Re: bilingual consultations

[Jim Adams <adams001@coyote.csusm.edu>]

I have to go along with the line of thought that using a writer's native
language only partially is the best approach. I speak close to fluent
Japanese and as a result, people often send Japanese students my way.
Although speaking and writing are quite different forms of language, there
is plenty of evidence (my own experience at learning Japanese for example)
that the best way to master a language is  immersion in the four groups
(speaking, listening, reading writing) as thoroughly as possible.  When I
work with Japanese students, I depend on Japanese only to explain things
that don't seem to be clicking for the writer. Since my goal is to help
them become progressivley more comfortable at approaching English writing
assignments, I see using Japanese as a crutch to keep them dependent; I
don't want that and neither do they. 

Jim

At 02:10 PM 10/7/98 -0400, you wrote:
>Greetings-
>I have a question for you folks.  What has been your experience with tutors
>who speak the native language of the ESL student they are assisting?  Is it
>beneficial or harmful for them to carry on a bilingual writing consulation?
>I am currently eavesdropping (to the best of my linguistic ability) on an
>appointment that is being conducted half in Farsi and half in English, and I
>wonder whether the student is able to derive as much as she can from the
>consultation if she is not being pushed to use English.
>-Bridget 
>
>***********************************************************
>Bridget Robin Pool
>Writing Center Coordinator
>Northern Virginia Community College/Loudoun Campus
>703.450.2511
>
>
>