Lucie Berjoan - Blog Post 3

Reading about tutoring non-native English speakers actually touched on one of my biggest insecurities regarding tutoring: grammar. Regardless of all the writing I do, I have not ever had any formal training when it comes to grammar and mostly sort things out instinctually. Reading through the handouts for this week, I’m realizing that this will not necessarily translate to non-native English speakers, as their instincts are to recognize different patterns. This also helped me to sort out the importance of whether or not a paper is grammatically correct. On one hand, if the author is able to convey their ideas about a subject adequately, grammatical errors should not detract from the ultimate goals of the paper. I definitely do not think that all Americans need to speak proper English or even any English to be deserving of respect, so why should that change when it comes to the written word? That being said, we are operating within an academic institution, a context that requires a certain level of fluency. Whether I like it or not, in order to be successful within academia, one is required to adhere to the expectations of the institution.  

The same could be said for what The Bedford Guide calls “the writer with basic writing skills,” which is the homegrown version of someone struggling with the types of problems that ELA students may face. These students use a different set of rules that mimic the way they speak as a result of lacking more basic grammar and writing skills (59). Similar to the non-native English speakers, this means that their instincts might not notice the mistakes they've written. I think it's interesting that The Bedford Guide suggests that basic writers record and listen to themselves reading their work– though I suppose the more they hear their errors, the more they notice that it sounds different when compared to other people. I think it’s also important to consider that if a student is speaking in a way that is grammatically incorrect and lacking basic writing skills, it’s likely indicative of a larger, likely systemic problem. There’s a good chance they didn’t have access to good schools, or that their parents were unable to finish their education meaning the environment they were raised in prioritized different things. The fact that they’re in college and coming to the writing center would indicate their desire to disrupt this pattern. The idea that good grammar reflects anything of intelligence is pretty harmful, and is something that these students with basic writing skills face constantly. I guess I’m writing this mostly to remind myself to be patient with these students (both those with basic writing skills and those that are ELA) and to remember to give positive feedback alongside the corrective as  positive reinforcement.