From the Archives: Calling All International and Multilingual Students! -->

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From the Archives: Calling All International and Multilingual Students!

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This week, we're re-sharing Kayla's popular post with tips and resources--including some updates--for international and multilingual students. 


Every so often, we tutors (update: now called writing instructors) receive e-mails from students expressing concerns about writing in English. “Some of my issues are related to translation,” a student recently noted. “My first language is Spanish, so you can imagine how difficult it is to write a paper in English.”

As someone with an embarrassingly limited knowledge of other languages, I certainly can imagine the challenge. There’s no way around it: scholarly writing is tough. The sophisticated vocabulary, tone, and structure needed to write clearly about complex ideas can prove arduous even if you’re writing in your first language. When you’re writing in a second (or third or fourth) language, the challenge is, of course, all the greater.



Global group of people
Walden students live all over the world.
However, the rewards of this struggle are also great. In my year and some as a Walden writing tutor, I’ve read countless eye-opening papers from international and multilingual students. I’ve learned about education in Japan, healthcare in Nigeria, and business in Saint Martin. I’ve read accounts of identifying with multiple cultures and triumphs in navigating in a new country. And I’ve developed a profound respect for all the dedicated, hardworking multilingual students whose perspectives and experiences enrich the scholarly dialogue at Walden.

Free Resources for You

To help with the challenges of academic writing in English, the Writing Center offers great resources, 100% free of charge, to all Walden students:
Consider these options as well:

  • Writing courses through the Academic Skills Center. One course to consider is Graduate Writing for Non-Native English Speakers, which reviews the grammar and writing skills necessary for success in your work here at Walden.
  • Daily Buzzword or The Challenge to build vocabulary.

Finally, and most importantly, we’re always looking for ways to improve our resources. If you're a current international and/or multilingual Walden student, please take our brief survey to help us improve our services for you. The survey link will remain posted here as long as the survey is active. Thank you!













Kayla Skarbakka
Writing Instructor and Coordinator of International Writing Instruction and Support Kayla Skarbakka earned her certificate in teaching English as a foreign language in Peru. She has also lived in Chile and Minnesota, and she currently resides in Texas. 

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