Presence, Tone, and Voice as an Equity Opportunity

Why our perceptions of student writing matters

Consciousness and reflection on one’s own written tone and online presence is important for faculty, but just as important is our reflection on student writing and presence, especially as an aspect of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Why Do You Think You’re Right About Language? You’re Not Links to an external site..
McCulloch, 2014. Slate.
One writer and researcher at the forefront of online communication and popular linguistics is Gretchen McCulloch. Her book, Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language, is highly recommended! In this brief, entertaining article for Slate, McCulloch makes the case that prescriptivism in English speech and writing is linguistically misguided and is often used as a tool of hegemony.

10 Ways to Tackle Linguistic Bias in Our Classrooms Links to an external site.
Savini, 2021. Inside Higher Ed.
This excellent article provides practical, actionable suggestions for dealing with linguistic bias in our learning environments. Acknowledging and respecting students’ linguistic backgrounds, and providing opportunities for students to write in their own voice, can improve student engagement and belonging. 

Responding to Racial Bias and Microaggressions in Online Environments
Harris & Wood, 2020. CORA Learning
Part of an effective instructor’s written presence and tone is knowing when — and how — to intervene in student written interactions when discussions get heated or controversial. In this video presentation, Drs. Harris and Wood describe a system that they’ve developed for intervening and responding to difficult situations in online environments.