The article presents the results of the work which used the National Council of State Supervision of Languages (NCSSFL) and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Can-Do statements for presentational writing in the context of first-year English as Second Language (ES) composition classes based on the simulation approach. The students were offered Can-Do statements first at the beginning of the semester; during the semester, they addressed the statements in journals and reflections; finally, they completed a semester-ending questionnaire about their progress in writing. The quantitative results from the questionnaire and qualitative results from the journals demonstrate that the use of Can-Do statements led to heightened awareness, self-reflection, objective self-assessment, and engagement in critical thinking. The students' engagement in the self-analysis of their progress led to a clear idea of their strengths and weaknesses. These user-friendly, learner-centered statements used in writing classes promoted self-regulation and self-learning.