Cultural Patterns, Classroom Dynamics, and Social Adjustment Issues

In this book the results of an ethnographic classroom§interaction analysis study that investigated cultural§patterns, classroom dynamics, and social adjustment§issues in two English composition classes at an§American university are reported. §§The study identified common interaction patterns§within five culture groups in these two classes:§Asian Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Middle Easterner,§and American. Classroom interaction patterns that§reveal the students home culture or interaction§norms in educational institutions in their country§were examined for this purpose. §§Classroom dynamics in the two classrooms were§compared to report whether and how mixing native§speakers of English with non-native speakers of§English affected the classroom atmosphere and the§ease of communication among students. §§International students perspectives about being in a§mixed section with Americans, their thoughts and§feelings about American culture and people, their§adjustment difficulties in the United States, and the§classroom manifestations of these difficulties were§also scrutinized.§§Pedagogical implications are presented and the§significance of triangulation in research is highlighted.