TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION AND

SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING INTERSECT:

What students are thinking at the crossroads

Image: flickr 3dking CC BY NC 2.0

Laura M. Pigozzi
Brian N. Larson
MLA: January 10, 2015

Agenda
Introduction
Methods and findings of study
Universal design in technical and professional
communication classroom
Contact info:
Pigozzi = pigoz002@umn.edu
Larson = larson@Rhetoricked.com @Rhetoricked
Slides and handout at www.Rhetoricked.com

Introduction
Funding from internal grant
Writing for International
Students (WINS)
Avoiding deficiency paradigm
No presumption: NNSinternational
student

Methods: Research constructs

Survey
International student ad hoc research
construct
Student responded other than All my life to
question: How long have you lived in the
United States?

EL1/ OL1 ad hoc research construct

EL1: I learned English as my first language
OL1: I learned English as my second or
subsequent language

Methods: Questions
Why students took these courses
Genres they expected to learn
Feedback students wanted/got from
instructors
Whether they had difficulties (and which)
Satisfaction with class
Things that would improve the class

Findings: No significant
differences, except . . .
OL1
Students
(n=20)

EL1
Students
(n=134)

X
(p<0.05)

Difficulty: Choosing the right words

55%

28%

5.85

Difficulty: Organizing or structuring

documents

50%

21%

7.68

Difficulty: Using grammar and punctuation

correctly

45%

12%

12.64

Feedback wanted: Grammar and

punctuation

65%

36%

5.93

Other parts of study

Interviews with students identified as
international in university records
Interviews with domestic students
Interviews with instructors of the course
All yet to be analyzed

Image: flickr Steven Vance CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Universal Design

Universal Design
all possible barriers for all possible students
Harrison, 2006, p. 154

combing the paradigm or model of UD

and its seven principles with a value
system that embraces learner diversity in
an era of changing demographics has led
to the articulation, application and
exploration of UDI
McGuire & Scott, 2006, p.125

Framework
Delivery of information to students
Supporting students in their studying
Assignment design and assessment

Online Instruction
Provide multiple means of
representation
Provide multiple means of action and
expression
Provide multiple means of engagement
Oswal & Meloncon, 2014, pp. 288-289

Interventions for OL1 students

Avoid phrasal verbs e.g. turn in vs.
submit, sign up for an appointment
vs. register . . .
Avoid colloquialisms
Avoid cultural metaphors unless you
provide an explanation

Not a panacea
Individual students will still need
individualized attention.
There may be barriers to
implementation.
Negative perceptions by instructors.

Thank you!
Pigozzi
Pigoz002@umn.edu

Larson
larson@rhetoricked.com @Rhetoricked

Slides and handout at

www.Rhetoricked.com