ESL Class

Yesterday in class, we had the ESL specialist at UR visit our class to talk about how to consult with ESL students. AS we sat down in class like we normally do, she began to speak to us not only in a language that I didn't even know, but one that I couldn't identify at all! I looked around the room and asked those sitting next to me, "what language is she speaking?" Of course, no one was familiar with the language she was speaking and we were forced to try to understand her hand gestures instead of being able to really communicate with her. Of course, we all knew she spoke English, but just knowing that you couldn't speak back to her or understand what she was saying was a bit intimidating.
She began to speak in English and revealed that she was speaking Turkish and began to ask us how we felt. Most of us said intimidated or something along those lines, but she revealed to us that usually she does this "experiment" for longer--usually 15 minutes! After 15 minutes she says that people often feel disjointed and uncomfortable, which she shared with us, are the overwhelming feelings ESL students feel when they first come to the US and encounter the task of having to write their first papers. She told us that writing consultants must take the overwhelming feeling away as we identify with them and explain the cultural differences of writing in the US. We must maintain a level of respect while making sure that they understand the nuances of writing. To do this, we must get to know them and make them feel comfortable; this could be a difficult task, but with extra effort we can consult with any kind of student. ESL students are just like us--they are here to learn, and they come to the writing center to improve their writing. We need to treat them like any other student that comes to the writing center.