Rapport through

behavior and knowledge

Afifa Farooq

The Process
Initially, my research topic was online tutoring and the
interactional dynamics of said tutoring.
Was more interested in interactional dynamics that
involved body language.
Research for this was hard to find for a tutor/tutee
relationship.
Finally, decided to focus on rapport-building through
behavior, attitude and rhetorical strategies such as
building upon tutee knowledge.

Research Question

What are the interactional devices a tutor may

employ for rapport-building and how behavior,
conversational development and rhetorical
strategies contribute to face-to-face tutor/tutee
interactions?

Rapport-building behaviors
Attentive behavior:
Eye contact
Proximity (Sit next to tutee, not across the table).
Back channel responses (give tutee the floor but also,
ensuring that the tutee knows you are listening, more
facilitative).

 Motor mimicry: I show how you feel.

(e.g., wincing when another is injured)

Imitative behavior

Posture
Voice tone
Pace of speech
Breathing patterns
Gestures
Facial Expressions (Facial Feedback)
Motor mimicry is category of this too.

Courteous Behvaior: Who doesnt get

along with nice, happy people?
Helps form a quick bond
Creates the necessary rapport for a positive
encounter.
This used in combination with others leads to
higher levels of rapport.

Common grounding behavior

Scholars suggest that people experience their most
meaningful interactions when they have:
Similar backgrounds
Characteristics
Tastes
Lifestyle
You can usually pick up on this from they way the dress,
talk, their bag (maybe you both love Michael Kors) or
their car key chains.

The debate is not directive vs.

facilitative
Most students believe facilitation is always preferable.
Non-native speakers sometimes, come from which do
not value symmetrical solidarity.
Tutors are viewed as authoritative representatives.
NNS, especially WRI001 students,would benefit more
from directive tutoring.
A balance of both is the best.
Tutees should be your equals but at the same time,
they need to know that you know what youre talking
about.

Directive tutoring vs. non-directive

(Jones et. al, 2006)

Personality on paper and in tutoring

Personality type theory refers to the way individuals
interact and make decisions.
It impacts both writing style, logical development and
organizational skills.
It also, impacts tutoring styles.
So how is this related to this topic?

Myers Briggs classification

Source of energy
What makes you hyper or energised?
Tutor

Encourage tutee to talk about paper with friends

before writing.
Can better help them as tutee discusses their
ideas more openly.

Extroverts

Tutee

More coherent or expressive while talking

about their writing process.
More comfortable discussing their paper

Introverts

Tutor

Introvert tutors can help tutees follow a train

of thought and reach the implication of their
ideas.

Introverts

Tutee

Write several drafts in their heads so arent as

coherent about writing process.
Extensive mental planners

Ways of taking in information

A rude noise broke out on these fine rippling and
whisperings, at once so far away and so clear: a
positive tramp, tramp, a metallic clatter, which
effaced the soft wave-wanderings; as, in a
picture, the solid mass of a crag, or the rough
boles of a great oak, drawn in dark and strong in
the foreground, efface the aerial distance of
azure hill, sunny horizon and blended clouds

Sensory perception
Great descriptive
writers
more receptive to
visual details
mentioned by
students and are
better at listening

Intuitive perception
Can form connections in the data provided to
them.
Intuitive perception personalities focus on the
big picture.
Easily grasp abstract writing.
More suited to helping students reach
conclusion if they are adrift.
Write better conclusions in research papers.

Thinking judgement

Feeling judment

They are satisfied with

credible statistics and
data can draw logical
conclusion.
However, they prefer to
remain emotional
detached form the paper.

Use rhetorical devices to

create audience impact.
Write based on
anticipated audience
reaction.

An easy way for a tutor to differentiate between them

would be their choice of topic and their audience
awareness.
Good papers combine both these judgments. Tutors can
introduce tutees to both of these to help build better
arguments.

Judgment
Organized, plan things
out.
Want to reach
conclusions as soon as
possible.
Stop data collection
prematurely and jump to
conclusions.
Tutors of this type focus
on cosmetic changes as
opposed to further
development or new
conclusions.

Perceiving

Collect too much information

and are not comfortable
drawing conclusions.
Tutors of this type can help
students approach topics with
a different attitude or in a new
light.

Something I learned while making this

presentation
Not only was I more focused while making this
presentation, my organization was better.
I feel the pictures conveyed my points more efficiently
than the paper.
An idea for further research is relating presentations
to research papers or writing in general. The visuals
and bullet points help organize thoughts better.

THANK
YOU!
FOR YOUR ATTENTION