Wright//2015 New Intl Student Orientation//Session 4 Schedule

Transylvania University New International Student Orientation

August 10-13, 2015
Academic Session 4: Collaborate and Listen! Working with the Writing Center
Where: Writing Center (lower level of Haupt Humanities Building)
When: Wednesday, August 12, from 1:00-1:30pm
What to bring: Pencils/pens and a notebook (10.5 inches X 8 inches/26.7 centimeters X 20.3
centimeters)
Designated groups (sit with your group members when you enter the Writing Center):
Chanselor: Chetali, Jie Yang, Jie Ren, Min Vu
Meaghan: Jevic, Yaya, Ganlin
Katie: Wejdan, Jiechen, Daniel, J.R.
Activity Instructions:
1. (5 minutes) Begin by freewriting your answer to this question: What should a writing
assignment sheet explain to you before you start writing? Hint: Write one or two things
you really want a writing assignment sheet to explain or identify for you. For this short
writing task, do not worry about grammar, handwriting, or other technical features of
Standard English.
2. (5 minutes) Ask your Writing Center consultant to introduce themselves and you, in turn,
introduce yourself. Then, share with your group one of your responses to the question
above. Ask your Writing Center consultant to share their own ideas about what a writing
assignment should include in order to clarify requirements for multilingual writers.
3. (15 minutes) With your Writing Center consultant, review the writing assignment sheet
that I give to your group. Answer these questions in your group:

How can a Writing Center consultant and an international student work to

understand the assignment?

What are some common mistakes or pitfalls that an international student can
avoid by working with a consultant to understand this assignment?

How can a Writing Center consultant and an international student work together
to respond to the writing assignment?

What kinds of things define a productive session with a Writing Center

consultant? What will a Writing Center consultant not do during a session? Why?

What if the professor doesnt give an international student an assignment sheet?

What should they do?

Wright//2015 New Intl Student Orientation//Session 4 Schedule

What more does a Writing Center consultant do other than work with students on
writing assignments?

4. (5 minutes) Writing Center consultants: introduce yourselves to all of our new

international students and answer any questions they have. International students: on
the slips of paper I give you, write down one question you have for Writing Center
consultants.