mixed vs. low-level classes

["Deb Bailin" <bailind@mail.lsc.vsc.edu>]

Hi David!  We have a situation here that is similar to what you're moving
to.  We used to have a separate basic writing class which did not carry
credit toward graduation.  This created great resentment and frustration
among the students, many of whom felt they were getting the "resouce room"
label they'd hoped to leave behind in high school.  We've now moved to
placing these students in ENG100 and also enrolling them in a
one-hour-per-week tutorial.

Having taught both classes with only the basic students and classes with
combinations of students, I've found that the combination classes tend to be
much livelier. The participation of the stronger students encourages the
weaker students to participate meaningfully and take some chances.  I'm
pretty certain that the basic students in these mixed classes generally do
better than the basic students who are isolated with other basic students.

Hope this helps!   Deb

----- Original Message -----
From: David Stacey <des11@axe.humboldt.edu>
To: <wcenter@ttacs6.ttu.edu>
Sent: Friday, October 01, 1999 6:51 PM
Subject: Re: Goal of writing center


>
> My question is a bit complicated, but I really need some help.
>
> I'm new to a university that has recently had to combine its remedial
> instruction with a regular first term required writing course. This was
the
> result of a more or less unwelcome state mandate to shift the mission of
> remediation from the state university system (California) to the community
> colleges.
>
> That at least is how it's been explained to me. I suspect this is a hugely
> simplified explanation, but then I can be pretty hugely simple. So ...
>
> What my univ did was set aside about 10 classes for an "intensive"
> designation. Students with low ACT scores or who did poorly on a writing
> placement exam are grouped together in a regular English 100 class; then
> they must attend three hours of one-on-one writing "lab" tutorials each
week.
>
> There is no second semester requirement here, or throughout the California
> State System, I'm told.
>
> My question--at last. It has been suggested that we stop putting all of
the
> English 100i (for "intensive") students into classes by themselves.
> Instead, students would be mixed in with regular English 100 classes, AND
> THEN be required, more or less individually now, to attend the extra "lab"
> sessions.
>
> The "writing lab" shuts down a few hours a week when it's not doing this
> kind of indiviualized tutoring of 100i students and becomes a "writing
> center" for drop in tutorials for the general student population. But most
> of the time it's a lab for English 100i students.
>
> Have I made this difficult enough to follow? The question you all might be
> able to help me with: how do you feel about integrating the "i" students
> into the regular courses? Should it be done? Or should they be kept in
> classes onto themselves?
>
> I'm grateful for any advice. Tempers appear to be in the balance here. As
I
> said: I'm the new guy....
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave Stacey
>
> David Stacey
> Associate Professor, Department of English
> Humboldt State University
> Arcata, CA  95521
> (707) 826-3176
>