The Writing & Learning Studio (TWLS)

Getting Help

How do students get tutorial help?

Tutorial assistance is provided on a drop-in basis, first come, first served. Appointments are not available. Just come to Room 1501 and write your name on the daily "sign-up" sheet posted in the Center. As soon as a learning assistant is free, s/he will call your name. Sometimes you don't have to wait at all for assistance or only for a few minutes. At other times the Center might be busy and you might have to wait a little while. (You can work on one of our jigsaw puzzles while you wait!)

When several students are waiting for assistance, tutoring is limited to 25 minutes for one session. However, you may sign up again for assistance the same day; you're not limited to one session.

Whom do we serve?

The TWLS is open to faculty, staff and students (in all disciplines). Resources are geared toward developmental and transfer-level students on a for-credit and walk-in (non-credit) basis. The majority of those who use the TWLS are students taking English and ESL classes.

What services and resources are available?

• One-to-one and small group tutoring for study, reading, and writing activities for any course
• Academic skills workshops (usually 18-22 one-hour sessions each quarter on various study, reading, writing, and research skills)
• Individualized lab courses (ENG 089 and ENG 099) for one to three credits, continuous enrollment
• Professional assistance for students in identifying reading, writing, or study problems and strategies to improve them
• Handouts, instructional texts and reference materials related to the focus skills
• Computers with Internet access (available only to students in ENG 089 or ENG 099)
• Tutor-training courses (EDU 199 and ENG 296) and hands-on experience for individuals tutoring for credit
• Paid, supervised employment opportunities for students qualified to work as "learning assistants."

What kinds of things can I get help with?

• Writing: Essay and paragraph assignments, sentence and grammar skills, research papers, summaries, reports, speech preparation, letters of application for college and employment, resumes
• Reading: literal and critical reading comprehension, vocabulary development, reading for pleasure
• Study skills: note-taking, textbook-reading, test-taking, concentration and memory, time management

What should I expect in a writing tutorial?

Expect the TWLS learning assistants (LA's) to ask you questions as you work with them. They do that to get information they need and to guide you toward deeper thinking. Expect the LA's to listen closely to you. This is a cooperative, collaborative process, with YOU in the driver's seat. They can help you get started on an assignment, figure out the next step, or identify needed skills. Think of writing tutorials as conversations with a skilled, interested listener.

You can expect that learning assistants may work with you for as few as five minutes or as many as 25 minutes at one time, depending upon your questions. When the TWLS isn't busy, they can spend a longer time with you if that would be useful. If you do not have particular questions about your writing, you can expect the LA's to focus first on "global" concerns such as content and organization before they discuss "local" concerns such as grammar and punctuation. However, in any one session you should expect the LA to discuss probably only one or two important issues in your writing.

How many students use the TWLS?

For-Credit Students: 60-85 students typically register for credit each quarter in the personalized lab courses, ENG 089 and ENG 099. For each credit earned, students are required to spend 20 hours in the lab working on their lab assignments. Each quarter the TWLS is also the home for one to four students taking Education 199 or Eng 296, courses designed to train learning assistants and give them supervised experience tutoring in the TWLS.

Walk-in (non-credit) students: 400 - 450 students typically use the TWLS each quarter on a walk-in/non-credit basis for writing and reading assistance, academic skills workshops, handouts, reading assessment, advising, and other resources. While the Center serves students in a variety of courses across disciplines, the majority of requests for assistance are made by students in English 101. The five other courses that typically represent the most requests for help in the TWLS are English 102 and 100 and ESL 100, 099, and 098.

Who staffs the TWLS?

One full-time faculty member, Grace Rhodes, M.A., is the director of the TWLS and professor of ENG 089, ENG 099, Educ 199, Eng 296. One, two, or three hourly learning assistants (LAs) are also on hand during each hour the Center is open. Learning assistants may be Shoreline students and/or people with Bachelors or Masters degrees.  LAs may be working to earn credit in Educ 199/ Eng 296, or they may be working as paid employees for $7.93 to $8.40 per hour.

What do students say about the value of The Writing & Learning Studio?

STUDENTS' COMMENTS WRITTEN ON EVALUATIONS

(written here verbatim)

English 089 and English 099 Students (for credit):

"This is my first quarter at Shoreline and it has helped a lot with my study skills. I have test anxiety, and Grace did a great job in helping me with math. Thank you!"

"They are able to get down to my level of understanding…it was very helpful in me passing my course. The whole staff was very friendly and understanding to my special needs."

"Very intuitive at creating a course just for me--has been incredibly helpful to me personally with areas I needed improvement on that I didn’t know I had…This class was very important for me."

"Since I started coming here my essay has improved and it gets better every time I write an essay."

"This course has sparked my interest in how people learn. I hope to go to the TWLS next quarter to further my knowledge of the learning process."

"I am so glad that we have the opportunity to have a writing and reading lab that helps people understand how to write and to get help from other people."

"Learning assistants are like big sisters. They all worked with you and told how you can improve instead of saying negative criticism."

Walk-in Students (non-credit):

"Everyone here listens to my confusion and they find a way to make it more clear in my mind. They are very friendly." (English 080 student)

"I can ask questions about assignments in here when I don’t have chance to ask in class." (ESL 098 student)

"I gained different perspectives on my work which aided me in improvement." (English 101 student)

"I have been a student in this college for a long time, but did not use this writing center…One of my non-native English students told me how they studied their writing here. Since then, I came here to ask tutors to look over my paper work. I truly appreciate…your support to guide me how to write. As a non-native English speaker, writing in English is hardest. Without your support, we will not be able to deliver our writing skills…This center is very important not only for completing my classes but also improving my writing skills. Thank you!" (Intra-American Studies 103 student)

First Quarter Nursing Students (comments e-mailed after attendance at the workshop "Surfing and Understanding Textbooks" presented by Grace Rhodes)

"Now that I am almost through with first quarter, I can honestly tell you how much I have benefited from your tips on how to be a more effective reader. This quarter gave me a reading list like I have never seen before. Your approach to reading was different than I have used and saved me time in the long run. I have gained only positive things from your presentation, and I hope you continue to help the future nursing students as much as I know you have helped me and my classmates."

"I honestly wish that I had known about all of the different study tips earlier in my college career…I am now able to take the huge amounts of assigned nursing material, read it and focus in on the important key elements…Please keep doing the small orientation for all of the incoming nursing students. They really will realize how wonderful it is later on."