Teaching basic writing at an open-admissions, urban, commuter community college involves the instructor with a clientele of student writers with a wide variety and complexity of needs and abilities. According to much research, demands by some scholars for having students write more than just "themes" is inappropriate for such students. Many of these students are dependent learners who look to authority figures for guidelines and instructional support. Other research indicates that entry-level students are uncomfortable with writing on abstract levels. Furthermore, distinctions between the supposed "real" self and the author presented in writing is counterproductive and possibly harmful. In designing entry-level writing courses, then, teachers must recognize the needs and abilities of the students. In recognizing the limitations of student writers, however, the value of personal writing can be overstated, and which as a central aspect of writing courses often leads to problems for the writer and instructor. Workshop formats are useful for helping students complete written assignments, but some students are uncomfortable receiving advice from anyone except the recognized authority, the teacher. Providing a range of instructional strategies and allowing students to choose topics demonstrates a real concern for students as individuals. (HB)