This short panel session addresses common issues faculty face when giving feedback about the writing of their graduate students who are English language learners (ELLs). The session will explore some of the common issues and offer strategies for providing feedback.

Writing at the postgraduate-level presents certain challenges for many graduate students, as they are expected to simultaneously acquire specialized content knowledge and work to master a variety of discipline-specific writing genres. For many international students, particularly for those who do not possess adequate English language skills, there is the additional burden of having to learn the content of the target discipline as they also continue to expand their English language proficiency. While these demands obviously pose challenges for many ELLs, they also force a large number of faculty to re-think how they assess writing and provide feedback to ELLs in their respective graduate programs.