Dubliners is not an easy text. It is set in a specific place and time, uses idiom and references that may be unfamiliar, and relies on subtlety. Multilingual students face all of this while also writing in a second or third language.

Many of these students read closely and think carefully. Their essays may contain sophisticated ideas expressed in imperfect English. The challenge for teachers is to separate the quality of thinking from the surface of the language.

A rubric that combines everything into one score hides this. A student with strong analysis and uneven grammar may receive a middling grade that discourages them. Splitting the criteria makes strengths visible.

That does not mean lowering standards. It means being precise about what you are assessing and giving feedback that helps with each dimension. Students benefit from knowing both where they are strong and where to focus.

Separating Ideas From Language Control

Give the ideas their own rows: thesis, evidence, and analysis. Give language control its own row, with descriptors that focus on clarity rather than native-like fluency. An essay can earn top marks for analysis even if some sentences need work.

• Score interpretation and evidence on their own before considering language
• Focus language feedback on patterns that affect meaning, not every error
• Choose two or three recurring issues per essay to address in comments
• Offer sentence-level models for the most common problems
• Note strong sentences and effective phrasing so students see what to repeat

Supporting Comprehension Before Writing

Feedback is only useful if students understood the story. Vocabulary glossaries, short context notes on Dublin life, and read-aloud sessions can help. Reading journals also give you early insight into whether the ideas are landing.

When an essay misreads a detail, consider whether the cause is language or interpretation. A misunderstood idiom is a different problem from a weak argument. Your comment should address the real source.

Making Feedback Readable

Comments should be written in plain, clear language. Avoid idioms and long compound sentences in your own feedback. Short, direct comments with one example are easier to act on.

Consider adding a short model sentence for each major suggestion. Seeing how a sentence might be rewritten teaches more than being told it needs to be. Students can then apply the pattern to their other sentences.

Using Technology to Support Individual Needs

AI feedback tools can help by providing consistent, rubric-aligned comments that students can revisit at their own pace. Multilingual students often benefit from re-reading feedback several times, and a written record makes that easy. Teachers can adjust or add to the comments as needed.

The goal is a feedback loop that respects the student's ideas while steadily improving their control of academic English. Teachers who separate those goals in their grading tend to see both improve. Students notice the difference and often respond with more effort.