[DOWNLOAD] "Student Rights, Home Languages, And Political Wisdom in the Writing Center" by Writing Lab Newsletter # eBook PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Student Rights, Home Languages, And Political Wisdom in the Writing Center
- Author : Writing Lab Newsletter
- Release Date : January 01, 2008
- Genre: Education,Books,Professional & Technical,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 69 KB
Description
Last August, Abilene Christian University experienced the grand opening of The Learning Commons, a spanking new facility on the first floor of our previously tomb-like library. The Learning Commons is so named because it seeks to combine all facets of a student's workplace: computer assistance, research librarians, printing and copying facilities, ergonomic workspaces, the ACU Writing Center, and, not insignificantly, Starbucks. While we knew our traffic would increase dramatically as a result of our new location, we were surprised by the number of new international clients this has brought our way. Our university does not have a large ESL population, but these students have always comprised a disproportionately large percentage of writing center clients. Moreover, ACU has not invested in an intensive English learning program, or any such immersion curriculum; international students who pass the TOEFL are placed in the mainstream curriculum, and those who don't pass take non-credit ESL classes taught by available students from random disciplines. In short, ACU admits students from many countries whose spoken and written grasp of English varies widely, many of whom neither approach fluency nor are able to find much help through the university's scant ESL resources. This sketch is not intended to deride ACU; the administration does not claim extensive ESL resources nor does it try to micro-manage international admissions files. The fact remains, however, that many international students who are not conversant in English find themselves in a bind when they arrive on campus.