Interpreted writing center tutorials with college-level deaf students

Deaf students are attending mainstream postsecondary institutions in increasing numbers. This study attempts to fill a gap in the literature regarding deaf students’ writing tutorials with hearing tutors and interpreters. It consists of observation of tutoring sessions, interviews, and collection and grounded theory analysis of relevant documents with college-age deaf and hearing tutees, tutors, interpreters, and administrators. Tutoring deaf students differed from hearing students in attention to reading comprehension and mechanical and grammatical correctness and the presence of a sign language interpreter. Results indicate that tutors should be sensitive to cultural and linguistic differences and attempt to discover and accommodate deaf students’ learning styles. Tutors should address reading with deaf students and be prepared to be more directive than with hearing students.

Research highlights
► College writing tutorials with deaf students are likely conducted with interpreters.
► Non-directive tutoring techniques can be problematic with deaf students.
► Tutoring with deaf students will likely focus more on reading and grammatical concerns.
► Tutors should be sensitive to cultural, linguistic, and learning differences when tutoring deaf students.