Edgar Alejandro ’24, ENGL

10 March 2023

How is writing in English different from writing in your first language?

For me, English is much easier to write than Spanish. My native language has more grammar rules when writing. I also have spoken and written in English far longer than Spanish.

What has been your experience with writing at Carleton?

My experience writing at Carleton has been a complicated one. At the beginning, during the pandemic, my writing was terrible. With help, however, I was able to improve through experience.

What are some of the benefits of being a multilingual writer/thinker?

A benefit of being multilingual is being able to think in both languages. My native language helps me think more in English.

What resources have supported your development as a writer?

I have used the writing center one time, but majority of the time I use my professors.

What strategies have professors used to make writing a positive experience for you?

One strategy I really liked was thinking how the following sentence connects to the previous. This helped my papers be more fluent.

What kinds of challenges have you faced as a multilingual writer?

Some challenges I have faced are that I can’t remember the right translations and words both in English and Spanish.

What advice would you give faculty to help them support multilingual writers?

A piece of advice I would give is be patient and understanding. Most of the time it is just the struggle of remembering the correct translation.

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