Proposal for SCU English Department

It is clear that English language learning student needs are not being adequately met with SCU's current model of writing instruction. Students are often left to their own devices and strategies to deal with the challenges of writing instruction. With all of this in mind, I want to conclude this project on a note of proposal, and urge the SCU community how writing courses can be altered for the better–and be taught more equitably for all.

The international student population on the SCU campus is growing rapidly! As more students enroll at SCU with differing language and cultural backgrounds, it will be more pressing than ever to adapt to courses to better suit the changing needs of their students. 

In this past academic year, SCU had its historically largest population of international students with 1,600 international learners. For undergraduate populations, courses like CTW and C&I are some of the first experiences that students have with writing instruction in academic English. These courses will need to adapt to their changing student needs and departments need to plan accordingly. For example, the SCU English department, with department program review approaching, must reconsider the goals of introductory writing courses and other writing requirements. 

Will the English department choose to...

1. Establish writing courses for multilingual and international learners? A course that students can opt into if they so choose? 

2. Or choose to hire linguistic professionals and specialists in world Englishes (professors that can teach a changing student body)?

3. Alter approaches or evaluations for writing courses altogether? Transition to solely labor-based grading and rewards effort that students put into their courses and devalues a specific way of writing?

4. Host training sessions for introductory writing professors on support for English language learners? Courses that would familiarize professors with multilingual experiences?

Whatever the choice may be, courses must adjust in accordance with student needs–and that International students are not disregarded in these decisions.