In a writing consultation, how would you raise awareness of this context and these circumstances with a writer, especially someone whose expectations seem centered on reproducing standardized English uncritically? What can you do if the writer refuses to engage with you on these important issues? How can you avoid treating standardized English as the gold standard for academic work and at the same time effectively explain the benefit to the writer of talking about standard language ideologies, linguistic racism, and the performance and elevation of whiteness accompanying the use of standardized English in the academy?
This is something I’ve always struggled to understand how to do, myself, especially because there isn’t a lot of time in a writing consultation, and students often just want to focus on their work (and sometimes are just making an appointment to satisfy a class requirement). I’ve recently had several conversations with students who are seeking help with grammar and ask me for resources or exercises they can do on their own time. Ideally, I try to explain to students that what’s most important about their writing is the ideas they’re producing, not the “correctness” of their language. Especially with ESL/ELL students, I like to focus on bringing concepts and associations through rather than fully “grammatically correct” sentences. It would also help to ask them to question why they believe it’s important to write in that way and whether or not they find themselves communicating effectively outside of that “standard” in order to have more critical conversations about language.
I would assume that a refusal to engage with these issues is rooted in an academic culture that is still being reinforced by their professors or some other authority figure in these students’ lives (notably, because normally what we help with in the Writing Center are assignments that heavily impact their grades, and language expectations are often built into those assignments). I think that educating professors is just as important as educating students, because they’re the ones (in part) who are upholding these “standards” of writing (RE conventions, grammar, etc.). I think that having frank discussions with students about their language and what represents a “standard English” might not be as daunting of a task as is tackling the issue that instructors still expect those things from their students, but it is still a challenge. That being said, it would be really nice to have a resource to direct students to that had some easily-digestible reading on language and race.
In your WP site, speculate on how these Wiki entries represent writing centers, writing center staff, and writing center work (tutoring/consulting) to vast public audiences of Wikipedia. Are these representations accurate? How do they align (or not) with work we’ve already read from Faison (2018), Lockett (2019), Faison and Traviño (2017), Lerner (2009), and Lunsford (1991)? How does the entry on racial bias offer a starting point for critiquing writing center representation on Wikipedia?
I found that the entry about the writing center was more accurate than I expected, although they didn’t go into as much history as some of the other texts we’ve read. They seem to have a general understanding about popular Writing Center practices, including the online environment that’s only seemed to expand recently. The writing fellow page was not quite what I expected, as a writing fellow– I don’t feel nearly as specialized as it suggests I must be, if I’m honest. The peer tutor page was certainly very interesting, but also seemed a little strange in some of its suppositions. Specifically, I think it’s strange that it positions gaining interpersonal skills as the chief objective of peer tutors, especially because that’s never what I think of when I go into writing consultations. I think it’s more about centering writing skills and developing pedagogy than it is about interaction with others, and it’s a lot more of a learning practice for tutors than the article suggests. As for the entry on racial bias on Wikipedia, I find it incredibly fascinating that they’re still debating whether or not to retitle the article, showing that there’s an internal conflict over recognizing Wikipedia’s racist tendencies. Reading this page made me realize that the editorial staff is majorly White and largely Western, as well, which makes me question what may be left out of the other pages– namely, a discussion on linguistic racism seems to be missing from the writing center page.
What multimodal practices do you see your chosen account DELIBERATELY engaging in? How does it engage in them? Describe (best done in a series of notes to self on your own WP site).
@bmoretransalliance on Instagram:
-This account regularly uses text-based posts that involve eye-catching patterns and colors.
-Often, posts incorporate the colors of the transgender flag
-There’s a very thoughtful positioning of text in the posts– though there may be bright and eye-catching patterns and colors, the information is presented very clearly in a way that’s easy for the eye to distinguish.
-There’s also a lot of variety in the way that text is arranged on a post-by-post basis– sometimes text surrounds a picture, cuts through a pattern, or is organized in blocks.
-Occasionally, handwritten text is used as opposed to typed text, which evokes a very handmade/human element to the piece.
Further, how does this account manipulate visuals, video, language, text, and use many other dimensions of design and communication to a) appeal to very linguistically and culturally diverse audiences (PLURAL) and b) take a very clear social justice orientation? Prepare to describe and explain.
@bmoretransalliance on Instagram:
-While there are a lot of posts that are composed mainly of text, there are also a lot of photos or other images. Some look like photography shots, some are very cozy and involve drinks or spaces that are trans-friendly, and some are advertisements for talks or events.
-It seems that community is something very important to this account, and there’s a lot of emphasis on community events and spaces that are trans-inclusive, often including use of the colors of the trans flag or actual trans flags positioned in a space.
-There are a variety of skin tones represented in the photos and illustrations on this page, which highlights diversity and inclusion on the part of the account. The page also uses Black “thumbs-up” and “hand raising” emojis,
-There are also a few memorial posts dedicated to trans people who have passed, and those posts include information about the deaths, vigils, and, in some case, healing spaces.
-The posts about trans deaths as well as community events highlight the work that the alliance is doing to lift up and empower trans people in the community as well as to engage with issues affecting trans people in Baltimore. They actively promoted, for example, the Maryland Trans Resilience Conference by posting information repeatedly to encourage attendance.
-There is also emphasis in several places on raising funds to donate to trans organizations, which is instrumental in making lasting, helpful changes.
-Other inclusive language: “an all ages event,” to indicate that pride events can be family-friendly (a common misconception is that they are not)
Baltimore Writing Project: Hannah Collins 