The rules of language are as varied as the number of languages in the world. In Chinese there are no articles (a/an/the). In Spanish, one adds the plural “s” not only to nouns but to the adjectives that precede them. In Hebrew, there is no verb equivalent of “be.” Interestingly, the “be” verb (and all of its forms) is generally the first verb non-native speakers of English learn. Think of all the sentences one can generate with this verb alone! What does “s” generally represent in the English language? The plural form. So why would a student add “s” to the third person singular (He/She/It/The family runs.)? Why not add “s” to children or homework? Indeed—a transition used and misused frequently by my students with Asian linguistic backgrounds—is it any wonder that multilingual writers who still struggle with fluency in English make the errors they do in writing? What can we do to help them transform their papers into ones we wish to read?

Faculty can demystify writing in several ways. Students must understand that writing is a process. We can share with students the process involved in writing our own papers/articles. Let students know that the struggle to transform ideas into a coherent piece of writing requires writing multiple drafts, sharing ideas with others, and even changing major portions of what has already been written.

We must teach the conventions of writing in our particular disciplines. Offer students an outline of expectations from documentation style and types of introductions (direct/indirect) to the types of discussion/argument/examples/illustrations that will meet the requirements of the assignment. Stress the difference between revision (changes in content) and editing (correction of errors in grammar and punctuation). Help students work on their drafts. A 15-minute conference can help both the instructor and student clarify ideas and expectations. Even a few minutes after class to review one paragraph of a draft can lead to major improvements in the final draft. This is often more efficient than using written comments to convey the same information. Peer editing with a half dozen guided questions will offer all students an opportunity to learn from the writing of others and learn to read with a critical eye. Peer reviews can be collected as a reference if needed.

Once a paper or draft is submitted, consider the following: First, read the paper for content. In other words, read past the errors. Was the assignment followed correctly and accomplished? Are all of the required elements present in the paper? What is the quality of the research? At this point, comment only on the content. What worked and what needs to be added or revised? To avoid confusion, offer specific comments. Next, read the paper for form. Where does the language interfere with the reading? Where does it lack coherence? Are proper transitions being used? Consider the surface errors (grammar/punctuation) last. Some of these errors take many semesters to eliminate, but you can contribute to the process in the following way. RESIST THE URGE TO CORRECT ALL OF THE ERRORS OR MARK UP THE ENTIRE PAPER. Instead, select three key errors that most interfere with the smooth reading of the essay and have students edit these errors to keep or improve their grades.

Writing is an ongoing process, so requiring drafts of your students will encourage them to develop their ideas and produce clearer writing. Let students know that you will collect an earlier draft of their papers. These can be used as a quick reference to help you determine where their weaknesses lie, but they needn’t be graded. For weaker students, require two drafts to be submitted with the final draft. Emphasize to the students that an early draft should be substantially different from (not simply shorter than) the final draft.

Finally, don’t forget to encourage your multilingual students. Offer constructive criticism. A positive comment offers encouragement to students who face the daunting task of delivering an academically sound paper in English, their second, and more often these days, their third or fourth language. Our students must meet the challenge of learning the language of the academy, the language of various disciplines and of improving/perfecting their ability to express themselves in English. In that respect, all of our students become multilingual in college. Let us rise to the challenge by expecting high standards and enabling our bright, eager students to meet these shared goals.