During the spring semester, the Coe Writing Center and the Catherine McAuley Center began working together. The McAuley Center offers tutoring in English to people new to the US, in addition to other services, including transitional housing for women. The McAuley Center offers one-on-one tutoring to people from all over the world who are in Cedar Rapids and trying to learn English. Coe's Writing Center is full of tutors who speak English.
I wasn't on campus in the spring to witness or be a part of the tutoring sessions between Coe students and McAuley students, but I am happy to be tutoring one student this summer. Tutoring is the core of the WC job, and I had missed the chance to work one-on-one with someone over a period of time and to observe their skills and strategies change and improve.
I am working with an adult from the Democratic Republic of Congo who is very eager to learn English. We have fun together and make sure to laugh at ourselves. The other day, I said I was in an argument with someone and he though I said the person was pregnant.
A few numbers from the Migration Policy Institute before I go: There are 40 million foreign born persons currently living in the US. Of that group, about half are Limited English Proficient, a self-reported status that indicates the person doesn't consider that he or she speaks English "very well."
-Peter
3 comments:
Great to read about the writing center and the progress on the tuition.
I think English is the start of any tutoring program on almost any subject. Similar to maths, you have to have that as a base-line in order to do well in other subjects like science etc. So I think if a tutor doesn't do English (English speaking tutors of course), then you might want to re-think the program! :)
Lovely blog btw! Just found it today.
I agree! Tutoring is all about communication, and we do most of our in English. Our Center also does some work with international and exchange students on campus who are not native English speakers. You don't really know English until you try to explain some silly rule or exception to someone learning the language.
I'm glad you like the blog! I'm on the summer crew here, and there will be new bloggers in the fall.
Its nice to read about the writing center.
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