1. Writing and Teaching
Interculturally
Writing Across the Curriculum
The Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing
The Ohio State Universty

2. Did you know . . . ?
 The international student
population at OSU has
increased by over 50% in
the past five years!
 International students now
make up 8% of the OSU
student body.
 This growth rate of the
international student
population outpaces the
average rate at U.S.
universities.

3. What YOU can do: Principles for
Creating Intercultural Classrooms
 Be transparent with your students that classrooms are
ALWAYS intercultural spaces. Make a point early on in
your course to let students give you information about
their background in your discipline.
 Knowledge-making is culturally embedded. Engage in
dialogue about the cultural components and
assumptions of your discipline.
 Mistakes in standard edited English are NOT a sign of
diminished intellectual capacity. Focus more on meaning
and content than on surface error.

4. What YOU can do: Principles for
Creating Intercultural Classrooms
 Remember that students bring a wide range of
linguistic, social, and educational experiences into the
classroom.
 Be committed to cross-cultural understanding. Don’t
brush over miscommunication or misunderstanding

5. But …how? Putting
Principles into Practice
 Throughout the term, encourage students to reflect
and share about how their own cultural backgrounds
affect how they understand and engage with course
material.
 Scaffold (break up) major assignments so that
students can get support in developing their writing
and critical thinking skills throughout the writing
process.
 If your class material is founded upon knowledge of
U.S. culture, practice flexibility when working with and
assessing the work of international students.

6. But …how? Putting
Principles into Practice
 Help students develop an understanding of the written
and rhetorical techniques that they are expected to
use by discussing the conventions of your discipline
and offering illustrative examples.
 When grading, look for patterns of mistakes and
comment strategically, rather than overwhelming
students by correcting every surface error that you
see.

7. But …how? Putting
Principles into Practice
 Incorporate multiple ways for students to participate in
your classroom, such as written and spoken activities,
and one-on-one, small group, and large group
discussions.
 Model attentive listening by reflecting back to your
students what you heard and asking if your
understanding is correct.
 When miscommunication occurs, calmly clarify, rather
than avoid.

8. And Remember . . .
Simply showing interest and engagement with the
multiple cultures in your classroom opens up a space in
which you and your students can dialogue and grow
through intercultural exchange!

9. For more helpful tips, check out
our other resources!
 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wacosu
 Webpage: http://cstw.osu.edu/wac
 WAC Resource Wiki: WAC Wiki