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.
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| 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:- A one-on-one paper review service for assistance with individual writing, conducted entirely via e-mail for your convenience no matter where in the world you’re located. You are free to submit your work wherever you are in the writing process; whether you send us an outline, a paragraph, a rough draft, or a complete paper, we’re happy to offer guidance and feedback.
- Update: A new page on our website specifically for multilingual students.
- A website full of tips on tricky grammar issues such as verb tense and subject-verb agreement.
- Exercises and quizzes to practice your skills.
- Live and recorded webinars on a wide variety of topics, including "What is Academic Writing?", which offers tips on scholarly tone and academic approaches.
- Grammarly, an automated tutoring and writing revision tool that provides immediate feedback on grammar and punctuation. Update: Check out Matt's advice on incorporating Grammarly into your writing process.
- 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!
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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