Composition instruction in Japan's two-year colleges must build on the English learned in earlier education and undo the problems created by the grammar-translation method. In addition, it must often develop creativity and critical-thinking skills not commonly taught in the Japanese educational system. One teacher's approach is to stress organization, beginning with simple list-making and progressing to instruction in classification skills, vocabulary, idiomatic usage, description of feelings, and subsequently writing themes on specific topics. One assignment includes having students write letters to the editor of a newspaper. While homework is not assigned, diary writing is encouraged. In grading, equal weight is given to quality and quantity of writing. The primary objective of this kind of teaching is to help Japanese students find their voice and sense of self in an educational system that conditions students to be quiet, accepting, and individually ineffectual. (MSE)