A disaffected student speaks

1
My writing?
What's wrong with it?

• A disaffected student speaks

2
They just dont like me

• They fail my essays
• They write comments I dont agree with
• I managed OK at A level
• Other people pass OK
• I really like English
• This is important to me - I want to be a radio
  journalist

3
What is wrong with this students writing?There
is a lack of logical, overall structure at all
levels - throughout the document, within
paragraphs, within sentences and within words
themselves . There is little evidence of academic
skills or critical thinking.
4
Writing reveals problems
5
Detection and deduction

• Many of the text errors were consistent
• with those found in the writing of profoundly
• Deaf students e.g.
• endings of words missed off (e.g. for past tense)
• sound alike words confused
• limited use of punctuation
• frequent malapropisms
• inability to spot errors

6
Listening to the student

• The student was not aware of having any current
  hearing problems
• but her mother revealed that she had suffered an
  18 month period of profound deafness as a toddler
• this period is an important stage in language
  acquisition
• the students family are high academic achievers

7
Excuse to improve

• The student embraced this possible cause for her
  difficulties
• accepted that she could improve
• entered into discussions (always lively) about
  ways to improve her performance
• quickly grew beyond focussing on written text to
  critical appraisal and argument
• has just received 60 for her dissertation!