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Instruction, Cognitive Scaffolding, And Motivational Scaffolding In Writing Center Tutoring, Jo Mackiewicz, Isabelle Thompson
Instruction, Cognitive Scaffolding, And Motivational Scaffolding In Writing Center Tutoring, Jo Mackiewicz, Isabelle Thompson
Jo Mackiewicz
In this study, we quantitatively analyze the discourse of experienced writing center tutors in 10 highly satisfactory conferences. Specifically, we analyze tutors’ instruction, cognitive scaffolding, and motivational scaffolding, all tutoring strategies identified in prior research from other disciplines as educationally effective. We find that tutors used the instructional strategies of telling and suggesting, the cognitive scaffolding strategy of pumping, and the motivational scaffolding strategy of showing concern most frequently. We argue that the interdisciplinary analytical framework that we developed and describe in this article can facilitate further analysis of tutors’ talk and thus help move research beyond the local level …
Questioning In Writing Center Conferences, Jo Mackiewicz
Questioning In Writing Center Conferences, Jo Mackiewicz
Jo Mackiewicz
These researchers examine how questions function in a corpus of eleven writing center conferences conducted by experienced tutors. They analyze the 690 questions generated in these conferences: 81% (562) from tutors and 19% (128) from students. Using a coding scheme developed from prior research on questions in math, science, and other kinds of quantitative tutoring, they categorized tutors’ and students’ questions. The researchers found that questions in writing center conferences serve a number of instructional and conversational functions. Questions allow tutors and students to fill in their knowledge deficits and check each other’s understanding. They also allow tutors (and occasionally …