In my time as a writing mentor, I have understood that the best way to facilitate dialogue within a classroom is to participate in it. There are two ways that I have been trying to do this. One is by always ending my feedback with the line: "As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me via Canvas or by email at ajnair@asu.edu." Although it seems like a simple way to end a feedback comment, I have found that with repeated exposure to the sentence, students are more likely to reach out and ask for help. This opens the doors to more writing labs and other sessions where students can connect with one another.

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The second way I facilitate dialogue is by participating in the discussion boards for the class and encouraging other students to do the same. In my first session as a writing mentor, I didn't participate in discussions as much as I could have. However, during my second session, I started participating and realized its value. I also grade discussions based on the crafting of the peer replies. I expect students to go beyond just agreeing with other students. Instead, I remind students to extend the conversation by asking questions and sharing observations.