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The Korean Association for the Study of English Language and Linguistics
[ Article ]
Korea Journal of English Language and Linguistics - Vol. 20, No. 1, pp.829-850
ISSN: 1598-1398 (Print)
Print publication date 31 Mar 2020
Received 28 Oct 2020 Revised 06 Dec 2020 Accepted 15 Dec 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15738/kjell.20..202012.829

A Comparison of a Novice Writing Tutor with an Experienced Tutor: Focusing on Changes in Their Interactions with Tutees

Sookyung Cho ; Dahee Kim** ; Cheol Baek
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

** 1st author: Sookyung Cho; Corresponding author: Dahee Kim


Copyright 2020 KASELL
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

This study examines how a novice writing tutor changes following his interactions with his tutee, in particular, by comparing with a more experienced tutor. To date, first language (L1) writing scholars have emphasized the roles of writing tutors as collaborators or facilitators and thereby suggested that they gain personal or professional growth as writing experts. However, while focusing on L2 tutees’ different needs from their L1 counterparts, second language (L2) writing scholars have argued for tutors’ more directive roles and thus have not paid full attention as to what they may learn from their interactions with L2 tutees. Drawn upon Lave and Wenger’s situated learning—learning is co-constructed by all the participants, whether they are masters or apprentices—this study tries to examine how a novice tutor’s interactional patterns change throughout a semester by comparing his interactions with a more experienced tutor’s. For this purpose, we audio-recorded 9 writing tutorials of two Korean writing tutors across one semester. Analysis of the recorded data reveals that in his first tutorial, the novice tutor was more direct, leaving little room for his tutee’s involvement in the discussion, compared to his more experienced counterpart. Yet as the tutorials progressed, he became more collaborative in his second and third tutorials. These findings shed light on tutor training by implicating that tutors become more collaborative even with L2 tutees as their experiences cumulate.

Keywords:

tutor-tutee interaction, tutor feedback, second language writing, situated learning

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Research Fund of 2020.

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Cho, SookyungProfessor, Department of English Linguistics and Language TechnologyHankuk University of Foreign Studies107 Imun-ro, Dongdaemun-guSeoul, KoreaTel: 02) 2173-3194Email: sookyungcho@hufs.ac.kr

Kim, DaheePh. D. student, Department of English LinguisticsHankuk University of Foreign Studies107 Imun-ro, Dongdaemun-guSeoul, KoreaTel: 02) 2173-3194Email: tynuknow@nate.com

Baek, CheolPh.D. student, Department of English LinguisticsHankuk University of Foreign Studies107 Imun-ro, Dongdaemun-guSeoul, KoreaTel: 02) 2173-3194Email: qorcjfqorcjf@daum.net