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Dynamic diversity: new dimensions in mixed composition classes
1 Nizar Ibrahim has been an assistant professor of second language acquisition and teaching at the Lebanese University since 2002. He has written a book titled Children's Literature for Second Language Learners. He taught academic writing at the University of Arizona 2000–2002 and also worked as a program developer specialist at the University of Arizona 1998–2000 supervising a team that developed a textbook and web materials to teach Arabic to foreigners.Email pronizar{at}yahoo.com, 2 Susan Penfield received her PhD in Linguistic Anthropology from the University of Arizona. Currently, she is a Course Director for ESL writing classes, affiliate faculty for the Second Language Acquisition and Teaching Program and a Research Associate of the Southwest Center at the University of Arizona. She serves as a language planning consultant for the Colorado River Indian Tribes and as Board Resident for Arts Reach, an educational writing program serving Native American children.
This study investigates the effect of a mixed composition class in an American University on student interaction and writing over a semester. The class was a freshman academic writing course that consisted of fifteen international and ten American students. Some teachers believe that a mixed composition class enhances cultural understanding, and that cultural diversity presents a good learning environment, contributing to developing student writing and language skills; others believe the contrary because the needs of the ESL and native English speakers (NES) cannot be addressed simultaneously. To investigate this issue, we used student journals, interviewed students and observed the class. This paper describes the change in students' attitudes and interaction, the benefits that students gained from the course, and the teachers'/researchers' approach to teaching the course.