RAPPORT
Issue 5 (August 2020)
display during feedback activities such as
softening criticism and minimising
authoritative positioning (2018: 21). The
tutorial accounts in the case studies
indicate attention being paid at the outset
to neutrally acknowledge failure and make
efforts to create a warm personal
environment:
I had a number of aims for our
meeting. Apart from welcoming Julie
back I wanted to check out how we
could ensure her engagement with
the course this year would have a
better outcome than last year.
(Portfolio 11, CS 1)
Another example of pro-social, affiliative
behaviour is evident here when the tutor
responds to a student explanation of
difficulty: while teaching language for
talking about academic writing she also
tries ‘to re-assure, affirm and slow the
conversation down’ (Portfolio 5, CS 1).
Another way tutors respond to student
failure in these tutorials is to acknowledge
the topic of discussion (failure) neutrally
and then to reflect on or reframe this to
consider ways forward. The contrast
between the tutor's and tutee's perception
of performance is evident in this example:
The student became concerned over
their ability to continue on the
course, based on their current
performance on the course. Coming
from a BTEC background the student
was unfamiliar with APA referencing,
essay writing and general academic
study skills and were questioning
whether they had the academic
ability to continue on the course.
However, I felt that the real emerging
issue was time management and her
ability to complete her work to a
good standard on time. (Portfolio 23,
CS 2)
What is interpreted by a student as overall
inadequacy is described by a member of
staff in terms of a much more pragmatic
skill deficit - something mechanical that
has not been acquired yet but is easily
addressed. In one tutorial which focused
on academic writing the tutor reframes
'difficulties with writing academically’ in
these terms:
This alternative perspective
acknowledges difficulties with study while
maintaining ‘unconditional positive regard
for the individual’ (Miller & Rollnick, 2002).
This is what Shvidko (2018) refers to as
'creation of a moment of affiliation' where
there is
‘a shift in the participation framework,
moving from being a teacher
evaluator and figure of authority to a
fellow writer, aware of the challenges
of writing’ (2018: 32).
This has the effect of
‘reducing the perceived distance and
power imbalance and creates
closeness, familiarity and solidarity
with the students in potentially face
threatening moments of interaction’
(Shvidko 2018: 31).
In these tutorial accounts the tutors
repeatedly reference the affective
components of the meeting and
demonstrate practical ways of addressing
this. With so many tutorials instigated by
student failure the tutor is required to
address these ‘emotionally charged
interactions’ (Trees et al., 2009: 398) and
balance the demands of instructional and
relational goals, providing evaluative,
corrective instruction while attempting to
establish some kind of productive rapport.
Gourlay proposes ‘that emotional
destabilization and struggles around
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