The Writing Center operates off of the idea that knowledge is socially constructed. The overall goal of the center is to make students feel comfortable and confident writing independently while providing encouragement and support on many levels.
It is the responsibility of the student to bring all required materials which may include: textbook, assignment sheet, course notes, a draft, etc. Students should also come with no preconceived idea of how the session will be conducted by the tutor. The experience will be subjective depending upon the tutor’s style of tutoring. They should come with some understanding of the assignment.
The tutor’s responsibility is to assist the student in writing. He should be ready to use methods that are directive and nondirective. Cognitive and Motivational scaffolding should also be techniques which a tutor is familiar with. The tutor should be able to collaborate and ready to take and/or relinquish control during a session.
The director’s responsibility will be to oversee the operation of the center. She is to be supportive and affective. The director should provide resources and supplemental material that aren’t otherwise accessible to the tutors. The director of the Writing Center should make sure that WC operation is being conducted properly.
The institution’s responsibility is to make sure that the center is operating with all the resources required. The institution should provide support to the center in terms of money. It should also set guidelines about center operation that are in conjunction with the guidelines of the institution. The center should make sure that tutors are fully supported.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
eng paper post
Introduction
The purpose of this research project is to discover if and how tutors can affect writers’ confidence. Whether or not a tutor can invoke confidence in students and how, has many implications for tutoring and teaching pedagogy. Collaboration is successful in a tutoring session when a writer is comfortable and confident enough to participate. An unconfident writer isn’t likely to be comfortable with participation therefore making the session unproductive. Writers come to tutoring with a negative attitude about their writing ability. The hope is that a tutor’s influence can offset writers’ self-defeating attitudes and insecurities about their writing abilities and inspire confidence that will encourage a writer to collaborate in a tutoring session.
Literature Review
Scaffolding in the Writing Center: A Microanalysis of a Experienced Tutor’s Verbal and Nonverbal Tutoring Strategies, written by Isabelle regards the positive implications of Vygotskian scaffolding applied to the practice of tutoring writing. In traditional scaffolding a task is designed to be a little too difficult for a learner to handle on their own. A tutor takes command over the parts of a task that are too difficult while the learner works on the parts that are within his capabilities.
Nonverbal communication like verbal communication is essential in scaffolding tutoring strategy. Eye contact, posture and other movement show how people feel about each other and their level of engagement. This study looked at tutors’ hand gestures, posture and facial displays to examine emotional and representational aspects of nonverbal communication.
Direct instruction is a strategy whereby the tutor tells the student what to do. Cognitive scaffolding is a strategy whereby the tutor provides meaningful guidance so that students can independently revise and come up with ideas. Motivational scaffolding involves keeping students engaged in the writing task while remaining confident. With this strategy the tutor minimizes students’ frustration through sympathy and empathy. The three scaffolding strategies used during a conference supported writers emotionally during the writing process.
Fear, Teaching Composition and Students’ Discursive Choices: Re-Thinking Connections Between Emotions and College Student Writing written by Sally Chandler looks at the role emotions play in effecting the composing process for undergraduate writers. The study follows an undergraduate class of writers who were required to conduct tutoring sessions. At the end of the term, they wrote reflective analysis papers about their own writing process. Students’ essays were analyzed for their social and emotional contexts. In the end it was discovered that emotions overshadow academic writing students seek to produce.
The research found that students would need to detach themselves from their old writing habits and develop more mature ones. The loss of confidence is a central issue in composition and students who need to change, experience drastic internal conflict. Effective teaching allows students to feel comfortable enough to let go of psychological defenses. Instructors can alleviate emotional tension associated with composition so that the experience is more productive.
A Writing Teacher is like a Psychoanalyst, Only Less Well Paid is written by Jay Parini who feels that it is his job to help students uncover their unique voice as writers buried in the collective popular voices of the time. The job of the teacher then is much like a psychoanalyst who must help clients uncover their unique personae in a world of other influences. In connecting this concept of a writing teacher being like a psychoanalyst to confidence in the writing center, it is important that tutors develop a capacity to inspire confidence in writers so that they have the courage to actively participate in sessions and grow as writers.
Freud in the Writing Center: the Psychoanalytics of Tutoring Well by Cristina Murphy further expounds on the idea of Jay Parini that tutoring is like psychoanalysis. The article emphasizes the emotional aspect of writing tutoring. The tutor’s relationship to the student is primarily supportive and affective. The tutor like a therapist in order to be affective must demonstrate unconditional positive regard. There needs to be an empathetic bond formed where the student feels safe and secure.
Writers are dealing with insecurities associated their abilities as writers or students. They experience “anxiety, self doubt, negative cognition and procrastination”. The power is in the words exchanged between tutor and student like client and therapist. Language is used to convey emotions to change perceptions of the self and other people/things while shaping and empowering consciousness.
Method
Data for this study was collected during the allotted 1 hour tutoring sessions for an undergraduate course titled Peer Tutoring and Writing at Kean University in the CAS writing center. An observer watched six sessions of tutoring conducted by his classmates and himself and took notes on each session. Students were chosen at random, those who consented to participation in the study. Students’ ages varied and undergraduate level ranged from freshman to seniors. They came for various reasons including; revision, help generating ideas, understanding assignments and course readings and draft development. Most students were undergraduate freshman aged between 17 and 19 coming for revision of their papers in English 1030. Some students evaluated the tutor. This method was also used in Scaffolding in the Writing Center: A Microanalysis of a Experienced Tutor’s Verbal and Nonverbal Tutoring Strategies, written by Isabelle Thompson (although the conferences were also videotaped).
The central features of the notes were the instances of tutor action or inaction, verbal and nonverbal that led to periods of students expressing confidence reactions. A confidence reaction was in the form of increased involvement with the assignment. Students’ increased involvement in conversation denoted confidence. Eye contact and body language cues also determined confidence. Heightened speech also was a showcase of confidence. A lack of confidence was expressed in the form of minimal or no eye contact, reserved body language, passive speech and tone of voice and self-defeating statements.
Analysis
As discussed by Isabelle Thompson in her work with cognitive scaffolding, the tutor is a facilitator more or less, whose job is to help students by tutoring in a way so that students are challenged yet coddled. The tutor may set up a scenario where the student can choose between prompted alternatives or leave a blank in conversation for the student to fill in. Students who feel like they are going to be right are more likely to participate in collaboration (pg 445 last paragraph). In segment 1 of session #1 the tutor is a professor in the English department at Kean University. The student is a freshman female in English 1030. She came in appearing nervous, especially after consenting to the observation. Her body language is jittery and she speaks in a quiet passive voice.
[T= Tutor S= Student]
T: Asks student what the characters say about confrontation. “Write them down.”
S: [Hesitates] Lists some points on the paper as directed by the tutor.
[Pause while writing]
S: Reads what she wrote T: Nods head at the same time
T: Rephrases what the student says in a more concise, grammatically correct, positive tone of voice; nodding head to show that she is correct in her response. “Uh huh, ok.” “Good, so what I hear you saying is…” S: Looks up and makes eye contact.
T: Praises student’s good responses after paraphrasing.
T: Asks more questions pertaining to the assignment.
S: Answers more rapidly and with a stronger tone of voice while maintaining eye contact.
Jay Parini discusses the writing teacher’s role in helping students discover their unique voice. In this session, the tutor’s use of paraphrasing allows the student to maintain ownership of her own created response while reforming it in academic language. This is essential to confidence development in writers.
The cognitive scaffolding used by the tutor in the form of validating what the student says was correct and understandable elicits confidence reactions in the students in the form of maintained eye contact, stronger tone of voice and quicker responses The motivational scaffolding came in the form of the tutor saying, “Good” and nodding her head in approval. These strategies were effective in promoting confidence.
This particular interaction also shows the emotional benefit of using paraphrasing. In paraphrasing, the tutor takes the students limited vocabulary and rewords it in a way that is clearer to herself and the student. In doing this the tutor shows the student that she recognizes her comprehension skills. The student then feels that her intelligence is recognized and she is now more eager to participate in the conversation.
Acknowledging a correct response and/or being genuinely excited about a student’s work is a factor that contributes to successful conferences. In segment 1 of session #2 the tutor is a professor in the English department at Kean University. The student is a senior who is working on a paper for an upper level English class concerning “Critical Theory”. The session is conducted in front of a class and the student verbally expresses her apprehension about participating. The segment picks up when the student explains that she is unable to revise her paper for a grade. The following is segment 1 from observation # 2:
T: (Angry, flushed face) Expresses grievance and frustration with the instructor for not allowing the student to revise paper. Tutor has a relationship with instructor and student and was under the assumption that the assignment could be revised. “I’m going to talk to him (referring to the instructor)”
S: Student recognizes tutors frustration. She makes eye contact.
T/S: Converse about their contempt for the situation. They seem on one accord emotionally.
T/S: Student and tutor engage in meaningful conversation about the assignment which adds to students understanding.
Murphy (YEAR) explains how vulnerable students need to feel empathy from the tutor. The tutor attended to the affective needs of the student as they both vented their frustration.
Chandler (YEAR) also explains that emotions affect the composition process. Fear and anxiety play a role in creating academic writing. The student’s fear that her intelligence will be judged by her peers in this session contributed to her initial apprehension to participate. The tutor effectively used a strategy of empathy that allowed the student to feel comfortable enough to let go of her psychological defense evident in her eventual participation.
The student recognizes the tutors’ genuine concern. Feeling that she is understood, the student moves along in a collaborative conversation with the tutor about the assignment. The conversation is productive in that it adds to the students understanding of the assignment. Her confidence is expressed in her willingness to participate even though she was previously reluctant about being observed by a class. The student’s perception of the tutor as an authority in writing and in the English department who supports her probably also contributes to her confidence during the session.
Segment 2 of observation # 2 shows the tutors unconditional positive regard for a student who has been making self-defeating statements. The tutor in this segment demonstrated those qualities which led to the explicit confidence reactions.
T: Explains to student what she would do how she would do it. She explains for a second time what critical theory is and gives an example. She then questions whether or not student had applied critical theory to her paper in that way.
S: Student explains what she did and her mistakes at attempting “new criticism”. She says “I really don’t know”. “This probably doesn’t make any sense but…”
T: Tutor says she also understands the student’s mistake but asserts that her previous explanation of “new criticism” was good. Nods head feverously while smiling and saying, “that’s exactly right!”
S: Smiles widely looking very happy. The previously relatively quiet student is now more assertive than ever. “I know now (referring to understanding new criticism)”
Although the student makes a mistake the tutor uses a strategy to show her unconditional positive regard. Christina Murphy explains that unconditional positive regard is essential in any one on one relationship such as therapist-client and student-tutor. In doing this, the tutor is able to elicit a confidence reaction in the form of smiling and explicitly in the form of the student saying, “I know now.”
Discussion
Based on the data presented in this research it is posited that verbal and nonverbal praise, motivation, and reassurance from tutors contribute to increased confidence and comfort in writers and in a tutoring session, which leads to a more collaborative experience on behalf of the writer. In a broader context, tutors must cater to the higher order concern of writer emotion before engaging in help with the composition process to be effective.
As a two year writing tutor and in my observations specifically conducted for this assignment, I have generally found that students are more responsive and willing to collaborate once they feel like their intelligence is recognized and/or validated by the tutor. “In the course of this type of interaction, the student makes themselves vulnerable in opening themselves up to understanding or misunderstanding, judgment or acceptance, approval or disapproval. Pg 298 Frued” A student isn’t likely to reveal anymore deficiency during a tutoring session by opening their mouths to possibly verbalize their ignorance. Instead, a student remains quiet avoiding conversation in hopes that their tutor will be directive. It is important for a tutor to recognize the courage that it takes for a student to admit deficiency and seek help from a peer. Praising students’ effort and recognizing their intelligence make them feel more confident and likely to collaborate.
The current research has a huge limitation in the number of participants observed being too small. In order to successfully conduct a study about tutors’ role in writer confidence, that number would need to be a lot larger.
Conclusion
The current research has attempted to add to the body of knowledge related to writing center discourse. This study focused on how a tutor can elicit confidence reactions in writers. According to the empirical findings and supported by a literature review, tutors are in-fact able to elicit confidence reactions in writers. Tutors who are genuine in their concern, exhibited in their shared excitement and frustration about the assignment are better able to encourage student participation. Praising and recognizing a student’s intelligence can offset self-defeat and promote confidence.
An ability to invoke confidence has a huge implication for teaching pedagogy. Teachers being able to invoke confidence in their students about their abilities are extremely important. In low-income minority neighborhoods, a lack of confidence is characteristic of a large portion of the student population. These children grow up feeling “less than” capable in the classroom. If a teacher from these neighborhoods is able to instill confidence in these children about their academic abilities then they might be able to perform better in school which leads to a more productive and rewarding life.
The purpose of this research project is to discover if and how tutors can affect writers’ confidence. Whether or not a tutor can invoke confidence in students and how, has many implications for tutoring and teaching pedagogy. Collaboration is successful in a tutoring session when a writer is comfortable and confident enough to participate. An unconfident writer isn’t likely to be comfortable with participation therefore making the session unproductive. Writers come to tutoring with a negative attitude about their writing ability. The hope is that a tutor’s influence can offset writers’ self-defeating attitudes and insecurities about their writing abilities and inspire confidence that will encourage a writer to collaborate in a tutoring session.
Literature Review
Scaffolding in the Writing Center: A Microanalysis of a Experienced Tutor’s Verbal and Nonverbal Tutoring Strategies, written by Isabelle regards the positive implications of Vygotskian scaffolding applied to the practice of tutoring writing. In traditional scaffolding a task is designed to be a little too difficult for a learner to handle on their own. A tutor takes command over the parts of a task that are too difficult while the learner works on the parts that are within his capabilities.
Nonverbal communication like verbal communication is essential in scaffolding tutoring strategy. Eye contact, posture and other movement show how people feel about each other and their level of engagement. This study looked at tutors’ hand gestures, posture and facial displays to examine emotional and representational aspects of nonverbal communication.
Direct instruction is a strategy whereby the tutor tells the student what to do. Cognitive scaffolding is a strategy whereby the tutor provides meaningful guidance so that students can independently revise and come up with ideas. Motivational scaffolding involves keeping students engaged in the writing task while remaining confident. With this strategy the tutor minimizes students’ frustration through sympathy and empathy. The three scaffolding strategies used during a conference supported writers emotionally during the writing process.
Fear, Teaching Composition and Students’ Discursive Choices: Re-Thinking Connections Between Emotions and College Student Writing written by Sally Chandler looks at the role emotions play in effecting the composing process for undergraduate writers. The study follows an undergraduate class of writers who were required to conduct tutoring sessions. At the end of the term, they wrote reflective analysis papers about their own writing process. Students’ essays were analyzed for their social and emotional contexts. In the end it was discovered that emotions overshadow academic writing students seek to produce.
The research found that students would need to detach themselves from their old writing habits and develop more mature ones. The loss of confidence is a central issue in composition and students who need to change, experience drastic internal conflict. Effective teaching allows students to feel comfortable enough to let go of psychological defenses. Instructors can alleviate emotional tension associated with composition so that the experience is more productive.
A Writing Teacher is like a Psychoanalyst, Only Less Well Paid is written by Jay Parini who feels that it is his job to help students uncover their unique voice as writers buried in the collective popular voices of the time. The job of the teacher then is much like a psychoanalyst who must help clients uncover their unique personae in a world of other influences. In connecting this concept of a writing teacher being like a psychoanalyst to confidence in the writing center, it is important that tutors develop a capacity to inspire confidence in writers so that they have the courage to actively participate in sessions and grow as writers.
Freud in the Writing Center: the Psychoanalytics of Tutoring Well by Cristina Murphy further expounds on the idea of Jay Parini that tutoring is like psychoanalysis. The article emphasizes the emotional aspect of writing tutoring. The tutor’s relationship to the student is primarily supportive and affective. The tutor like a therapist in order to be affective must demonstrate unconditional positive regard. There needs to be an empathetic bond formed where the student feels safe and secure.
Writers are dealing with insecurities associated their abilities as writers or students. They experience “anxiety, self doubt, negative cognition and procrastination”. The power is in the words exchanged between tutor and student like client and therapist. Language is used to convey emotions to change perceptions of the self and other people/things while shaping and empowering consciousness.
Method
Data for this study was collected during the allotted 1 hour tutoring sessions for an undergraduate course titled Peer Tutoring and Writing at Kean University in the CAS writing center. An observer watched six sessions of tutoring conducted by his classmates and himself and took notes on each session. Students were chosen at random, those who consented to participation in the study. Students’ ages varied and undergraduate level ranged from freshman to seniors. They came for various reasons including; revision, help generating ideas, understanding assignments and course readings and draft development. Most students were undergraduate freshman aged between 17 and 19 coming for revision of their papers in English 1030. Some students evaluated the tutor. This method was also used in Scaffolding in the Writing Center: A Microanalysis of a Experienced Tutor’s Verbal and Nonverbal Tutoring Strategies, written by Isabelle Thompson (although the conferences were also videotaped).
The central features of the notes were the instances of tutor action or inaction, verbal and nonverbal that led to periods of students expressing confidence reactions. A confidence reaction was in the form of increased involvement with the assignment. Students’ increased involvement in conversation denoted confidence. Eye contact and body language cues also determined confidence. Heightened speech also was a showcase of confidence. A lack of confidence was expressed in the form of minimal or no eye contact, reserved body language, passive speech and tone of voice and self-defeating statements.
Analysis
As discussed by Isabelle Thompson in her work with cognitive scaffolding, the tutor is a facilitator more or less, whose job is to help students by tutoring in a way so that students are challenged yet coddled. The tutor may set up a scenario where the student can choose between prompted alternatives or leave a blank in conversation for the student to fill in. Students who feel like they are going to be right are more likely to participate in collaboration (pg 445 last paragraph). In segment 1 of session #1 the tutor is a professor in the English department at Kean University. The student is a freshman female in English 1030. She came in appearing nervous, especially after consenting to the observation. Her body language is jittery and she speaks in a quiet passive voice.
[T= Tutor S= Student]
T: Asks student what the characters say about confrontation. “Write them down.”
S: [Hesitates] Lists some points on the paper as directed by the tutor.
[Pause while writing]
S: Reads what she wrote T: Nods head at the same time
T: Rephrases what the student says in a more concise, grammatically correct, positive tone of voice; nodding head to show that she is correct in her response. “Uh huh, ok.” “Good, so what I hear you saying is…” S: Looks up and makes eye contact.
T: Praises student’s good responses after paraphrasing.
T: Asks more questions pertaining to the assignment.
S: Answers more rapidly and with a stronger tone of voice while maintaining eye contact.
Jay Parini discusses the writing teacher’s role in helping students discover their unique voice. In this session, the tutor’s use of paraphrasing allows the student to maintain ownership of her own created response while reforming it in academic language. This is essential to confidence development in writers.
The cognitive scaffolding used by the tutor in the form of validating what the student says was correct and understandable elicits confidence reactions in the students in the form of maintained eye contact, stronger tone of voice and quicker responses The motivational scaffolding came in the form of the tutor saying, “Good” and nodding her head in approval. These strategies were effective in promoting confidence.
This particular interaction also shows the emotional benefit of using paraphrasing. In paraphrasing, the tutor takes the students limited vocabulary and rewords it in a way that is clearer to herself and the student. In doing this the tutor shows the student that she recognizes her comprehension skills. The student then feels that her intelligence is recognized and she is now more eager to participate in the conversation.
Acknowledging a correct response and/or being genuinely excited about a student’s work is a factor that contributes to successful conferences. In segment 1 of session #2 the tutor is a professor in the English department at Kean University. The student is a senior who is working on a paper for an upper level English class concerning “Critical Theory”. The session is conducted in front of a class and the student verbally expresses her apprehension about participating. The segment picks up when the student explains that she is unable to revise her paper for a grade. The following is segment 1 from observation # 2:
T: (Angry, flushed face) Expresses grievance and frustration with the instructor for not allowing the student to revise paper. Tutor has a relationship with instructor and student and was under the assumption that the assignment could be revised. “I’m going to talk to him (referring to the instructor)”
S: Student recognizes tutors frustration. She makes eye contact.
T/S: Converse about their contempt for the situation. They seem on one accord emotionally.
T/S: Student and tutor engage in meaningful conversation about the assignment which adds to students understanding.
Murphy (YEAR) explains how vulnerable students need to feel empathy from the tutor. The tutor attended to the affective needs of the student as they both vented their frustration.
Chandler (YEAR) also explains that emotions affect the composition process. Fear and anxiety play a role in creating academic writing. The student’s fear that her intelligence will be judged by her peers in this session contributed to her initial apprehension to participate. The tutor effectively used a strategy of empathy that allowed the student to feel comfortable enough to let go of her psychological defense evident in her eventual participation.
The student recognizes the tutors’ genuine concern. Feeling that she is understood, the student moves along in a collaborative conversation with the tutor about the assignment. The conversation is productive in that it adds to the students understanding of the assignment. Her confidence is expressed in her willingness to participate even though she was previously reluctant about being observed by a class. The student’s perception of the tutor as an authority in writing and in the English department who supports her probably also contributes to her confidence during the session.
Segment 2 of observation # 2 shows the tutors unconditional positive regard for a student who has been making self-defeating statements. The tutor in this segment demonstrated those qualities which led to the explicit confidence reactions.
T: Explains to student what she would do how she would do it. She explains for a second time what critical theory is and gives an example. She then questions whether or not student had applied critical theory to her paper in that way.
S: Student explains what she did and her mistakes at attempting “new criticism”. She says “I really don’t know”. “This probably doesn’t make any sense but…”
T: Tutor says she also understands the student’s mistake but asserts that her previous explanation of “new criticism” was good. Nods head feverously while smiling and saying, “that’s exactly right!”
S: Smiles widely looking very happy. The previously relatively quiet student is now more assertive than ever. “I know now (referring to understanding new criticism)”
Although the student makes a mistake the tutor uses a strategy to show her unconditional positive regard. Christina Murphy explains that unconditional positive regard is essential in any one on one relationship such as therapist-client and student-tutor. In doing this, the tutor is able to elicit a confidence reaction in the form of smiling and explicitly in the form of the student saying, “I know now.”
Discussion
Based on the data presented in this research it is posited that verbal and nonverbal praise, motivation, and reassurance from tutors contribute to increased confidence and comfort in writers and in a tutoring session, which leads to a more collaborative experience on behalf of the writer. In a broader context, tutors must cater to the higher order concern of writer emotion before engaging in help with the composition process to be effective.
As a two year writing tutor and in my observations specifically conducted for this assignment, I have generally found that students are more responsive and willing to collaborate once they feel like their intelligence is recognized and/or validated by the tutor. “In the course of this type of interaction, the student makes themselves vulnerable in opening themselves up to understanding or misunderstanding, judgment or acceptance, approval or disapproval. Pg 298 Frued” A student isn’t likely to reveal anymore deficiency during a tutoring session by opening their mouths to possibly verbalize their ignorance. Instead, a student remains quiet avoiding conversation in hopes that their tutor will be directive. It is important for a tutor to recognize the courage that it takes for a student to admit deficiency and seek help from a peer. Praising students’ effort and recognizing their intelligence make them feel more confident and likely to collaborate.
The current research has a huge limitation in the number of participants observed being too small. In order to successfully conduct a study about tutors’ role in writer confidence, that number would need to be a lot larger.
Conclusion
The current research has attempted to add to the body of knowledge related to writing center discourse. This study focused on how a tutor can elicit confidence reactions in writers. According to the empirical findings and supported by a literature review, tutors are in-fact able to elicit confidence reactions in writers. Tutors who are genuine in their concern, exhibited in their shared excitement and frustration about the assignment are better able to encourage student participation. Praising and recognizing a student’s intelligence can offset self-defeat and promote confidence.
An ability to invoke confidence has a huge implication for teaching pedagogy. Teachers being able to invoke confidence in their students about their abilities are extremely important. In low-income minority neighborhoods, a lack of confidence is characteristic of a large portion of the student population. These children grow up feeling “less than” capable in the classroom. If a teacher from these neighborhoods is able to instill confidence in these children about their academic abilities then they might be able to perform better in school which leads to a more productive and rewarding life.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Blog 21
Kevin Clay
12/6/2009
English 4070
Introduction
The purpose of this research project is to discover if and how tutors can affect writers’ confidence. Whether or not a tutor can invoke confidence in students and how, has many implications for tutoring and teaching pedagogy. Collaboration is successful in a tutoring session when a writer is comfortable and confident enough to participate. An unconfident writer isn’t likely to be comfortable with participation, and if he is, it is likely that it is with reservation. Often time’s writers come to tutoring with a negative attitude about their writing ability. They make statements like, “I suck at writing.” This lack of confidence can also prevent a student from beginning a writing assignment as they sometimes feel like they are too incompetent. The hope is that a tutor’s influence can offset writers’ self-defeating attitudes and insecurities about their writing abilities and inspire confidence that will encourage a writer to collaborate in a tutoring session.
Literature Review
The body of literature I have summarized helps support my exploration into the role of emotions in academic writing. It also explores if and how tutors can affect writers’ confidence.
Scaffolding in the
In traditional scaffolding a task is designed to be a little too difficult for a learner to handle on their own. A tutor/instructor is supposed to take command over the parts of the task that are too difficult while the learner is allowed to work on the parts that are within his capabilities. The tutor is to assist more when the learner fails and give greater freedom when he succeeds. The three key features include: intersubjectivity- collaboration between the tutor and learner “leads to task redefinition and shared ownership”, ongoing diagnosis- the tutor diagnosis the students level of understanding at the moment, and dialogic and interactive- the student is motivated to participate in the conference so the tutor can monitor progress, give support and ultimately fade (decrease his role in the process).
Nonverbal communication like verbal communication is essential in scaffolding tutoring strategy. Eye contact, posture and other movement show how people feel about each other, their level of engagement and approachability. This study looked at tutors’ hand gestures, posture and facial displays as well as students’ nonverbal back channeling, eye contact and smiling to examine emotional and representational aspects of nonverbal communication.
The three tutoring strategies used in scaffolding can be implemented through use of verbal and nonverbal instruction. Direct instruction is a strategy whereby the tutor (plainly speaking) tells the student what to do. It can also involve the tutor directly planning the next moves to be taken in the writing conference. Cognitive scaffolding is a strategy whereby the tutor provides meaningful guidance so that students can independently revise and come up with ideas. The tutor may set up a scenario where the student can choose between prompted alternatives or he may respond to his own question and leave a blank for the student to fill in. Motivational scaffolding involves keeping students engaged in the writing task and confident in their writing. With this strategy the tutor helps to minimize students’ frustration through sympathy and empathy. These three strategies are used in conjunction with one another through use of verbal and nonverbal methods during the tutoring session used for analysis. The study was deemed successful by both tutor and student.
This study revealed that the learning that takes place in center conferences is partly related to tutors’ “ability to scaffold a students’ performance toward an agreed upon outcome. It showed that scaffolding is important in teaching and also rapport establishment. The three strategies used in conjunction with one another at different stages in the conference analyzed show that scaffolding (cognitive, direct instruction and motivational) allows students to ultimately self-regulate in order to revise their own drafts.
Fear, Teaching Composition and Students’ Discursive Choices: Re-Thinking Connections Between Emotions and College Student Writing written by Sally Chandler is a piece of research literature that attempts to discover the role emotions play in affecting the composing process for undergraduate writers. This research demonstrates that writing assignments that propel young adult writers toward critical thinking and identity shifts have the potential to cause stressful emotions which in-turn cause discursive patterns that interfere with the composition of analytic writing. The study follows an undergraduate class of writers who as a requirement of their course were required to conduct tutoring sessions. And at the end of the term they were to write a reflective analysis paper concerning what they learned about their own writing process at the center. Students’ essays are analyzed for their social and emotional contexts. In the end it is found that emotions overwrite academic patterns students seek to produce.
The researcher uses the essays of her students as a preface to her analysis. Students in their essays describe their discomfort with tutoring and the effect they thought it had on their tutoring and the student. A student emphasizes the role of discomfort in bringing about change. The students’ essays generally focused on their emotions rather than an analysis which was required.
The research notes that students coming to the course although technically intermediate wrote as though they were beginners. Students would need to detach themselves from their old writing habits and develop more mature ones. “Conflicts between students’ self-perceptions and heir struggle to master college writing certainly contributed to fears articulated in their reflective essays: fears associated with the demand that they become novice writers”. The loss of confidence is a central issue in composition and students who need to change experience drastic internal conflict. Students’ fear in composition has been found linked to pressure to shift identity. They retreat to familiar home discourses rather than adopting a discourse that is a reasonably better choice because it leaves them emotionally secure and confident.
Effective teaching allows students to feel comfortable enough to let go of discursive patterns that function as a psychological defense. Instructors should guide students through the almost inevitable emotional experiences associated with critical compositions so that the experience is more productive, and less emotionally traumatic.
A Writing Teacher is Like a Psychoanalyst, Only Less Well Paid is written by Jay Parini who feels that it is his job to help students uncover their unique voice as writers buried in the collective popular voices of the time. The job of the teacher then is much like a psychoanalyst who must help clients uncover their unique personae in a world of other influences. In connecting this concept of a writing teacher being like a psychoanalyst to confidence, it is important that teachers develop a capacity to ignite confidence in writers so that they have the courage to actively participate in finding their unique personae.
Freud in the
Clients are dealing with hurt and negative emotions. People in the writing center are dealing with the same issues in the form of insecurities associated their abilities as writers or students. They experience “anxiety, self doubt, negative cognition and procrastination”. Students explain what they want and what they hope to achieve. The students make themselves vulnerable opening up to judgment and approval or disapproval.
The power is in the words exchanged between tutor and student like client and therapist. These words are “of healing”. Language is used to convey emotions to change perceptions of the self and other people/things. It shapes and empowers consciousness and provides a platform fir self-actualization. Psychotherapy and tutoring share a common set of principles for a successful interaction as well as a list of desired results.
Method
Data for this study was collected during the allotted 1 hour tutoring sessions for an undergraduate course titled Peer Tutoring and Writing at Kean University in the CAS writing center. An observer watched six sessions of tutoring conducted by his classmates and himself and took notes on the sessions. Students were chosen at random, those who consented to participation in the study. Students’ ages varied and undergraduate level ranged from freshman to seniors. They came for various reasons including; revision, help generating ideas, understanding assignments and course readings and draft development. Most students were undergraduate freshman aged between 17 and 19 coming for revision of their papers in English 1030. Some students evaluated the tutor as well as the observer. This method was also used in Scaffolding in the
The central features of the notes were the instances of tutor action or inaction, verbal and nonverbal that led to periods of students expressing confidence reactions. A confidence reaction was in the form of increased involvement with the assignment. Students’ increased involvement with tutor in conversation related to the assignment denoted confidence. Eye contact and body language cues also determined confidence. Heightened speech also was a showcase of confidence. Mention what unconfidence is.
Analysis
In this analysis specific portions of the three observations will be pulled to analyze their context as it relates to confidence in writers. The tutor’s technique and use of verbal and nonverbal representations as well as student confidence will be the focus.
As discussed by Isabelle Thompson in her work with cognitive scaffolding, the tutor is a facilitator more or less, whose job is to help students by setting up a situation for them to be actively engaged but also challenged. Students who feel like they are going to be right are more likely to participate in collaboration (pg 445 last paragraph). Active participation is a clear indicator of confidence as shown in a segment of tutoring session 1. The tutor is a professor in the English department at
[T= Tutor S= Student]
T: Asks student what the characters say about confrontation. “Write them down.”
S: [Hesitates] Lists some points on the paper as directed by the tutor.
[Pause while writing]
S: Reads what she wrote T: Nods head at the same time
T: Rephrases what the student says in a more concise, grammatically correct, positive tone of voice; nodding head to show that she is correct in her response. “Uh huh, ok.” “Good, so what I hear you saying is…” S: Looks up and makes eye contact.
T: Praises students good responses after paraphrasing
T: Asks more questions pertaining to the assignment.
S: Answers more rapidly and with a stronger tone of voice while maintaining eye contact.
The cognitive and motivational scaffolding used by the tutor elicits confidence reactions in the students in the form of maintained eye contact, stronger tone of voice and quicker responses. The cognitive scaffolding was in the form of the tutor paraphrase. The motivational scaffolding came in the form of the tutor saying, “Good” and nodding her head in approval. These strategies were effective in promoting confidence.
Tutors praise of students also is known to elicit confidence reactions. Acknowledging a correct response and/or being genuinely excited about a student’s work is a factor that contributes to successful conferences. In the session the tutor is a professor in the English department at
T: (Angry, flushed face) Expresses grievance and frustration with the instructor for not allowing the student to revise paper. Tutor has a relationship with instructor and student and was under the assumption that the assignment could be revised. “I’m going to talk to him (referring to the instructor)”
S: Student recognizes tutors frustration. She makes eye contact.
T/S: Converse about their contempt for the situation. They seem on one accord emotionally.
T/S: Student and tutor engage in meaningful conversation about the assignment which adds to students understanding.
In Freud in the
Segment 2 of observation # 2 shows the tutors unconditional positive regard for a student who has been making self-defeating statements. The author also explains that unconditional positive regard is essential in any one on one relationship such as therapist-client and student-tutor. The tutor in this segment demonstrated those qualities which led to the explicit confidence reactions.
T: Explains to student what she would do how she would do it. She explains for a second time what critical theory is and gives an example. She then questions whether or not student had applied critical theory to her paper in that way.
S: Student explains what she did and her mistakes at attempting “new criticism”. She says “I really don’t know”. “This probably doesn’t make any sense but…”
T: Tutor says she also understands the student’s mistake but asserts that her previous explanation of “new criticism” was good. Nods head feverously while smiling and saying, “that’s exactly right!”
S: Smiles widely looking very happy. The previously relatively quiet student is now more assertive than ever. “ I know now (referring to understanding new criticism)”
Fear, Teaching Composition and Students’ Discursive Choices: Re-Thinking Connections Between Emotions and College Student Writing written by Sally Chandler talks about the role emotions play with writers in composing a piece of writing. Emotion was a large factor that contributed to the student’s composing ability in the following segment. The session was with an older adult returning student. The tutor and student have seen each other on three previous occasions throughout the semester. They have built a rapport though collaboration and the tutor’s use of cognitive and motivational scaffolding which is considered necessary for successful tutoring (pg. 420 top paragraph). At this point the assignment sheet and draft had been read and the tutor had began to strategize a way for the student to make clear points in her draft that was a little unorganized with no clear main idea or thesis in paragraphs.
T: “Make a list to compare and contrast similarities and differences in both stories.” “[By the way] how did you do on the other assignment we worked on?” ”I see major improvements from your last paper”
S: Explains that the original paper which received a 32% after we worked on it moved up to a B. She was very excited and explained how she cried. She goes onto say how the professor noticed large improvements in her work and commented that he could tell tutoring was helping. She goes onto say how much God has helped her through the experience of returning to school. She was very discouraged but prayer and patience has brought her to the point where she is comfortable. She thanks the tutor vigorously for all the help he had given her. She now feels more confident in her abilities as a writer and as a student. [Continues for almost 30 minutes] She then finishes the compare and contrast and the session ends.
Ground all lit review in writing center
In paragraphs after the conversation Point out direct refer to the conclusions you drew.
Discussion
Based on the data presented in this research it is posited that verbal and nonverbal praise, motivation, and reassurance from tutors contribute to increased confidence and comfort in writers and in a tutoring session, which leads to a more collaborative experience on behalf of the writer. In a broader context, tutors must cater to the higher order concern of writer emotion before engaging in help with the composition process to be effective.
As a two year writing tutor and in my observations specifically conducted for this assignment, I have generally found that students are more responsive and willing to collaborate once they feel like their intelligence is recognized and/or validated by the tutor. They come into the conference admittedly needing help (an admission of deficiency). They seek help from a peer tutor (an admission that a peer is better than they are at writing). “In the course of this type of interaction, the student makes themselves vulnerable in opening themselves up to understanding or misunderstanding, judgment or acceptance, approval or disapproval. Pg 298 Frued” A student isn’t likely to reveal anymore deficiency during a tutoring session by opening their mouths to possibly verbalize their ignorance. Instead, a student remains quiet avoiding participation conversation in hopes that their tutor will be directive. It is important for a tutor to recognize the courage that it takes for a student to admit deficiency and seek help from a peer. Establishing a rapport with a student can help remediate some of these negative thoughts that they carry to a session. Praising their efforts and recognizing their intelligence and reassuring them when they feel ambiguous about what course of action to take make them feel more confident and likely to collaborate.
The current research has its limitations. The number of participants observed was noticeably small. There were six observations conducted by the researcher. In order to successfully conduct a study about tutors’ role in writer confidence, that number would need to be a lot larger. Participants were mostly first semester freshman ages 17 or 18. Freshmen are more likely to be unconfident because of the newness of the challenges of their college experience. They are inexperienced and as a result may act in ways that aren’t typical for all students entering the writing center for help. Also, the research assumes that collaboration as a result of writer confidence leads to successful conferences. This isn’t always the case. Sometimes, even when a tutor helps an unconfident writer to gain confidence and participate actively in a writing session, the session still is a “failure”.
Conclusion
The current research has attempted to add to the body of knowledge related to writing center discourse. This study specifically looked at if and how a tutor could elicit confidence reactions in writers. According to the empirical findings and supported by a literature review it has been found that tutors are in-fact able to elicit confidence reactions in writers. It has been found that tutors who are genuine in their concern, exhibited in their shared excitement and frustration about the assignment are better able to encourage student participation. Praising and validating a student’s intelligence can offset self-defeat and promote confidence. And lastly, longitudinal tutor encouragement can have lasting effects on writers’ confidence in their own writing.
An ability to invoke confidence has a huge implication for teaching pedagogy. Teachers being able to invoke confidence in their students about their abilities are extremely important. In low-income minority neighborhoods, a lack of confidence is characteristic of a large portion of the student population. These children grow up feeling “less than” capable in the classroom. Education is on the bottom of the list of priorities to some of these youngsters raised around in harsh circumstances. If a teacher from these neighborhoods is able to instill confidence in these children about their academic abilities then they might be able to perform better in school. If they are able to perform better throughout their K-12 experience, their prospect for continuing onto and succeeding in college is likely. Success in college that leads to enlightenment and broader world views as well as a career will be a far stretch from their humble beginnings. Of course many other social factors contribute to whether or not a student is an academic success. But if confidence was a controlled variable, the likelihood that students would follow the pattern as illustrated above would increase exponentially.
Monday, November 30, 2009
blog 19
Literature Review
The body of literature I have summarized helps support my exploration into whether negative emotions, specifically a lack of confidence, can inhibit a writer’s ability to compose. It also explores if and how tutors can affect writers’ confidence.
Scaffolding in the
In traditional scaffolding a task is designed to be a little too difficult for a learner to handle on their own. A tutor/instructor is supposed to take command over the parts of the task that are too difficult while the learner is allowed to work on the parts that are within his capabilities. The tutor is to assist more when the learner fails and give greater freedom when he succeeds. The three key features include: intersubjectivity- collaboration between the tutor and learner “leads to task redefinition and shared ownership”, ongoing diagnosis- the tutor diagnosis the students level of understanding at the moment, and dialogic and interactive- the student is motivated to participate in the conference so the tutor can monitor progress, give support and ultimately fade (decrease his role in the process).
Nonverbal communication like verbal communication is essential in scaffolding tutoring strategy. Eye contact, posture and other movement show how people feel about each other, their level of engagement and approachability. This study looked at tutors’ hand gestures, posture and facial displays as well as students’ nonverbal back channeling, eye contact and smiling to examine emotional and representational aspects of nonverbal communication.
The three tutoring strategies used in scaffolding can be implemented through use of verbal and nonverbal instruction. Direct instruction is a strategy whereby the tutor (plainly speaking) tells the student what to do. It can also involve the tutor directly planning the next moves to be taken in the writing conference. Cognitive scaffolding is a strategy whereby the tutor provides meaningful guidance so that students can independently revise and come up with ideas. The tutor may set up a scenario where the student can choose between prompted alternatives or he may respond to his own question and leave a blank for the student to fill in. Motivational scaffolding involves keeping students engaged in the writing task and confident in their writing. With this strategy the tutor helps to minimize students’ frustration through sympathy and empathy. These three strategies are used in conjunction with one another through use of verbal and nonverbal methods during the tutoring session used for analysis. The study was deemed successful by both tutor and student.
This study revealed that the learning that takes place in center conferences is partly related to tutors’ “ability to scaffold a students’ performance toward an agreed upon outcome. It showed that scaffolding is important in teaching and also rapport establishment. The three strategies used in conjunction with one another at different stages in the conference analyzed show that scaffolding (cognitive, direct instruction and motivational) allows students to ultimately self-regulate in order to revise their own drafts.
Fear, Teaching Composition and Students’ Discursive Choices: Re-Thinking Connections Between Emotions and College Student Writing written by Sally Chandler is a piece of research literature that attempts to discover the role emotions play in affecting the composing process for undergraduate writers. This research demonstrates that writing assignments that propel young adult writers toward critical thinking and identity shifts have the potential to cause stressful emotions which in-turn cause discursive patterns that interfere with the composition of analytic writing. The study follows an undergraduate class of writers who as a requirement of their course were required to conduct tutoring sessions. And at the end of the term they were to write a reflective analysis paper concerning what they learned about their own writing process at the center. Students’ essays are analyzed for their social and emotional contexts. In the end it is found that emotions overwrite academic patterns students seek to produce.
The researcher uses the essays of her students as a preface to her analysis. Students in their essays describe their discomfort with tutoring and the effect they thought it had on their tutoring and the student. A student emphasizes the role of discomfort in bringing about change. The students’ essays generally focused on their emotions rather than an analysis which was required.
The research notes that students coming to the course although technically intermediate wrote as though they were beginners. Students would need to detach themselves from their old writing habits and develop more mature ones. “Conflicts between students’ self-perceptions and heir struggle to master college writing certainly contributed to fears articulated in their reflective essays: fears associated with the demand that they become novice writers”. The loss of confidence is a central issue in composition and students who need to change experience drastic internal conflict. Students’ fear in composition has been found linked to pressure to shift identity. They retreat to familiar home discourses rather than adopting a discourse that is a reasonably better choice because it leaves them emotionally secure and confident.
Effective teaching allows students to feel comfortable enough to let go of discursive patterns that function as a psychological defense. Instructors should guide students through the almost inevitable emotional experiences associated with critical compositions so that the experience is more productive, and less emotionally traumatic.
A Writing Teacher is Like a Psychoanalyst, Only Less Well Paid is written by Jay Parini who feels that it is his job to help students uncover their unique voice as writers buried in the collective popular voices of the time. The job of the teacher then is much like a psychoanalyst who must help clients uncover their unique personae in a world of other influences.
Freud in the
Clients are dealing with hurt and negative emotions. People in the writing center are dealing with the same issues in the form of insecurities associated their abilities as writers or students. They experience “anxiety, self doubt, negative cognition and procrastination”. Students explain what they want and what they hope to achieve. The students make themselves vulnerable opening up to judgment and approval or disapproval.
The power is in the words exchanged between tutor and student like client and therapist. These words are “of healing”. Language is used to convey emotions to change perceptions of the self and other people/things. It shapes and empowers consciousness and provides a platform fir self-actualization. Psychotherapy and tutoring share a common set of principles for a successful interaction as well as a list of desired results.
Method
This data for this study was collected during allotted 1 hour tutoring sessions for an undergraduate course titled Peer Tutoring and Writing at Kean University in the CAS writing center. An observer watched six sessions of tutoring conducted by his classmates and took notes on each as well as his own sessions. Students’ ages varied and undergraduate level ranged from freshman to seniors. They came for various reasons including; revision, help generating ideas, understanding assignments and course readings and draft development. Most students were undergraduate freshman aged between 17 and 19 coming for revision of their papers in English 1030. Some students evaluated the tutor as well as the observer. This method was also used in Scaffolding in the
The central features of the notes were the instances of tutor action or inaction, verbal and nonverbal that led to periods of students expressing confidence reactions. A confidence reaction was in the form of increased involvement with the assignment. Students’ increased involvement with tutor in conversation related to the assignment denoted confidence. Eye contact and body language cues also determined confidence. Heightened speech also was a showcase of confidence.
Analysis
In this analysis specific portions of the three observations will be pulled to analyze their context as it relates to confidence in writers. The tutor’s technique and use of verbal and nonverbal representations as well as student confidence will be the focus.
As discussed by Isabelle Thompson in her work with cognitive scaffolding, the tutor is a facilitator more or less, whose job is to help students by setting up a situation for them to be actively engaged but also challenged. Students who feel like they are going to be right are more likely to participate in collaboration. Active participation is a clear indicator of confidence as shown in a segment of tutoring session 1. The tutor is a professor in the English department at
[T= Tutor S= Student]
T: Asks student what the characters say about confrontation. “Write them down.”
S: [Hesitates] Lists some points on the paper as directed by the tutor.
[Pause while writing]
S: Reads what she wrote T: Nods head at the same time
T: Rephrases what the student says in a more concise, grammatically correct, positive tone of voice; nodding head to show that she is correct in her response. “Uh huh, ok.” “Good, so what I hear you saying is…” S: Looks up and makes eye contact.
T: Praises students good responses after paraphrasing
T: Asks more questions pertaining to the assignment.
S: Answers more rapidly and with a stronger tone of voice while maintaining eye contact.
The cognitive and motivational scaffolding used by the tutor elicits confidence reactions in the students in the form of maintained eye contact, stronger tone of voice and quicker responses. The cognitive scaffolding was in the form of the tutor paraphrase. The motivational scaffolding came in the form of the tutor saying, “Good” and nodding her head in approval. These strategies were effective in promoting confidence.
Tutors praise of students also is known to elicit confidence reactions. Acknowledging a correct response and/or being genuinely excited about a student’s work is a factor that contributes to successful conferences. In the session the tutor is a professor in the English department at
T: (Angry, flushed face) Expresses grievance and frustration with the instructor for not allowing the student to revise paper. Tutor has a relationship with instructor and student and was under the assumption that the assignment could be revised. “I’m going to talk to him (referring to the instructor)”
S: Student recognizes tutors frustration. She makes eye contact.
T/S: Converse about their contempt for the situation. They seem on one accord emotionally.
In Freud in the
Segment 2 of observation # 2 shows the tutors unconditional positive regard for a student who has been making self-defeating statements. The author also explains that unconditional positive regard is essential in any one on one relationship such as therapist-client and student-tutor. The tutor in this segment demonstrated those qualities which led to the explicit confidence reactions.
T: Explains to student what she would do how she would do it. She explains for a second time what critical theory is and gives an example. She then questions whether or not student had applied critical theory to her paper in that way.
S: Student explains what she did and her mistakes at attempting “new criticism”. She says “I really don’t know”. “This probably doesn’t make any sense but…”
T: Tutor says she also understands the students mistake but asserts that her previous explanation of “new criticism” was good. Nods head feverously while smiling and saying, “that’s exactly right!”
S: Smiles widely looking very happy. The previously relatively quiet student is now more assertive than ever. “ I know now (referring to understanding new criticism)”
Fear, Teaching Composition and Students’ Discursive Choices: Re-Thinking Connections Between Emotions and College Student Writing written by Sally Chandler talks about the role emotions play with writers in composing a piece of writing. Emotion was a large factor that contributed to the student’s composing ability in the following segment. The session was with an older adult returning student. The tutor and student have seen each other on three previous occasions throughout the semester. They have built a rapport though collaboration and the tutor’s use of cognitive and motivational scaffolding which is considered necessary for successful tutoring. At this point the assignment sheet and draft had been read and the tutor had began to strategize a way for the student to make clear points in her draft that was a little unorganized with no clear main idea or thesis in paragraphs.
T: “Make a list to compare and contrast similarities and differences in both stories.” “[By the way] how did you do on the other assignment we worked on?” ”I see major improvements from your last paper”
S: Explains that the original paper which received a 32% after we worked on it moved up to a B. She was very excited and explained how she cried. She goes onto say how the professor noticed large improvements in her work and commented that he could tell tutoring was helping. She goes onto say how much God has helped her through the experience of returning to school. She was very discouraged but prayer and patience has brought her to the point where she is comfortable. She thanks the tutor vigorously for all the help he had given her. She now feels more confident in her abilities as a writer and as a student. [Continues for almost 30 minutes] She then finishes the compare and contrast and the session ends.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Blog 17
The purpose of this research project is to discover what, if any kind of tutor influence elicits confidence reactions in students and under what conditions. Finding whether or not a tutor can provoke confidence in students and how, has many implications for tutoring and teaching pedagogy. An individual’s lack of confidence in his/her ability to complete a task inhibits their ability to carry out said task. Often time’s writers come to tutoring or English class with a negative attitude about their writing ability. They make statements like, “I suck at writing.” This lack of confidence can also prevent a student from beginning a writing assignment as they sometimes feel like they are too incompetent. The hope is that a tutor’s influence can offset writers’ self-defeating attitudes and inspire confidence that will enable a writer to take chances and grow.
List of tentative sources:
JAY PARINI, "A WRITING TEACHER IS LIKE A PSYCHOANALYST, ONLY LESS WELL PAID"
"DETENTE IN PSYCHOTHERAPY?" BY LEONARD D. GOODSTEIN
Murphy, "Freud in the Writing Center"
The Structure and Culture of Developing a Mathematics Tutoring Collaborative in an Urban High School -Erica N. Walker
The type of information that I will need to gather will come from research databases containing scholarly sources. The searches criteria will pertain to body language and other nonverbal indicators of confidence, tutoring techniques that are successful in promoting confidence, tutors disposition and how it affects writers, confidence level and task completion, lack of confidence and writers block. I also want to gather good observation data from my classmates’ sessions as well as my own sessions.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Blog # 16
The class talked about taking notes that were objective. We shouldn't take notes that support our assumption, rather we should write from a nuetral stand-point only what we see and hear. We also discussed tutoring to ESL students. The importance of agenda setting (who sets, the tutor or student), domain knowledge, and tutoring technique were discussed in regards to ESL tutoring.
S = Student T = Tutor
S appears to be nervous
- body language- gittery
-quiet/ passive
T: reads assignment and explains in laymans terms
- asks student "where do we start?"
- becomes directive
Student relatively quiet. Gives no eye contact .Tutor makes eye contact
T: (speaking softly) asks writer to explain what author says about conformity
S: Lists points on paper as directed by tutor
T: rephrases some of the students writing and verbal sentiments in clearer more formal language..."So what I hear you saying is..."
S: Student agrees with tutors rephrase and appears to be more excited and more confident.
- speaks louder, answers questions, nods head a little more surely
T: Praises
S: Student gives eye contact now
S = Student T = Tutor
S appears to be nervous
- body language- gittery
-quiet/ passive
T: reads assignment and explains in laymans terms
- asks student "where do we start?"
- becomes directive
Student relatively quiet. Gives no eye contact .Tutor makes eye contact
T: (speaking softly) asks writer to explain what author says about conformity
S: Lists points on paper as directed by tutor
T: rephrases some of the students writing and verbal sentiments in clearer more formal language..."So what I hear you saying is..."
S: Student agrees with tutors rephrase and appears to be more excited and more confident.
- speaks louder, answers questions, nods head a little more surely
T: Praises
S: Student gives eye contact now
Blog 15
My project needs to find a more precise focus as "writers' confidence" is too broad of a topic. I recognize my need to take notes objectively and not to write them in language that candidly supports my assumptions. My sessions are going well. ESL is difficult just like it has always been.
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