1. Hofstra University
Culture and Confidence
through Conversation
A Proposal for Group Tutoring in English for
International Students
By: Erica Starr
12

2. Culture and Confidence through
Conversation
A Proposal by Erica Starr
Table of Contents
1.Introduction
2.Goals of the Program
3.Who Can Join?/Application
4.Format of Meetings
5.Examples of Possible Conversation Topics
6.Using English Both Inside and Outside the
“Classroom”
7.Compensation
8.Feedback From Past/Current Students
Receiving Tutoring
9.Sponsors
10. Ideas for the Future & Conclusion

3. Introduction
My name is Erica Starr, and I am currently in my junior year
at Hofstra University. I am a double major in both Drama and
Psychology, and I have a minor in English.
I am a member of the Honors College and currently attend
Hofstra on a Presidential Scholarship. I have been named to the
Provost’s List for both the Spring 2011 and Fall 2011 semesters,
and I was on the Dean’s List every semester before Spring 2011,
since Fall 2009.
I plan to finish my undergraduate studies in Fall 2012, one
semester earlier than planned. I work two jobs on campus; the
first is in Hofstra’s Department of Special Collections, where I am
an undergraduate assistant. I am responsible for maintaining
collections that have been provided to the University, some of
which go as far back as the early 1900s. I help to keep the
stacks of these collections well organized and correctly labeled,
and I catalog unprocessed collections for the university’s records.
I am constantly assigned independent projects that involve
sorting through large collections (upwards of 65 large cardboard
boxes) and downsizing them into archive appropriate containers
and folders. Some recent projects include helping to put together
the time capsule for Hofstra’s 75th Anniversary and reorganizing a
collection of notebooks, manuscripts, articles, and photos from
famous travel writer Horace Sutton.
My second position on campus is with the English Language
Program, which is a division of Hofstra’s Department of
Comparative Literature and Languages. I work as a tutor, and
have done so for the past year under the supervision of Dr.
George Greaney and Mary Milana. This position is usually
intended to be a graduate position; however, I was awarded the

4. honor of being a tutor based on my competency with not only the
English language, but my ability to interact and connect with
students and other cultures.
I currently tutor ten students every week, all of whom are
currently international students from China enrolled in Hofstra’s
MBA or MS Programs. They all speak English, but are always
looking to improve their grammar, speaking, listening, and
writing skills and they all want to make friends while they are
here studying in America.
I feel honored to be able to work with some of the nicest
people I have ever met, and with that, I would like the
opportunity to extend my services to a larger number of students
who are still on a wait list to have a tutor. I hope this proposal
conveys my desire to make a difference in the lives of these
international students one conversation at a time.
Goals of the Program
 To encourage the use of the English language outside
the environment of the classroom
 To provide students with a variety of knowledge in
different topics related to everyday life in America
 To make international students feel more comfortable
speaking to their peers and professors in English

5.  To help international students make American friends
 To encourage students to join clubs, churches, temples,
other places of worship, and groups both on and off
campus that cater to their interests
 To foster an understanding of how international
students think so native speakers can better
communicate with their international peers/students
 To gain insight into another culture, for both tutor and
student
 To make studying in another country and at Hofstra an
enjoyable experience
 To provide advice to those who ask for it
 To serve as an outlet for creative expression and story
sharing
 To continually improve upon students’ English skills,
including speaking, listening, and writing
 To prepare students for the real world by providing
insight on job hunting, resume writing, the construction
of cover letters, and how to prepare for an interview
 To have real life conversations that promote a greater
understanding of the world around us

6. Who Can Join?
Group tutoring would be open to any international student,
undergraduate or graduate, who wants to improve their English
skills and become more comfortable studying in a foreign country
using a non-native language.
No one will be discriminated against based on their gender,
race, religion, sexuality, nationality, place of birth, level of English
use, major, occupation, or any other distinguishing feature.
Any and all willing international students are encouraged to
join this program for as long as they are enrolled as a student at
Hofstra University.
All tutoring sessions will be considered to stem from the
English Language Program and students will be admitted to the
program upon completion of an informal application to be filled
out in the English language office, in Calkins Hall Room 322 (See
Page 10). Tutoring will operate independent of a student’s
enrollment in any ELP class at Hofstra.
Application
Students must provide the following information to sign up
for the program:
 Name: (Chinese)* & English/American nickname if
applicable/preferred
 Email
 Phone number
 Undergraduate or Graduate?
 Semester & Year of expected graduation
 Major

7.  What they are interested in learning: speaking,
listening, writing, specific topics, etc.
 Days/times of availability to determine which types of
sessions the student should attend
Format of Meetings
 Meetings will operate in a group setting and take place
in a conference like room, preferably with access to a
white board or chalk board
 Students should feel free to contribute to the
conversation at any time
 Students can bring in topics that they are interested in
talking about
 Group activities may contribute to greater learning and
promote new friendships
 The tutor in charge will provide a sheet for students to
sign each time they attend the session for the purposes
of keeping records, however, consistent attendance is
not mandatory, just highly encouraged

8.  Sessions could last anywhere from 1-3 hours and take
place any days of the week that both the tutor and
students are available, largely based on when the
largest number of students can attend (Permanent
day/times will be formed accordingly and may vary
each semester)
 Sessions may also function with the introduction of a
topic/activity of the tutor’s choice if it fits the needs
and interests of the students
Examples of Possible Conversation Topics
 Everyday life questions  How to write a cover
 Studying in America letter
 Shopping  How to dress for an
 Fashion interview
 Cuisines  How to behave at an
 How to Order Fast Food interview
 Desserts  Preparing for a job
 Travel in America interview
 Travel outside America  Preparing for a phone
 How to book a hotel interview
 Writing emails  Working on campus
 Writing professional  Popular TV Shows
emails  Music
 How to find an  Movies
internship/job  Actor/Actresses
 How to write a resume  Navigating New York City

9.  What to Do on  Recycling
Spring/Winter Break  Joining a club
 Places to eat near  Joining a place of
campus worship
 Editing  Talking to professors
papers/assignments  How to practice using
 Cosmetics English
 Hair styling products  How to buy wine
 Pets  How to give a
 Childhood experiences compliment
 Family  How to make small talk
 Books to read  Working out at the gym
 Museums  Technology
 How to behave at a party  Taking a driver’s test
 Planning a party  How to work in groups
 What to bring to a  Communicating with
friend’s house peers
 Giving directions  Learning new vocabulary
 Vocabulary to use at the  Plans for the future
doctor’s office  Making friends
 How to find housing off AND MANY, MANY MORE!
campus
 Hobbies
 Gift giving
 Sports
 Holidays
 Texting
 Dating and relationships
 College Life
 “How was your week?”
discussion
 Cooking
 Food shopping

10. Using English Both Inside and Outside the
“Classroom”
 Students are required to speak only in English while
they are in the tutoring session
 If a student wants to explain a concept to another
student they should try to do so using concepts they
know in English
 Students are encouraged to practice reading English in
their spare time through the use of novels,
newspapers, and class reading materials
 Watching American TV shows give insight into every
day topics and situations that students studying in
America will want to be familiar with
 Those students who speak a language other than
English as their native language should try to use
English for short periods of time during the week when
they normally wouldn’t, such as when dining with
friends, doing homework, or shopping

11.  PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT! The more students are
willing to practice their English, the faster their skills
will improve.
Compensation
The following numbers are examples of possible hourly rates:
Number of students Rate per hour
1 (Current employment) $10.50
2-4 $15.75
5-10 $21.00
11+ $30.00
Rates could also be negotiated by each individual session
depending on how long it is and/or how many sessions are given
per week.
Weekly Goals:
 1-3 sessions
 1-3 hours in length
 Reserve at least one session per week for
editing/grammar/homework help/resume building/cover
letter preparation
Feedback from Past/Current Students
“We have a Chinese word saying: you plant peach and plum all
over the world. It means your students are all over the world. I
think this word is right for you, haha”.

12. “You really do much help to me. I very much appreciate it.”
“I want to know some activities that American people usually
participate in during their leisure time, which will help me to know
more things about the life of Americans and culture.”
“I think it is helpful and now I am not afraid to speak English.”
“I am so happy to receive your email, because I really waited a
long time for English Language Center to arrange an English tutor
for me.”
“I got an interview invitation from American Symphony
Orchestra, thank you for your help.”
RE: a student requested you as a tutor (Subject of an email sent
to me from Mary Milana)
“How is it going on with your summer holiday? I miss you very
much!”
“Just want to tell you, the paper you helped me fix last week
(comparative advertising), I got 96, thank you very much. I
always got 91, 92, but it is the first time I got 96 and I am so
happy!”
“Hi Erica, Thanks for your help, I have sent it. Next time, I will
never wait for the last minute, always in a rush. Have a good
weekend and do your homework as soon as possible.” (They love
to give me advice too!)
“You do a great job and help me a lot! Thanks very much!”
“I hope Hofstra would provide more funds for the program. I
really appreciate for your help.”

13. “We really like to learn from you because you taught us so much!
If the program can recover, we hope you will be our tutor again.”
(When the program was in jeopardy last year)
“Happy New Year, thanks for the last semester!”
Sponsors
The English Language Program operates through the
Department of Comparative Literature and Languages here at
Hofstra. They currently sponsor one on one tutoring for
international students in English. It is my hope that they would
support my endeavor to extend this program to include a group
tutoring program so that tutoring services can reach a maximum
numbers of students. My goal is never to have a waitlist of
students wishing to receive tutoring due to a lack of tutors, and I
feel this program can successfully remedy that issue.
It may also be of some interest to consider that a large
majority of the students that request tutoring are in the Frank G.
Zarb School of Business pursuing an M.B.A. and/or M.S. degree,
and they come from various majors. Many of these students,

14. including the ten that I currently tutor, are from China, and some
of them are only in America for a short time. An option for
additional funding for this program may stem from the business
school, as the students receiving tutoring during their studies
here are likely to perform at a higher level, thus positively
reflecting the quality of these business students’ work and the
level of English that they could ultimately achieve.
Ideas for the Future & Conclusion
Thinking ahead, this program can have many options and
can be built upon to serve a variety of purposes.
 Tutoring can serve as a companion to ELP classes
required of many incoming international students
 Services can be extended to other foreign languages
for those needing extra help and who want a
conversation-style learning experience
 Group sessions can function not only in spring and fall
semesters, but during winter and summer break as
tutors and students are available
 Group sessions can include some native English
speakers for international students to interact with

15.  International students can teach native English
speakers some of their native language as a culture
integration activity
I hope that the above proposal expresses my eagerness to
turn this group tutoring program into a reality, so that
international students can have a chance to learn all they want to
know about America while they study and live their lives here.
These students are very brave for choosing to study in a foreign
country in which the language for them is non-native. I hope to
make the transition to life in America both comfortable and fun.
Language is a fascinating concept to teach, and I continue to
learn from my students every day, just as they learn from me.
My students are my pupils, but they are also my friends, and I
believe the best way to for them to learn is by inspiring
confidence through conversation. The chance to make more
students feel at home would be both an amazing opportunity and
an unforgettable experience for tutor and students alike.