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Using “where I'm from” poems to welcome international ESL students into U.S. academic culture
Author(s) -
Ivanova Rossitza
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
tesol journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.468
H-Index - 14
eISSN - 1949-3533
pISSN - 1056-7941
DOI - 10.1002/tesj.399
Subject(s) - curriculum , identity (music) , poetry , pedagogy , sociology , inclusion (mineral) , mathematics education , academic writing , psychology , linguistics , art , gender studies , philosophy , aesthetics
Having opportunities to write about their cultures and identities validates and engages students of English as a second language ( ESL ) by giving them a voice and a platform to promote ideas and values that the dominant society may marginalize (Christensen, 2000; Cummins, 2001; Cummins & Early, 2011). Identity‐based pedagogies, however, tend to focus on domestic ESL s and on K–12 school contexts, while their potential for international ESL students at the university level has not been well appreciated. This article advocates for the inclusion of identity‐based writing assignments in the university ESL curriculum by describing and theorizing the use of a “where I'm from” poem writing assignment in a first‐year credit‐bearing course for international ESL students. The article shares new ideas for teaching the popular writing assignment in ways that create opportunities for foreign students to feel connected and integrated on campus. The article argues that welcoming international ESL students into writing through a “where I'm from” poem assignment supports not only their sense of belonging, but also their writing skills and their academic success in the United States.