Why do we teach first year composition?

Teaching first year composition can be tricky. A first year composition class brings students from various majors and educational backgrounds together. I believe that the main reason we teach first year composition is to create a standard or bar that all students must meet or surpass in order to obtain a degree. The value of a composition course is often lost on the students who enter our classrooms. Every major and every field requires some sort of writing whether it is writing lab reports, business reports, business letters, legal briefs or even something as simple as an email. Each instance reflects on the individual thus acquisition of something resemble decent writing is essential.
As first year composition instructors our main goal should be to ensure that the individuals who pass through our class can first of all write a coherent sentence. I am not proposing a formalistic approach to teaching or grading but in order to effectively communicate ideas students must have a grasp of writing within the context of Standard American English. The ability to develop and effectively support an argument should be our next focus. Correct writing means nothing without effective content. Writing can be an effective environment for learning. First year composition courses should serve as an artificial environment for learning effective argumentation. Failure in the “real” world can be more detrimental than failure within the classroom.