Defense Date

11-7-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Degree Name

Composition, Rhetoric, and Digital Media

First Advisor

Janine Morris, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Kevin Dvorak, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Juliette Kitchens, Ph.D.

Keywords

writing center, online tutoring, multilingual tutoring

Abstract

This thesis explores multilingual tutors’ diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and examines how those elements affect their tutoring practices in online sessions. While previous scholarship has examined multilingual student experiences, direct experiences of online multilingual tutors are relatively unexplored. For this study, four tutors were interviewed. The interviews revealed that tutors perceive their multilingualism as a strength in how they relate to multilingual students and their writing while also experiencing challenges related to assumptions made about their linguistic abilities. In online sessions, clarity and purposeful communication is key and multilingual tutors communicate clearly, often code-switching, which enhances understanding, efficiency, and creating bonds with students despite the lack of physical presence.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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