CristinaSanchez-MartinJanuary30,2018

Approaching Language Difference in the Teaching of Writing

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Trends in International Migration:

• In 2013, the number of international migrants worldwide reached 232 million, up from 154 million in 1990. Currently, the global population of international migrants is growing at about 1.6 percent per year.

• The origin of international migrants has become increasingly diversified over the past two decades.

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• “International-student enrolment is part of a worldwide trend, with levels now at nearly 4.5 million (Institute of International Education 2014).” (Fraiberg, Wang, and You, 2017, p. 9).

1 Cover image in Khanna, P. (2016). Connectography: mapping the future of global civilization. Random House. Designed by Michael Markieta/Moment/Getty Images. 2 United Nations (2013). DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS POPULATION DIVISION International Migration Policies Government Views and Priorities.

CristinaSanchez-MartinJanuary30,2018

Transnational Flow and Writers:

• For some writers this means physically crossing borders, travelling back and forth between countries for work, school, political and environmental crisis, etc. It also means that their realities involve engaging in literate practices across languages, audiences, genre expectations, etc.

• For other writers who might not physically engage in transnational movement, this reality means a broader exposure to and participation in non-traditional and more dynamic understandings of literate practices.

The following activity specifically targets the second group of writers.

ACTIVITY

This activity aims to promote an understanding of diverse language practices as emerging from specific situations and genre expectations. It offers several subsections to approach the topic, each of which can be used independently from the other ones or together as an activity part of a larger project.

1. Please look at the texts and work with someone to think about:

• What are these texts? • How do you know? • Is there anything in them that grabs your attention?

2. Group discussion

• What are these texts? • How do you know? • Are they all the same? What makes them different? • In what ways are those differences made explicit?

3. LAYERS OF TRANSLINGUAL WORK

Englishes’ Translingual Trajectory:

Short Activity: Investigate the origin of words from other varieties of English, borrowings such as “jalapeño” (Spanish), “parmesan” (French through Italian), “salsa” (Spanish), and other words chosen by students.

• Goal: to develop a nuanced understanding of our current language practices as having been shaped by previous translingual practices and to develop translingual dispositions to our current language practices.

Creativity rather than Reproduction of Standard Forms:

Short Activity: Investigate non-standard written English (SWE) forms, such as “I heartichoke you”, “scorches easily!” and word play.

CristinaSanchez-MartinJanuary30,2018

• Goal: to raise awareness and develop an understanding of how language is used

(performed) in creative and non-adaptive ways to respond to genre expectations; to develop a disposition to see language practices as appropriate responses to specific situations not just as right or wrong.

Language that Transcends Single Codes –(Languages and Modalities):

Short Activity: Investigate bilingual practices, translation practices, and the combination of modalities to effectively construct meaning.

• Goal: to develop an understanding of language practices as moving “beyond the one single language/one single modality dichotomy”.

Language as a Window to Investigate and Critique Representations of Cultures:

Short Activity: Investigate the role of notes added to the texts to inform the audience of cultural practices.

• Goal: to raise awareness of how language practices work in conjunction with cultural representations and to consider ethical and cultural issues in our genre participation as culturally-responsive writers and language users.

4. Wrap-up discussion

• What did you take away by doing this activity? • In what ways would you repurpose this activity in your courses? • What kinds of activities related to linguistic diversity are part of what you do as teachers?

5. Questions?

References:

Bouchard, Loren & Bowden, Cole. 2016. The Bob's Burgers Burger Book: Real Recipes for Joke Burgers. Universe Publishing.

Fraiberg, S., Wang, X., & You, X. (2017). Inventing the World Grant University: Chinese International Students’ Mobilities, Literacies, and Identities. University Press of Colorado.

Sandoval, Claudia. 2016. Claudia’s Cocina. A taste of Mexico. Stewart, Tabori & Chang.

Silcock, Elena. “Artichoke and Aubergine Rice” in BBC Good Food. Retrieved from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/artichoke-aubergine-rice

Webb, Sue. 2011. “THINGS DAD: The Kansas Years”. Blog post retrieved from http://harlotofthearts.org/index.php/harlot/article/view/69/61