One key role a tutor performs is that of student-to-professor translator. When the language instructors employ is overly complex, students can become confused and discouraged. This presentation investigates decoding techniques that tutors can teach (e.g., extracting main ideas, eliminating unnecessary text), sharpening the student writer's understanding and inner ear for conciseness.

1. T U T O R T R A N S L A T O R S O F P E D A G O G I C A L L A N G U A G E
MAKING PENS TOUCH
Jessica Buford
Professional Writing Consultant
Winston-Salem State University
v
SWCA - February 8, 2014

2. INTRODUCTION
From Michelangelo's “The Creation of Adam”
• Finger of man = Reaching towards creation
• Finger of creation = elevated (just out of Adam's
reach)

3. PROFESSOR/STUDENT RELATIONSHIP
Often not unlike this portrayal
• Professor
• Someone to groom in their likeness
• Take imparted wisdom to a new generation
• Educate and prepare for future scholarship
• Student
• Absorb knowledge
• Discover and create within “niche”
• Please instructor and achieve high scores

4. COMPLICATION & CONSTRUCTION
The use of a single tool both complicates and builds
upon the characteristics of the aforementioned
relationship…
…Academic language.

5. WHAT IS ACADEMIC LANGUAGE?
• Nagy & Townsend (2012)
• Specialized language (oral/written)
• Academic settings
• Facilitates communication/thinking about disciplinary
content
• Snow (2010)
There is no exact boundary when defining
academic language; it falls toward one end of a
continuum (defined by formality of tone, complexity
of content, and degree of impersonality of stance),
with informal, casual, conversational language at
the other extreme.

6. ACADEMIC LANGUAGE PURPOSE
• Communication of intricate ideas
• Enhancing academic thought
Academic vocabulary gap = reduced student success
(Corson, 1997; Garcı´a, 1991; Nagy & Townsend, 2012;
Snow & Kim, 2007)

7. ACADEMIC LANGUAGE
CHARACTERISTICS
• Latin/Greek Vocabulary over Germanic
• Compose (L.) vs. Write (Ger.)
• Chronology (G.) vs. Time (Ger.)
• Nefarious (L.) vs. Evil/Bad (Ger.)
• Morphologically complex words (Syllables/Affixes)
• Innocuous, calamity
• ingratiate, anaerobic
• Grammatical Metaphor/Abstract Language
(e.g., nouns representing actions- research)
• Density- Greater ratio of content words over total words
• Perceptions of research adulteration… 75%
• People thought the research was tainted. 50%

8. TUTORS CAN HELP
• Bridge social discourse and nuanced ideas
• Increase academic language output
• Decrease extraneous verbiage

9. HOW TUTORS CAN HELP
• Realistic context (Nagy & Townsend, 2012): Prompt
• High-interest topics (Snow et al., 2009)
• Teach to word structure
Suffix/Prefix meanings, simple synonyms
• Main Ideas
Eliminating extraneous language
• Model language and removal
• Using academic terms in spoken discourse
• Extracting unnecessary language in-session

10. HOW TUTORS CAN HELP
• Bulleted Listings
• Brainstorming
• Outlining
• Deriving (Sub)Headings from the Rubric
• Formats
• Highlight
• Bold/italics
• Colored fonts, flashing text/word art, etc.
• Coordinate with textbook
Inform own recommendations

11. WHICH IS CLEARER?
Suggestions for Getting Started
On Your Paper
Know what the assignment is asking you to do. In this situation:
Of the 5 countries choose 2 in addition to China for a total of 3.
Analyze those 3 countries for possible outsourcing.
Based on that analysis of 3 countries, recommend the best country
for outsourcing. Provide rationale for this selection.
Which 1 of the remaining 2 countries do you recommend as the
next best country for outsourcing. Provide rationale.
Based on the 2 countries you recommended above, which 1, if
any, would you recommend for starting your business there. Provide
rationale for your recommendation even if you do not recommend any
country.
Note that the assignment indicates that if necessary you might
want to change or modify how ANGI does business to be successful at
starting its business overseas.
BUS 4501 Final Project Student Notes Sample
Always explain reasons (rationale) using analyses and data.
Directions:
1. Analyze 3 Countries (Including China)

2. Recommend 2 Countries (From Step 1):
- The Best for Outsourcing
- The Second Best for Outsourcing

Of the 2 Countries:
3. Indicate which you believe is best for marketing/starting a new
business (why?)
If neither, why not?

4. Modify business model for foreign market as needed
(Based on Current Practices)

12. FINAL COMMENTS…
Clearing excessive language =
increased academic vocabulary efficiency
By heightening comfort with academic vocabulary
and removing linguistic flab, we make students better
writers and thinkers.

13. REFERENCES
Abrams, D.E. (2011). Precise, concise, simple and clear. Tennessee Bar Journal, 47(4), 14-20.
Atwell, N. (1989). Coming to know: Writing to learn in the intermediate grades. Portsmouth,
NH: Heinemann.
Corson, D. (1997). The learning and use of academic English words. Language Learning, 47(4), 671–718.
doi:10.1111/0023- 8333.00025
Fisk, R.H. (1999). Why are we wordy? Vocabula Review, 1(2), 3-5.
Larocque, P. (2008). Be a fit writer: Cut the flab from your stories. Quill, 96(3), 30.
Mayher, J. (1989). Uncommon sense: Theoretical practice in language education. Portsmouth,
NH: Heinemann/Boynton-Cook.
Nagy, D. & Townsend, W. (2012). Words as tools: Learning academic vocabulary as language
acquisition. Reading Research Quarterly, 47(1), 91-108.
Nichol, M. (2011). 8 steps to more concise writing. Communication Briefings, 31(2), 2.
Nicolini, M. B. (2006). Making thinking visible: Writing in the center. The Clearing House,
80(2), 66-69.
Snow, C.E. (2010). Academic language and the challenge of reading for learning about science.
Science, 328(5977), 450–452. doi:10.1126/science.1182597
Snow, C.E., & Kim, Y. (2007). Large problem spaces: The challenge of vocabulary for English
language learners. In R.K. Wagner, A. E. Muse & K.R. Tannenbaum (Eds.), Vocabulary
acquisition: Implications for reading comprehension (pp. 123–139). New York, NY: Guilford.
Snow, C.E., Lawrence, J. F. & White, C. (2009). Generating knowledge of academic language
among urban middle school students. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2, 325–344.

14. Thank you.