OfflineThat the student population continues to become more culturally diverse is not new news to college educators. According to 2005 data published by the American Council on Education (ACE), 42% of undergraduates aged 25 and older are students of color and/or foreign born with 31 % in degree completion programs such as in fields of law and healthcare (ACE,2005). There is no denying universities across the county in every state are seeing greater numbers of adult learners for whom English is a second language (ESL). This reality can pose unique challenges for both students and faculty in terms of grading online discussions, essays, and other written assignments. As an educator I strive to walk the fine line between upholding basic writing skills expected at the undergraduate level while at the same time not wanting to become an English lanugage elitist. In the online RN-BSN degree completion program I am seeing greater numbers of students who have difficulty constructing clear and cogent sentences and applying basic grammar and punctuation rules such that it negatively impacts their ability to successfully complete writtten assignments. As I share feedback in an effort to help students improve, I am concerned that my feedback will leave ESL students feeling defeated or "picked on" when that is not my intention at all. How do we best support ESL adults who are motivated enough to return to college to earn additional degrees through our grading feedback that is meaningful and respectful and yet helps them improve in their English language communication skills?
As a nurse educator, my goal is not to become a writing tutor but I am accountable to give meaningful feedback on written work in such a way that it helps RN students become more effective communicators. I find myself increasingly confused as to how to evaluate essays within the context of respecting cultural diversity while at the same time maintaining equity acorss all student grades. Yet I do believe it is an educator's duty and responsibility to maintain the integrity of a college degree that speaks to an ability to effectively communicate in our primary language of English. How can I improve in the feedback I give on written assignments such that it is both respectful yet at the same meaningful in fostering the development of writing skills in ESL adult learners? Should I focus my feedback on the work's content and the student's ability to demonstrate they have grasped the main concepts rather than how well they communicate this? How much should faculty be expected to take English language skills into consideration when grading student work? It is essential that faculty have access to the training and support needed to effectively help ESL students.
Now that I have raised several important questions, let me share a few insights I gained from recent readings on this issue. Friedman (n.d.) cautions faculty to make sure they are not so sympathetic to a student who has recently come here from another country that it leads to a different standard of expectation than any other students who may face writing barriers due to personal, social, or economic reasons. Second, Freedman (n.d) suggests that we foster success when giving feedback to do so in only 1 or 2 paragraphs and tell the student these errors are seen throughout the paper. Avoid the time consuming temptation to rewrite the paper! Feedback in our summary discussion comments that summarize and highlight key strengths and weaknesses can be more benefical than the errors we identify in the text of their writing. Last Freedman (n.d.) suggests we should consider that cultural differences that might lead a student to feel it is not appropriate to be direct in stating points.
Just as culture influences our student's academic abilities, I would suggest that culture also influences the attitudes of faculty. As educators our goal is to support student's success and as a believer in the collaborative learning model, I want to do all I can to foster that success. When interacting with ESL students and providing assignment feedback and grades, any biases or negative attitudes towards ESL students must be dispelled. This speaks to me of a need for faculty training and development in order to work effectively with ESL students. In an interesting study by Reeves (2006) while faculty said they felt inadequately prepared to work with ESL students yet were ambivalent about the need for training and professional development. This might be due to limited ESL faculty training opportunities and speaks to the need for universities to fill this gap. To effectively support ESL student learning, universities musdt effectively support faculty development as well.
More than answers, my hope is that these comments open a dialog of discussion among faculty as we continue to look at the unique needs of ESL students. Reflecting on our own potential biases is an essential first step as we also open dialog on how to develop the skills needed to provide meaningful feedback is key to student success. Ongoing faculty training on current evidence-based ESL teaching-learning strategies is an essential step in achieving these goals. The student population will only continue to become increasingly diverse and as educators we are professionally accountable to meet the unique needs of this student population. Our commitment to this is essential to student success!
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Karen Benjamin earned her Diploma Degree in Nursing in 1973, her BSN graduating with Honors from Alverno College in 1989, and her MSN from the University of Wisconsin-
Milwaukee in 1998. Her practice background as a cancer clinical trials nurse, a pilot study on pain management, and thesis study entitled "A Comparison of Hope Between Adults Receiving Standard Chemotherapy and Adults Receiving Chemotherapy as Part of a Clinical Trial". Her nursing education and career experiences have provided her with a wide variety of exciting and interesting experiences. Her hospital nursing experience included medical/surgical and oncology nursing and she has been a clinical research nurse for National Cancer Institute chemotherapy clinical trials. When living in Milwaukee she helped start a new home Hospice. Then, after moving to Maine, she was a hospice clinical educator and taught in the RN-BSN program at the University of Maine. While living in Rhode Island she worked on the insurance side of health care and after a move to Florida became the Employee Health and Workers Compensation Program Coordinator. Currently she and her husband reside in WA where she continues her commitment to online learning and dedication to advancing professionalism in nursing.
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