Kamis, 26 Juni 2008

Some Ways You Can Practice Writing in English

Once you have reached a certain level of proficiency writing in English, you will want to see if you can communicate effectively with others. Unfortunately, if you live in an area where few people are able to read in English, you may not get much feedback on where you need to improve. That said, there are many ways to develop your English writing skills.

Using a Dry Erase Board or Chalk Board

There will always be times when you want to practice your writing, but not necessarily preserve what you wrote. If you write on a dry erase board or chalk board, you will have an opportunity to write as much as you want, and also conserve paper. This is also an ideal way to help you develop your penmanship. You may also find that keeping one of these tools on hand is a good way to jot down quick notes or ideas before you write a more formal composition.

Keeping a Journal In English

In many cases, you may feel a need to practice writing in English, but not necessarily share your materials. A journal is the perfect place to record your thoughts, and create an environment where you are not necessarily stressed about the outcome. You may even find that you enjoy writing in your journal enough to make it a daily routine.

Maintain a Blog

At some point, you will want to share your ideas or viewpoints in English. On the other hand, you may not feel that you are ready to converse in a group. A blog is the perfect balance between a private journal and group. Because the blog is publically accessible, other people will be able to read it. If an individual feels inclined to comment on your materials, then you will have the benefit of some feedback. That said, you will not need to engage in an active conversation if you don’t feel like doing so.

English Language Clubs

If you are in school, chances are you can find a club dedicated to learning English. As you converse with others that are trying to improve their skills, you will have a chance to test your own. This is also a good opportunity to share your struggles with others that understand the difficulties you may be encountering.

Online Writing Critique Groups

Even amongst people that speak English as a native language, there are individuals that want to polish their skills. In many cases, you will find aspiring authors in these groups, as well as those who want to create a better impression when they write for various purposes. Because these groups are dedicated to helping members improve their style, you will receive honest, and very direct feedback about where you need to improve.

Depending on your comfort level, there are a number of resources available to help you practice writing in English. As you progress in your studies, it will be very important to try your skills out on native English writers. That said, you may also feel a need to try a combination of public and private writing in order to achieve specific results or goals.

Some Fun Ways to Practice Reading English

Even if you do not live in a country where English is a primary language, you can take advantage of many opportunities to practice reading in English. As you progress with your studies, you will come to appreciate the richness and variety of styles that individuals will use to express themselves. As with your own language, you are likely to find that you will prefer the way one author writes over others. By taking advantage of a wide variety of sources, you will also gain some insight into the boundaries that define expression of thoughts and concepts.

Reading Classic Books Online

If you have never had a chance to read the works of Dickens, Poe, or other classical English writers, you can find some of their works for free online. Among other things, you can download entire novels from Project Gutenberg. You may also want to browse the internet and look for critical reviews of classical materials. This will help give you some insight into the materials you have just read, and also provide an opportunity to see if others interpret the materials in the same way.

Purchasing Books on Topics of Interest

If you are not interested in classical literature, perhaps it does not make much sense to force yourself to read these materials. Fortunately, there are millions of books written in English. As an example, if you enjoy water color painting, you may want to purchase a book about it written in English. In many cases, you will be able to locate and purchase books for just a few cents per book.

Subscribe to Internet Newsletters

Chances are, if there is a hobby you are interested in, there are authors writing newsletters about it in English. If you search the web, it should be fairly easy to locate websites that sponsor free newsletters. These newsletters are ideal, in part because they provide you with fresh and contemporary reading materials. In addition, because they are about a topic that you already know something about, you will be able to appreciate the information that is shared, as well as practice your reading skills.

Read News Articles in English

Unlike years ago, you can have access to news in English whenever you want. If you are interested in particular area of the world, you may even want to dedicate your reading time to those sections of the news. In most cases, you can find free news resources on the internet. These may also be an excellent place for you to find the names of other websites that have additional information that you might be interested in.

Over the years, the internet has created a tremendous amount of access to materials written in English. If you want to have fun and improve your reading skills at the same time, these can provide you with hours of interesting materials to practice on. In the process, you may even uncover new information about a hobby, or meet people from around the world that share your interests.