From Corpus to Canvas:

Blending Data-Rich Prompt Analysis with Arts-Rich Translanguaging for Multilingual Writers

Writer-Centered Strategies for Agency in EAP Writing

My recent presentation at the SPIN Student Research Symposium 2026 was titled "From Corpus to Canvas: Blending Data-Rich Prompt Analysis with Arts-Rich Translanguaging for Multilingual Writers." 

In the "After-ChatGPT" era, we need to move beyond the false pedagogical binary of human versus machine. Instead of viewing technology merely as a translation tool or a threat to academic integrity, my research frames Generative AI as a "semiotic mediator" and collaborative partner for English learners.

Building on the concept of prompting as a "Rhetorical Act," I discussed how students can utilize Aristotle’s pillars of persuasion—Ethos (assigning the AI a role), Logos (setting structural constraints), and Pathos (defining stylistic boundaries)—to effectively mediate their writing intent. This rhetorical approach is essential because default LLM outputs often result in hyper-objective, rhetorically flat discourse characterized by cautious hedging and a lack of human engagement markers.

To counter this, I advocate for blending the "Data-Rich Paradigm" of prompt engineering with an "Arts-Rich Paradigm" that values fluid semiotic repertoires. By treating the computational corpus as raw material and human artistic intuition as the navigational space, we can empower multilingual learners to move past a "deficit" identity and become active creators of "identity texts".

Ultimately, AI does not replace the human mind; rather, it serves as an exoskeleton to amplify human intent through a continuous loop of generation and human curation.