Conference on College Composition and Communication, November 2015 (replaces the 1982 CCCC “Position Statement on the Preparation and Professional Development of Teachers of Writing”)
Introduction
To serve as socially conscious citizens and productive professionals, college students need to cultivate and refine advanced literacy practices, rhetorical flexibility, and habits of mind that will prepare them to address and influence a variety of complex professional, civic, and social situations. Students who possess a sophisticated rhetorical awareness, an extensive knowledge of genre conventions, and a complement of effective writing, critical thinking, and reading proficiencies are advantageously positioned to succeed in academic, public, and professional settings. Because of their high-impact, student-centered, and literacy-focused curricula, assignments, and activities, first-year writing and other writing-intensive courses help students develop these essential areas of knowledge and literacy practices. Effective writing instruction, then, plays a crucial role not only in students’ successful academic performance but also in their performance in professional and public settings.