Not Enough Support
Fair Accommodation
Handholding
Students expected to have completely
native-sounding writing (no art. or prep.)
“Students who put in obvious effort
should be able to earn at least a ‘B’”
Students automatically given a “B”
regardless of effort or comprehensibility.
Students penalized for what we don’t
teach them or overly penalized for minor
grammatical errors when ideas and
argumentation are clear and good.
Focus on teachable significant errors and
hold students accountable—“% of grade
no more than % of class devoted to issue.”
Students receive instruction about every
type of grammatical error.
Grading & Grammar
ESL students receive more explicit
feedback and instruction for grammar.
Academic Expectations
Freshmen expected to know everything an
American H.S. graduate would know.
A sink-or-swim attitude toward students
learning expectations at US universities.
Give students clear explanations of what
teachers will expect of them at BU, and
expect them to follow this advice.
Teach some H.S. writing basics with
disclaimers.
No accountability for meeting
expectations, avoiding plagiarism, sharing
resources appropriately, tone, and so on.
Students permitted to plagiarize ever.
Not Enough Support
Fair Accommodation
Handholding
Students given a challenging but
manageable reading load
Students assigned less than ten pages per
week.
Students expected to know most
vocabulary in readings.
Students excused from learning any
vocabulary.
Readings & Vocabulary
Students at beginning of sequence
expected to read hundreds of pages per
week with perfect comprehension and
retention.
Students assigned readings that are never
discussed or written about.
Make readings count; use them for
assignments, writing exercises, and tests;
clearly key materials to texts.
Listening
Students at beginning of the sequence
lectured at auctioneer speeds with
extremely technical vocabulary
In general, speak to students at a normal
pace and with a varied vocabulary, but
strategically use “Basic English”
vocabulary and/or a slower pace.
Give some crucial information in multiple
ways: spoken, blackboard or projector,
handout, and/or e-mail.
Students should be required to understand
some important spoken instruction.
Students spoken to as if they were in
kindergarten.
Not Enough Support
Fair Accommodation
Handholding
Reasonable appreciations of “silent
participants” who demonstrate
engagement in other ways and who
sometimes participate orally.
Students allowed to be racist, sexist, or
overly insular.
“Mediated Integration” where ESL
students’ contributions are clear.
Students never expected to speak or share
their thoughts
Assignments assume students know
material we haven’t taught them.
Explicit guidelines, advice, and templates.
Arguments handed to students every time.
Students have no idea how to approach an
assignment.
Students expected to make complex
arguments on par with those made by nonESL students, even if it takes scaffolding.
Excessive “corralling” leads to limited
range of possible arguments.
Participation & Integration
Students expected to be gregarious,
challenging, ironic, or anything else that
might not be in their cultural toolkit or
compatible with their sense or propriety.
Materials & Assignments