Multilingual and Language Support

Multilingual Communication Consultations

The Wingspan is committed to supporting the needs of all writers at the University of Kansas, including international and domestic students whose first or home language is not English. In addition to our writing consultations in English, we are excited to offer multilingual communication consultations in the Wingspan this year! 

Languages Currently Available

  • Spanish (undergraduate and graduate levels)
  • Portuguese (undergraduate and graduate levels)
  • Vietnamese (undergraduate level)

The languages available depend on hiring and may vary by semester.

Who Can Book a Multilingual Appointment 

You can book a multilingual consultation if you:  

  • Want to speak to a consultant in one of the available languages. You can then work on writing in either English or that language during the appointment.

  • Enrolled in a language course at KU in one of the available languages at the undergraduate or graduate level. You can use these appointments for both writing and speaking skills.

  • Write in one of the available languages for projects outside of class, such as a personal statement for graduate school or a cover letter. 

  • Want to practice your speaking skills in one of the available languages or in English.

Types of Appointments 

Multilingual consultations are available as face-to-face or videoconference appointments. At this time, eTutoring will not be available for multilingual appointments. Find more information on each type of appointment by clicking on the links: 

Multilingual appointments will be 50 minutes long and follow the regular Writing Center policies. However, you will need to select the correct type of appointment when booking in Jayhawk GPS. 

How to Book a Multilingual Appointment 

Follow the directions on the Wingspan's Appointments page to make an appointment. Under the question, "Which of the following topics best describes your need?" choose “Multilingual Consultations” and then "Undergraduate Spanish Appointments" (or the appropriate language and level desired).

Additional Support for Multilingual Students

Multilingual students are welcome to use all of our consultations and services in addition to the multilingual appointments described above. In all appointments:

Writing Consultants can help you by...

  • Listening to your concerns about writing and collaborating on a plan to address those concerns.
  • Discussing how you want to approach your assignments.
  • Talking about the organization and structure or your writing project.
  • Using writers handbooks to review and model grammar, punctuation, and documentation rules.
  • Showing you how to incorporate outside sources into your writing and properly cite those sources.
  • Explaining how to use vocabulary and idiomatic phrases in your writing.
  • Reviewing conventions of academic writing in North American colleges.

A typical writing consultation...

  • Lasts up to 50 minutes.
  • Begins with the consultant and writer collaboratively setting an agenda for the meeting.
  • Focuses on a 1-3 writing issues that you've prioritized.
  • Ends with the creation of a plan for the next steps you'll take to work on your own and the completion of a short report form.
  • Includes a follow-up survey sent to you via email after your appointment.

Resources

The Applied English Center offers several Applied English Center Resources to students currently enrolled in their program, including the LEO Lab and The Point.

International Support Services keeps a list of campus and community resources that provide Conversational English Support (KUISS).