Solid suggestions. I would also suggest having the student write about familiar forms before moving onto more academic styles. For instance, I've had considerable success asking students to write movie reviews, album reviews, and product reviews as a bridge activity. Along those lines, I also recommend that they post their reviews on Amazon or IMDB, or other sites. They often appreciate the feedback and gain new energy for improving their writing.
If the student needs to actually improve their essay writing skills, I'd also recommend Keith Folse's Writing Great Essays or a TOEFL test book. Why? Well, the advice is specifically tailored for students in their position. If you want to teach more generic writing skills, check out Joseph Williamson classic work "Style: An Introduction to Clarity and Elegance." Finally, I have to confess that I have used my own conversation book in community college ESL writing classes. I use the questions and quotations to introduce the topic, explore numerous perspectives, and brainstorm with students for their own topics.
Good luck!
Shalom
Eric
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