Instructor Companion

Pages in the Instructor Companion

• Writing a clear assignment promptSix practices for writing assignment prompts that state expectations openly, with a before-and-after example and wording to copy.
• Setting expectations for discussions and journalsEight practices for stating the unwritten rules of discussions and journals, with a before-and-after example and wording to copy.
• Tool: Assignment prompt builderA fill-in tool that assembles a clear assignment prompt, plus a Copilot prompt for checking the clarity of an existing assignment.
• Rubrics and where language accuracy fitsHow to decide what language accuracy is worth in a rubric, six practices, a before-and-after language row, and wording to copy.
• Focused, actionable feedbackSeven practices for feedback students can find and act on, across overall feedback, inline comments, rubric comments, and recordings, with templates to copy.
• Setting expectations for translation, grammar tools, and AISeven practices for stating which language tools and AI uses an assignment allows, with a Tools line, a use note, and syllabus wording to copy.
• Talking about writing process and authorshipSeven practices for process expectations and authorship conversations that do not rely on AI detection or treat language differences as evidence.
• Knowing your students' language backgroundsWho multilingual learners are, six practices for learning about students without singling anyone out, and an optional first-week question to copy.
• Terms for language learners: what to use, and whenA glossary of terms for language learners, from ESL and ELL to multilingual writer and Generation 1.5, with practices for choosing respectful, accurate terms.

Student and instructor pages that pair

Many Companion pages have a student page on the same topic. Use the instructor page to plan, and link the student page in your assignment.

Linking a page from Blackboard

1. Open the page you want students to use, and copy the address from the browser.
2. Add the link where students need it: in the assignment directions, a module, or an announcement. A link right before a task gets more use than a list at the start of the term.
3. Say why, in one sentence. Each instructor page has a “Link for students” section with wording you can copy.

How the toolkit is written

• Student pages use no labels. They describe skills and tasks, so any student can use them without identifying as a language learner. Instructor pages use “multilingual learners.” See Terms for language learners.
• Student pages are written for an intermediate English reader: short sentences, no idioms, and English examples that stay in English when a browser translates the page.
• AI guidance follows OCTC’s AI use labels (No AI, AI-supported, AI-integrated) from the AI Literacy Faculty Playbook (opens in a new tab). Translation, dictionaries, and grammar checkers are addressed separately, in a Tools line.
• AI detection is never treated as proof, and language differences are never treated as evidence of AI use.
• Sources are named on each page. Practices without a verified source are labeled as practitioner advice from OCTC faculty development work.
• Offline copies: students without steady internet access can download the whole toolkit as a PDF or EPUB from the home page.

Suggest additions or corrections

Is a page unclear or out of date? Is there a topic your students need that is not here yet? Email Stephanie Self at stephanie.self@kctcs.edu. Suggestions from faculty shape what is added next.