This is part two of our series where the peer tutors who attended the DePaul Writing Center’s dinner party on Friday, February 21, 2025. Keep reading below to learn more about peer tutor Juan Jose’s experience.
Juan Jose G-T – Peer Writing Tutor Fall 24 Cohort
The Chicagoland Writing Center Dinner Party was an incredible opportunity to connect with tutors from universities across the Chicago area. College of Lake County was the only community college at the event, and this gave us a unique chance to engage in rich conversations with peers from four-year institutions and compare our experiences. I felt truly privileged to be surrounded by such skilled writers, and the casual, relaxed environment allowed us to discuss our work openly and learn from each other.
One of the most compelling aspects of the evening was the conversation at our table about working with ESL (English as a Second Language) students. I was particularly interested in hearing about the different challenges and strategies other tutors had when working with these students. Our shared experiences reflected the diversity of backgrounds our ESL students bring. For instance, at CLC, which is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), we predominantly work with students whose first language is Spanish, a characteristic we share with other local institutions like UIC. In contrast, DePaul’s writing center often works with ESL students whose primary language is Arabic, and this brought an interesting layer to the conversation.
As a bilingual tutor, I shared how I approach sessions with ESL students by using my language skills to establish rapport and ensure clear communication. I find that being able to converse with students in their first language sets the foundation for a productive session, allowing us to identify their challenges and work collaboratively to find solutions and resources that will benefit them in the long term. To my surprise, several tutors admitted that they struggle with ESL students, particularly because of the language barrier. They expressed how sessions conducted solely in English can hinder communication, making it difficult for both the student and tutor to fully connect.
Ultimately, the dinner party was an enriching experience. Not only did I have the chance to share my experiences, but I also gained valuable insights and strategies from others. I left the event feeling more equipped to approach my future tutoring sessions with a deeper understanding and an expanded toolkit for helping students. I’m truly grateful to the DePaul Writing Center, and especially to Claudia Nieves and Erin Hermann, for their warm hospitality and for creating such a supportive and engaging space for learning.
Voices from the CLC Writing Center 