Literacy Center
WELCOME TO THE CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY LITERACY CENTER
“A Unity of Differences”
The Claflin University Literacy Center housed in the department of English and Foreign Languages functions as the writing consulting service to the whole university, providing one-on-one consultations and a service for supplemental reading instruction. Our objective is to serve as a forum for the literacy concerns of students, faculty, staff, and writing professionals from both academic and nonacademic communities; to advance literacy; and to further the theoretical and practical applications of writing research and instruction. Our mission further supports the university’s mission in providing students with access to exemplary educational opportunities in its undergraduate, graduate and continuing education programs.
There are many ways to access service in the Literacy Center: by appointment, walk-in and through instructor referral
Making an Appointment
We will serve clients on an appointment basis. It is very important to plan ahead. You may call: 535-5422, stop by GTK 228 or email writingcenter@claflin.edu. The Writing Lab coordinator, Mrs. Hiremath will schedule an appointment with a writing consultant, and ask you to fill out a form.
The consultation will take place in the consultant’s office.
All Literacy Center sessions are 15-20 minutes long. Try to schedule your appointment in advance of the due date for your assignment so that you will have ample time to revise after the session.
After your session, you will be asked to complete a progress report. Please take a
moment to fill out the report and reflect on what you covered in your session and then make a comment or recommendation about how we might serve you better on your next visit.
Walk-in Consulting
There are trained peer consultants available for walk-in consulting between the hours of 8:30am and 6:00pm, M-F. You will sign-in, fill out the consulting form and wait for the next available consultant
Instructor Referral
Some students will be referred to the Literacy Center by their instructors. The instructor will complete the referral form and send it to the Literacy Center and a Literacy Center consultant will contact the student to schedule an appointment.
Getting the Most Out of the Literacy Center
Prepare for Your Session
- If you are working on a draft, bring two copies of it, one for you and one for the consultant.
- If your writing concern is related to a particular assignment, bring the assignment.
- If you want to discuss feedback you have received from a teacher, bring a copy of the comments.
- If you have notes, previous writing, a particular text, and/or research materials related to your draft, bring those items to the session.
Prior to the session, reread your draft and your assignment to determine what particular question, concern, or issue you would like to take up during the session.
You Can Expect
We’ll ask for your input at the start of every session. This gives you a chance to help set the agenda for the session.
During your session, you will be asked to talk about your writing and your goals for the assignment or project. We will prompt you to think actively, to compose new writing, and to discuss your thoughts about your paper and your writing process.
We will treat you with respect and respond fully to your concerns. At the same time, because we are just as interested in your long-term development as we are in your paper, we may ask you to try out a new strategy. Our aim is two-fold: to help you with your concerns about the paper at hand and to suggest to you something new about the craft of writing, both of which you can take with you.
What You Cannot Expect
- Writing consultants will not “look over” or proofread your paper
- Writing consultants will not comment on a teacher’s grade or grading procedure
- Writing consultants will not overwrite or change your words
- Writing consultants will not guarantee a particular grade on an assignment
- Writing consultants will not judge the validity of a writing assignment
If there are any questions, concerns or problems related to your service in the writing center, please feel free to contact the director of the writing center, Dr. Pearson at mpearson@claflin.edu or at 535-5092.