Basic Composition is a clear, thorough, comprehensive unit designed to teach basic writing skills. Drawing on recent developments in writing theory, it provides up-to-date writing models and motivating writing activities.

This unit is written with the assumption that students learn to write best by examining and communicating what they know, rather than by stating and practicing the rules of punctuation and grammar in isolation. It is by authentic communication to real audiences that students learn to use the writing skills—including correct grammar and spelling—necessary for clear communication.

The objectives of this course are the following:

• To gain confidence in writing
• To use personal experience as a focus for composition
• To write well-developed paragraphs
• To review basics of grammar, usage, and mechanics and apply these to writing
• To expand paragraphs into well-constructed essays
• To learn techniques for effective revision and editing

Graphic organizers, scoring guides, rubrics, motivating writing activities, and good models of authentic student writing are especially useful. A student edition that contains all of the handouts from the Teacher Resource Unit is available—a great timesaver!

Students learn to use adequate supportive details, organize, vary sentence structure, use proper grammar, make effective transitions, and revise. They take a stand on an issue, demonstrate the use of sentence variety, combine sentences, identify irrelevant details, write well-developed paragraphs, work with thesis statements, and write introductory and closing paragraphs.