Constructs of First Year Composition

First year composition courses can be viewed as an introduction to the key writing/ rhetorical concepts that can be applied within and across disciplines. First year composition is taught with the basic premise of making students equipped to use academic writing conventions. Other learning outcomes for FYC are critical reading, writing connections, shaping and communicating meaning and effective use of reflective practices.
Given the basic premises, all FYC programs should aim at teaching the meaning making process through writing. Students in the academia need to understand the power of writing as a medium of communicating their ideas effectively. Our FYC program is built on little blocks of writing concepts like summarizing and paraphrasing that build up to a bigger idea of creating an argument with a proper thesis and its components.

Here, I would like to point out that we are not really giving expressive writing a chance as we are focusing on formalist writing more. But I believe, we can include some kind of expressive writing in class in forms of free writing or journal writing. This will not only give students a chance to explore into their creative dimensions, but will also strike a balance to the kind of formal writing they are doing. Writing for me, is the methodology and the assignments a tool to foster an intellectual consciousness among students and organize their social space.