Re: Changing teacher expectations for ESL

[Bill Church <church@mwsc.edu>]

I think this is something an active WAC program can address.  Here at 
MWSC we have a strong WAC program coordinated by Dr. Betty Sawin, who 
operates independently from the writing center and from departmental 
affiliation.  She often conducts workshops for faculty on many different 
aspects of writing, and I think expectations for ESL student writing 
would make a good topic.  Though this might sound simplistic, one of the 
most striking possibilities is that everyone in the workshop would try to 
compose something in a language they have been exposed to but not 
mastered.  After that exercise, the discussion could move into what are 
and aren't realistic expectations.  Of course, the expectations must 
align with the purpose of the courses and the intent of the writing, 
i.e., whether it is to relay info on essay tests, to probe a topic in a 
research paper, or to explore rhetorical modes in composition classes.   
Still, I think WAC could be an avenue.

					Bill Church