College ESL Writers: Applied Grammar and Composing Strategies for Success is designed as a comprehensive grammar and writing etext for high intermediate and advanced level non-native speakers of English. We open the text with a discussion on the sentence and then break it down into its elemental components, before reconstructing them into effective sentences with paragraphs and larger academic assignments. Following that, we provide instruction in paragraph and essay writing with several opportunities to both review the fundamentals as well as to demonstrate mastery and move on to more challenging assignments.

Design: We have structured the etext into three basic parts. Part I, Composing Strategies and Techniques, includes a sequenced discussion from composing effective sentences through paragraph and essay writing. This includes the prewriting and planning stages of writing as well as the revising and editing stage in the first five chapters. Part II, Language Use, Grammar, and Mechanics, is meant to be used as a grammar and mechanics handbook as well as the practice and review of idiomatic wording. Part III, All About Writing: Samples, Topics, and Rubrics, has chapters with additional writing topics for practice, sample student papers, and rubrics for evaluating writing.

A Note to the Instructor

College ESL Writers: Applied Grammar and Composing Strategies for Success provides instruction in steps, builds writing, reading, and critical thinking, and combines comprehensive grammar review with an introduction to paragraph writing and academic essay composition.

Beginning with the sentence and its essential elements, this book addresses each concept with clear, concise, and effective examples that are immediately reinforced with exercises and opportunities to demonstrate learning. Each chapter that follows allows students to demonstrate mastery of the principles of quality writing. With its incremental approach, this book can address a range of writing levels and abilities, helping students prepare for the next writing or university course. Constant reinforcement is provided through examples and exercises, and the text involves students in the learning process through reading of student samples, problem solving, and practicing the writing process.

Each chapter also has integrated examples that unify the discussion and form a common, easy-to-understand basis for discussion and exploration. We are hoping that this will put students at ease and allow for greater understanding and demonstration of mastery of the material.

Tips for effective writing are included in every chapter as well. These exercises are especially helpful for working with groups of students. Clear exercises teach sentence and paragraph writing skills that lead to common English composition and documents.

A Note to the Student

Writing is often a challenge, especially when you are writing in a second language.  If you ever felt challenged to express yourself via the written word and in particular, in another language, this book is for you. We encourage you to explore it, use the exercises as opportunities to learn new skills, and most of all, to be successful in your achievement of your course objectives and goals. This text is available free online and is the result of the dedication of many professionals who share the common goal of increasing access to educational materials for all students. Please thank your instructor for choosing an open source text!

Features

• Exercises are integrated in each segment. Each concept is immediately reinforced as soon as it is introduced to keep students on track.
• Exercises are designed to facilitate interaction and collaboration. This allows for peer-peer engagement, development of interpersonal skills, and promotion of critical-thinking skills.
• Exercises that involve self-editing. This feature develops and promotes student interest in the knowledge areas and content.
• Clear internal summaries and effective displays of information are available. This contributes to ease of access to information and increases students’ ability to locate desired content.
• Rule explanations are simplified with clear, relevant, and theme- based examples. This feature provides context that will facilitate learning and increase knowledge retention.
• Easy maneuverability within sections of the book. Within the Table of Contents, you can click on the section title to go to the appropriate section of the book. Also, at the bottom of each page is a link to “Return to Table of Contents.”
• Real student samples that serve as good models of writing are provided. The writing samples that we have incorporated into this book come from our own college ESL students who have agreed to publication of their papers. They write like you do! They are not professional writers, but have been students in our college ESL classes.

Remember: this text is meant to be adaptable and should be transformed to meet the particular needs of your ESL students.