Factors to WAing Modern Language Courses
WAs working with papers written in languages other than English have somewhat different considerations and choices for providing the best possible support. These factors may be present in any conference, but are more likely to come up for a paper written for a Modern Languages course. One such factor is balancing grammatical edits with other aspects of writing and the writing process, particularly for students writing in one of their second languages who are primarily nervous about their grammar. Another is the language in which to conduct the conference: should the WA choose the language in which the paper is written, or the language the WAee and WA are most comfortable speaking? Other questions include what support WAs should seek from Modern Languages professors in order to best address students’ concerns about writing for this discipline, and what the prewriting stage of the process looks like for Modern Language students.
Dealing with grammar
Past inquiry projects including Castaneda and Serbin (2015) complement our anecdotal experience that writers working outside of their native language(s) in language classes want direct feedback about grammar. Castaneda and Serbin found that writers especially sought grammar feedback in written form and around the expression of complex ideas. The question of when and how specifically to engage with grammar questions and expectations from writers often requires the WA to use their judgment in a conference. Creating a universal rule for grammar feedback runs into a series of challenges: professors have varied expectations of WAs, with some not wanting WAs to give grammar advice at all; WAs’ proficiency in the course’s language also varies significantly, with some native speakers and some language learners not actively practicing the language in a course. We therefore recommend that WAs refrain from focusing on grammar and limit their comments to patterns and places where the writer’s grammar significantly impedes comprehension. We also encourage WAs to gauge a writer’s expectations about grammar feedback early in the conference, working with them to find a solution that supports their agency.
Conferencing language
Unlike other WA’s who work in English, language WA’s face the question of whether to speak in English or the course language, such as French for a French literature class, during conferences. As a WAee in French classes, I always conferenced with WA’s in English, as I felt more comfortable articulating the details of ideas in my paper. This sentiment seems to be common to others. A past language WA describes the benefits of using English in the foreign language writing process, explaining that speaking in English allows for rich discussion of content and for the WA to share strategies about writing in a foreign language (Caldwell 2016). Another language WA recommends that WAees decide the language they will speak and that most WAees suggest a combination of the foreign language and English (Bowie 2009). Allowing the WAee to choose the languages spoken during conferences seems to help them most.
Working with professors
Language departments and the professors within them often have different rhetorical expectations that can be unfamiliar, and therefore potentially difficult, for WAs and WA-ees alike to navigate, as highlighted by Sciascia (2014) in their inquiry project. Sciascia noted that while some professors want students to strictly adhere to target language rhetoric, others want them to follow “American”/Standard-English-style papers. I feel I’ve encountered this range of professor expectations in my own experience as a language WA; while some professors adhere to American/Standard English structuring, others introduce different thesis and transitional styles, and place more emphasis upon grammar and demonstration of language proficiency. Sciascia recommends that WAs should ask explicit questions surrounding rhetorical expectations when they meet with their course professors at the beginning of the semester, so that they can most effectively help their WA-ees.
Prewriting
A challenging aspect of writing in a foreign language, particularly for beginner or intermediate language students, is fleshing out a cohesive writing product that includes the development of a unique, argumentative claim. Foreign language students may not have as strong a grasp of the texts and other documents that they are basing their analysis on, and they also may struggle with having a large enough vocabulary to successfully develop their argument. WAs may find it useful to encourage students they work with to use pre-writing strategies, potentially in their primary language, in order to develop the ideas and structure necessary to accomplish a foreign language written assignment. As Caldwell (2016) noted in her inquiry project on this topic, “I would also now suggest that WAees take more time to work through their ideas, to emphasize the prewriting process, before endeavoring to write in a foreign language.”