In this course students learn and amply practice the skills needed to write and edit various types of academic essays (i.e., the basic rhetorical forms) -- description; chronological narration; process; cause & effect; comparison/contrast; classification; and argumentation. Each rhetorical form is taught from the perspective of ( ) its organization (relationships between paragraphs and internal logic) and ( ) the specific expressions and structures needed to convey the ideas particular to each type. Students get practice in editing and proofreading by writing a second draft of each of their essays. Regular student teacher conferencing is an element of the course; the individualized guidance that this affords gives students every opportunity to achieve the objectives. By the end of the semester students have completed a portfolio of - essays (in addition to regular shorter assignments) each in at least