ABSTRACT
A recent post on the writing program administrator’s e-mail list (WPA-L) asked if most composition programs “segregate ESL students into separate sections or mainstream them into existing sections of composition?” The responses indicated that both models are common across the country, but many other issues also arose that are appropriate for composition teachers to consider. Who is an ESL student? What are the advantages and disadvantages of segregating and mainstreaming? At what level is a student ready for mainstream composition, and how is this determined? Should students choose which program suits them best? How is an ESL composition course different from a mainstream one?
