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Read the modal argumentative essay. Then answer the questions below.
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Compulsory First-Year Academic Writing Courses
[1] Students succeed in higher education for many reasons, ranging from having good organizational skills to understanding knowledge in different subject areas. [2] One skill that is central to success is academic writing. [3] In many courses, most assessment of students is through writing, for example, in essay assignments or examinations. [4] There is a long tradition.particularly in North American universities, of students taking academic writing courses, or composition courses, during their first year of study. [5] Some institutions require all students to take such courses; in others, the requirement is only for international students or for students who speak English as an additional language (EAL). [6] The question of whether all students should take such courses, rather than only international or EAL students, will be discussed in this essay, focusing on two key themes: equality of learning opportunity and cost. [7] It will be argued that first-year writing classes provide essential skills for students but that a "one-size-fits-all" approach is unworkable.
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[8] All higher education institutions should provide equal learning opportunities for all their students, regardless of linguistic background or visa status. [9] In this sense, it could be argued that requiring only international or EAL students to take certain courses discriminates against them, suggesting that some students are not equal and lack legitimacy compared to others (Flowerdew, 2000). [10] However, it should be recognized that the playing field is not equal. [11] The demands of university writing are great, and many domestic students whose first language is English are at a significant advantage. [12] Granted, academic language is a new language for all firstyear students (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1994), and many do need to take an extra class that teaches them academic writing. [13] This raises the question, therefore, whether it would not be wiser to focus limited resources exclusively on those who most need support:international and EAL students. [14] Considering the concept of equal learning opportunity. I would argue that all students should have the same opportunity of experience in higher education: either all students should be required to take firstyear writing courses, or no students should have to do so.
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[15] Another important factor to consider is cost. [16] In other words, who should pay for providing courses to all first-year students? [17] Those who support making firstyear academic writing courses obligatory for all students might argue that the cost can be included in students' regular tuition fees, thus avoiding extra fees. [18] Other arguments would be to raise tuition fees to cover the costs, extend the number of credits required for graduation (so that an extra course can be added), or reduce some of the credits for courses across the disciplines so that they can be reallocated to an academic writing course. [19] Nonetheless, those who oppose an obligatory-for-all approach would counter that all options would involve passing costs on to students, many of whom already struggle to meet the financial burden of higher education. [20] Moreover, if we bear in mind that many institutions charge international students triple or even quadruple tuition compared to domestic students (Marshall & Walsh Marr, 2018), the idea of increasing financial burden becomes even more unacceptable. [21] With regard to the cost of compulsory courses, I would first argue that policies in higher education should never be driven solely by financial considerations. [22] Admittedly, cost is an unavoidable factor in any decision; however, issues such as fairness, equality, and learning are far more important.
[23] The question of whether first-year academic writing courses should be compulsory for all students, not just international students or EAL students, has been discussed above, focusing on two perspectives: equality of learning opportunity and cost. [24] A theme that has run through the discussion is fairness. [25] Is it fair to treat students differently based on their language backgrounds or visa status? [26] Is it fair, in the name of equality, to require students to take courses that they may not require? [27] And is it fair to add more cost to already expensive tuition fees? [28] The answer to each of these questions is no. [29] Consequently, educators need to rethink how academic writing is taught, and to whom, in higher education. [30] A compulsory firstyear academic writing program for all students is not the answer. [31] Instead, courses that focus specifically on academic writing should be made available to all but should not be compulsory. [32] Those who choose to take optional academic writing courses should accept that they need to meet the additional costs that come with providing such courses. [33] At the same time, institutions should develop more writing-acrossthe-curriculum initiatives (McCarthy. 1987) so that all students can improve their knowledge and ability to write in the different subject areas they may choose to specialize in. [34] This would provide a solution that is as fair as possible, fairness and equality being two goals that all higher education institutions should
constantly pursue.
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