Helping all ESL students is an important part of writing center work, and although it can be a daunting task, it becomes more manageable when focusing on one specific population. Across the country, many universities have experienced an influx of Chinese ESL students. Research has shown that many common mistakes that Chinese ESL writers make are due to their cultural background and ways they have been taught to write in the Chinese Language. Also, research at four different universities in the Netherlands shows that the Chinese students struggle to integrate socially, as well as academically. This leads to the question: How can writing center tutors better help Chinese ESL students? An integration of a buddy system that pairs one or two tutors with a Chinese student to act as a support system is one example. Another way is by training tutors to work specifically with ESL students, and certifying them to do so. In addition, having a basic understanding of Chinese culture and rhetoric can help tutors understand the obstacles that Chinese ESL students face, and also help the tutors become more efficient at helping Chinese students understand how to more effectively write in the English language. A final method entails encouraging and training Chinese ESL students to be writing center tutors themselves, which would strengthen their writing as well as provide other ESL tutees with the opportunity to work with someone who comes from a similar background.
