Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/56788

JaLCDOI : 10.14943/J.HighEdu.18.11

This essay introduces a history of Hokkaido University’s preliminary development for founding a writing service for students. The idea was developed by a working group of HU’s International Affairs Offi ce and, after a two-month pilot period, the working group came to conclude that it is necessary to found a writing lab not only for the students, but also for the university’s internationalization. The fi rst section defi nes the writing lab as a place of service for any HU student who wishes to develop his/her written communication skills in English and Japanese as s/he learns the development of an idea, “critical thinking,” with a tutor at the lab. Native-speaker checks will not be a primary task of this service as it has been reported as being intimidating and therefore non-educational. The next section mentions the structure of this service, which consists of a writing lab steering committee, a coordinator, and graduate-student tutors. The following section introduces the outcome of the pilot project and reports that the students’ positive responses and expectations for the start of the “actual” writing lab were overwhelming. In conclusion, the holistic cooperation of the university is required for the success of this writing service if its formal foundation is to be considered seriously. The essay also suggests several practical ideas for its foundation.