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Multilingual Writing Specialist

In addition to consulting the English language and writing resources, students for whom English is an additional language can access academic support offered by our Interim Multilingual Writing Specialist, Shailen Mishra (Professor Natalie Mera Ford is on sabbatical Fall 2023).  He offers:

  • One-with-One Meetings: International and domestic multilingual students can meet with Professor Mishra at any point in the academic year. This is an opportunity to collaboratively review drafts of your course writing, to discuss language-related questions, or to prepare self-sponsored writing (such as award applications). Please email smishra1@swarthmore.edu to schedule an in-person or Zoom meeting.
  • Drop-in Office Hours: Multilingual students are encouraged to drop by Professor Mishra's office in Trotter 105 on Tuesday and Thursdays from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (or by appointment) to talk about any work-in-progress or communication points.  No appointment is necessary! If you would prefer to meet via Zoom or schedule an appointment at another time, please email smishra1@swarthmore.edu.
  • Workshops & Gatherings: Multilingual students from any class year are invited to join Professor Mishra and multilingual peers in group forums that address writing topics from across the disciplines. Come share your experiences, challenges, strategies, questions, and insights.  See below for upcoming events.

If you would like to arrange a meeting or to register for upcoming events, please contact Professor Shailen Mishra at smishra1@swarthmore.edu.

Tri-college Linguistic Diversity Series

Since 2018, Swarthmore’s Multilingual Writing Specialist Professor Natalie Mera Ford has collaborated with her counterparts at Bryn Mawr and Haverford to develop additional Tri-College resources and community for writers for whom English is an additional language. This partnership led to the Multilingual Writing Specialists designing and facilitating a reading/discussion group series based on themes related to multilingualism and linguistic justice in higher education. Sponsored by Mellon Seed Grants, the interactive workshops have benefited from the participation of more than 100 members of Tri-College faculty, students, and staff in eight meetings over the past three years. Natalie and her Bi-Co colleagues are now launching a fourth year of this work and look forward to exploring further ways to advance and celebrate linguistic diversity and agency in the liberal arts. Please see here for details about past and upcoming workshop focuses. If you would like to join this conversation, please email nford1@swarthmore.edu.

Multilingual events Fall 2023

Fri. Sept. 15, 2023:

12:00 to 1:30 p.m. 

Trotter 120

Writing Center

Monthly Multilingual Forum

September

 

Connect with multilingual peers and Swarthmore's Interim Multilingual Writing Specialist and learn about the various resources available at Swarthmore to excel as a multilingual learner/writer. A light lunch will be provided.

 

*Register at tinyurl.com/swatMLevent by Sept. 13th

Tues. Oct. 10, 2023:

1:00 to 2:30 p.m. 

Trotter 120

Writing Center

Monthly Multilingual Forum

October

 

Learn how to balance the global concerns (organization, audience, argument) of academic writing with local level concerns (grammar, idioms. punctuation), and learn how academic genres differ among disciplines. Light lunch provided.

 

*Register at tinyurl.com/swatMLevent by Oct. 8th

Fri. Nov. 10, 2023: 

12:00 to 1:30 p.m. 

Trotter 120

Writing Center

Monthly Multilingual Forum 

November

 

Share class discussion and oral presentation strategies, with the opportunity to practice and get feedback from multilingual peers and Swarthmore’s Interim Multilingual Writing Specialist. Light lunch provided.

 

*Register at tinyurl.com/swatMLevent by Nov. 8th

Fri. Dec. 8, 2023:

12:00 to 1:30 p.m.

Trotter 120

Writing Center

Monthly Multilingual Forum

December

 

Join us to learn/share the end-of-semester stress management strategies, and to reflect on and celebrate the linguistic and cultural labor that goes into being a multilingual writer. Light lunch provided.

 

*Register at tinyurl.com/swatMLevent by Dec. 6th