ELL Students

I have never been a fan of labeling students like schools do. Schools label students with the idea of being able to distinguish who needs more help or special attention. Although the goal is to not have students feel isolated from their peers, it still happens. Similarly, this applies to the writing center. I really did not have the experience of working with ELL students. I only had one student who was Korean, and her english was quite fluent. However, she did not feel comfortable talking to me at first because she thought I wouldn't understand her. Throughout the session, she kept apologizing for her English, and I kept telling her she didn't have to be sorry. Tutors need to be able to establish equality amongst every writer that comes in. I never went to a session thinking of whether or not I would get an ELL student. A tutor needs to show support and comprehension towards the writer and its paper. Perhaps, even start a small conversation on how one isn’t able to say this well or talk about our weaknesses. The tutor and writer need to be at the same level to avoid hierarchy. I know that in all of my sessions, I told them that even as an English major, I struggle to get my ideas out and start a paper.