Writing Center Partnership

One-on-one Tutoring in the Writing Center

Make a Writing Center Appointment

At Shenandoah University the Writing Center and the ESL program have partnered together to bring ESL students access to native speakers through one-on-one tutoring. For the ESL student there is no better way to develop strong reading, writing, and speaking skills than to spend time with a trained tutor. Because the Writing Center is a free service, some ESL students have chosen to work with a tutor every day. Others come a couple of hours a week. Many have forged lasting friendships with their Americans tutors through their Writing Center visits. (To make a Writing Center appointment, click here.)

Tutors help ESL students in these four areas:

  1. Guidance in Writing Papers
    It is the ESL student's responsibility to come to the Writing Center with a prepared outline or rough draft of a paper. The tutor is then able to work with the ESL student in making sure the paper is fulfilling the needs of the assignment, offer suggestions on organization and content, and finally, when all else is in place, guide students to self-correct grammar. Invariably, an ESL student comes out of the Writing Center visit with a much stronger paper.
  2. Feedback for Presentations
    Writing Center tutors understand that a speech is different from a paper. They assist ESL students in crafting strong presentations though providing suggestions for organization and content and in modeling pronunciation. ESL students also have the opportunity to practice and/or digitally record their speeches with their tutors and to receive helpful feedback for improvement. As a result, ESL students are more confident in their classroom presentations.
  3. Assistance in Reading Comprehension
    For the ESL student, reading in English is challenging. Writing Center tutors encourage students to comprehend difficult reading assignments by discussing vocabulary, main ideas, and supporting details. The tutors are trained to ask questions which will guide students toward bringing their own understanding to each reading. ESL students also have the opportunity to discuss plot and character development of literature assignments with their tutors. These interchanges strengthen the ESL students' ability to not only read better, but to clearly discuss what they have read.
  4. Opportunity for Informal Conversation
    Because we understand that most of ESL students' exposure to English is in academic settings, we have developed a Conversation Partners program with Writing Center tutors, providing opportunities to have discussions on a variety of informal topics. Both tutors and ESL students enjoy these times of cultural exchange and low-key talks which often lead to full-blown friendships.

What ESL students are saying about the Writing Center:

"They told me how to make my essay more interesting to people. They taught me the MLA format of the essay."

"Before the speech, we would go over the topic and idea. They helped us took video so that we could know that what's part of speech that we could improve."

"They helped me by telling me the parts of the presentation that should be more developed. They helped me make good introductions and conclusions of the speeches. They also helped me with my speeches' research. They helped me to find quotes and sources. Without them, I won't be able to get good grades like I've gotten."

"They help me to write works cite, I like it. I never done that before when I am in Thailand. I feel more safe when I have to tell where I found the information to use in my essay or presentation."

"They could reveal my weak points. For example they would say something to clue me not tell me directly, and I'll finally get the idea."

"They help me alot what essay is, before coming to the U.S. essay is unclear picture in my head but today I can see it as a beautiful picture."

Share