it may be best to table the grammar issues for another day.
5. Is the writer willing to collaboratively add this grammar usage pattern to the agenda?
Bell and Elledge discuss the issue of tutors dominating appointments with EAL writers. Tutors must always make sure that the writer wants to add the item to the agenda before pursuing it, and the tutor should check in throughout the appointment to see if the writer wishes to change the agenda.
6. Are there no other pressing agenda items that require more attention than the grammar errors?
Harris and Silva emphasize that global errors are of a higher importance than local errors. If there is a serious issue with organization, focus, or clarity, these are of higher importance than grammar because they are more likely to impede the meaning of the paper.
Every appointment is different and should be treated as such. However, these six questions can serve as a general guide for figuring out how to set an effective grammar-based agenda with EAL writers. Happy tutoring!
Sources
Bell, Diana Calhoun, and Sara Redington Elledge. “Dominance and Peer Tutoring Sessions with English Language Learners.” TLAR, vol. 13, no. 1, 2008, pp. 19-30. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ818224.pdf.
Ferlazzo, Larry. “Do’s and Don’ts of Teaching English-Language Learners.” edutopia, 12 Mar. 2012, https://www.edutopia.org/blog/esl-ell-tips-ferlazzo-sypnieski.
“Grammar in the Agenda.” UCWbL EAL Tutoring Guide, https://depaul.digication.com/ucwbl-eal-tutoring-guide/grammar-in-the-agenda.
Harris, Muriel and Tony Silva. “Tutoring ESL Students: Issues and Options” College Composition and Communication, vol. 44, no. 4, 1993, pp. 525-37. http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/writinglabpubs/7.
“Three Creative Tips for Tutoring English Language Learners.” ESLteacherEDU.org, 7 Dec. 2015, https://www.eslteacheredu.org/2015/12/three-creative-tips-for-tutoring-english-language-learners/