RE: ESL Editing skills

[Lynne Belcher <lrbelcher@saumag.edu>]

Since ESL students don't have native intuition about English, 
they have to learn to monitor their writing for the kinds of 
errors they are likely to make.  Tutors can help ESL writers 
learn what kinds of errors they make.  Then ESL writers have to 
carefully monitor their writing for those errors.  Some ESL 
writers simply have to learn to get help with proofreading.  

How I work with ESL writers depends upon the kinds of language 
needs they have.  If they plan to live and work in the U.S., they 
have to learn to write clearly and concisely.  If they are 
attending a U.S. university on a one-semester exchange, that need 
for accuracy is not as great.  There is no one-size-fits-all for 
working with ESL writers.  The first thing tutors need to 
determine in working with ESL writers is what their language 
needs really are. 

Lynne Belcher
Southern Arkansas University