Working With Non-Native and Bilingual English Speakers

The Writing Center has developed a presentation specifically for faculty on working with non-native and bilingual speakers in the classroom. This Faculty Forum is offered on request and covers a variety of topics relevant to your work with non-native English speakers and provides a venue for you to share experiences and ask questions. We also watch an excellent short video, Writing Across Borders, to stimulate discussion on faculty and student perspectives on non-native and bilingual speakers in academic settings. You will leave the forum with some new and practical resources for teaching and hopefully a clearer picture of the needs and concerns of our international students and bilingual English speakers.

See the links below for some of the materials provided to forum attendees:

Writing Across Borders Discussion Questions

--to accompany the short film produced by Oregon State University

Hierarchy of ESL Errors

--a list of the ten most common grammar errors committed by non-native speakers, ranked from most to least serious. Useful for responding to and assessing non-native student writing.

Suggestions and Resources for Professors

--tips for your classroom and coursework along with a bibliography of print and online resources related to understanding and teaching non-native and bilingual speakers (check back periodically for updates)

Writing Interview Form (Sample)

--suggested for use at the beginning of any course to discover the language, writing, and academic backgrounds of your students, especially non-native and bilingual speakers. Adapt the questions as you see fit.

Services for Non-Native/Bilingual Speakers brochure 
(Microsoft Publisher required to view)

--produced by the Writing Center for distribution to non-native and bilingual speakers