TPC 12 - Communication and Collaboration (Nature of Language)

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

• demonstrate an awareness of the power of language in technical and professional contexts
• demonstrate the importance of language and composition in furthering the critical thinking process (initiating, developing, and organizing thought)
• use appropriately and in context a variety of terms to refer to language use, processes, and products
• demonstrate an understanding of how technical and professional communication formats influence language choices and usage

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

• Discuss readings that focus on the nature of language (e.g., Northrop Frye's "The Motive for Metaphor," Deborah Tanner's "Talking from 9 to 5 - Women and Men in the Workplace: Language, Sex, and Power").
• Discuss readings that use concrete metaphors to explain abstract concepts (e.g., Bertrand Russell's "Touch and Sight"). Then challenge students to explain abstract ideas (e.g., gravity, evolution).
• Have students work in groups to select concepts and develop audio-visual communications. Then have groups exchange products, withholding the audio components. Ask each group to add its own idea of appropriate audio (e.g., sound or voice-overs) without knowing the intent of the originating group. Have students compare interpretations.
• Ask students to maintain personal glossaries of terms that refer to language usage (e.g., syntax, expository).
• Invite students to compare the outline, successive drafts, and final product on a model writing assignment to follow the evolution of thinking reflected in the polishing process.
• Have students brainstorm questions they could use in connection with research or interview assignments. Classify the questions (e.g., open, closed, leading, loaded). Ask students to assess the value of each type of question.
• Suggest that students locate definitions of technical terms from various fields and identify likely users of each term (people in which fields or industries). Discuss with the class possible audiences with whom given individuals in each of these fields might need to communicate. Ask students to classify the audiences according to whether they are likely or not likely to understand the terms. Have them distinguish between useless jargon and legitimate use of technical language. Relate this distinction to audience and purpose and, in turn, to communication chains or systems (including grapevine).

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

• Have each student demonstrate understanding of the relationship between technical and professional contexts and language as follows:
  • choose a particular career or field
  • collect a sample of technical and professional communications in the field
  • analyse the sample to identify and describe four to seven key characteristics of language choice and use
  • develop a glossary of technical or specialized terms that appear frequently
  • validate findings by consulting (by interview or e-mail) with two or three people who work in the field
  • report findings
  Assess students' work for degree of accuracy, thoroughness, relevance, use of specific examples and details to support explanations and conclusions, logic in forming conclusions, and insights about the fields. (The teacher may also choose to assess the reports as technical communications.)
• Ask students to collect and respond to examples that show the power of language in technical and professional contexts. The collections can become part of their working portfolios or folders. The teacher may wish to have students identify and analyse one example each per week or at regular intervals. Their records for each example should include a specific excerpt of language; the source; audience; purpose; and a brief analysis that addresses questions such as:
  • Why did you choose this excerpt?
  • What specific features illustrate the power of language?
  • What evidence can you provide to support your choices?
  • How could you use the qualities you've analysed to increase the power of your language?
  Look for evidence that students are able to be objective and analytical and make logical conclusions and generalizations. After they have completed several entries, ask them to report on up to five key observations or generalizations.

RECOMMENDED LEARNING RESOURCES

• Canadian Writer's Companion
• The Communications Handbook
• Guidelines for Report Writing
• Impact
• Technical Communication
• Technical Writing: Principles, Strategies, and Readings
• Write Right!

• Extraordinary Answers to Common Interview Questions
• More Bloody Meetings
• Visions of Heaven and Hell

• Technical Writing, Sixth Edition

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