Training of Writing Tutors in German Higher Education: A Transatlantic Collaboration

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Training of Writing Tutors in German Higher
EducationA Transatlantic Collaboration

• Gerd Bräuer (Emory University, USA)
• currently at the Writing Center, University of
  Education, Freiburg (Germany)

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History of the Transatlantic Collaboration

• February 2000 Workshop at the University of
  Education, Freiburg
• June 2000 First price USable contest
  (Körber-Stiftung, Hamburg) for my concept of a
  writing/reading center for secondary schools in
  Germany
• Fall of 2000 Invitation from Freiburg and
  Bielefeld
• September 2001 Start of the DAAD-sponsored
  project to develop a writing center at the
  University of Education, Freiburg.

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Conceptual Framework Writing Center
   
initiate writing/reading
facilitate writing/reading
coach writing/reading
Writing Center
produce texts
present texts
Peer Tutoring
educate writers/readers
network among writers/readers
train writers/readers

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Task Environment for Peer Tutoring (1)
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Task Environment for Peer Tutoring (2)
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Peer Tutoring in Higher Education
What for?
Training of reading and writing beyond the formal
study of language(s)
Why?
In order to integrate text work deeper into the
daily routines of college students - to
experience writing and reading as an important
mode of constructing knowledge
Writing and reading to learnas a key competency
für college and professional training
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Cross-cultural Transfer of Concepts in Higher
Education

• during the duration of the project
• 1st semester Noticing the project,
• 2nd semester Doubting the appropriateness of
  the project,
• 3rd semester Struggling with the foreigness
  of the concept,
• 4th semester Recognizing the potentials of the
  project,
• 5th semester Beginning to use the potentials of
  the project,
• 6th semester Integrating the concept of the
  project into the
• current institutional structure (while this
  structure
• is beginning to change).

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Writing Center Content
   
Journalistic writing
Academic writing
Creative writing
Writing Center
Coaching experienced writers
Coaching unexperienced writers
Consulting writing projects
Facilitating writing contests
Educating writers/readers
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Certificate Program Tutoring Writing
Writing to Learn
Writing inForeign andSecond Languages
Introduction to TutoringWriting
Internship with the Writing Center
Tutoring Practice
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Continuation of the Transatlantic Collaboration

• Based on an e-learning platform
• Fall/Winter 2003/04 Team teaching a course on
  writing
• pedagogy,
• Supervision of Freiburg writing tutors through
  peers at Emory U.,
• Freiburg writing tutors will coach American
  students of German,
• American and German students will contribute to
  a multilingual student newspaper,
• March 2004 prospective start of a Europe-wide
  teacher training
• program on writing/reading centers for grade
  schools

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More information?
Please check out the Freiburg Writing Center
at www.ph-freiburg.de/schreibzentrum. If
youhave questions, please write
to braeuer_at_ph-freiburg.de. Thank you very much
for your attention!