How to Develop and Improve Writing Skills of EAL Students By Daphne Coleman

For students taking up English as Additional Language (EAL), one of their primary concerns is develop and improving their writing skills. True, learning how to write is much tougher than just learning how to speak. Writing skills are harder to come by, since formal compositions typically needs appropriate use of the English language ? grammar, syntax, spelling punctuation and others. They really have to develop and improve their writing skills. So, how can EAL students develop and improve their writing skills?

One of the best ways by which EAL students could develop and improve their writing skills is by reading a lot of materials. Each material presents different writing style, writing structure and writing format. By reading those materials, EAL student could learn the different aspects of writing. Formal and academic writing differs from business and article writing. Every piece of written material is a good study tool that EAL students could take advantage of and benefit from. Reading those materials also allows EAL student to further expand their English vocabulary. EAL students will definitely come across new terms and words. By reading a lot, EAL could find out the meaning and usage of those new terms and apply them in their writing tasks.

Aside from that, reading a lot of materials allows EAL student to learn more about the world they are into, thereby enabling to adjust more to their new environments.

Another by which EAL students could develop and improve their writing skills is by applying what they learn ? by writing. Just like how runners improve their running speed and stamina by running, EAL students could develop and improve their writing skills if they write a lot. Of course, they should not write blindly as this would result to nothing. When writing, EAL students should set goals to achieve. For instance, an EAL student may aim to get better in writing expository articles. He could achieve that aim if he obtains knowledge on how to write such articles and if he actually tries to compose one.

EAL students could develop and improve their writing skills by having some persons who could guide them on the way. They need to have somebody tell them if what they are doing is right or if they are making good progress in developing and improving their writing skills.

EAL students have no choice but to develop and improve their writing skills, mainly because it is a requirement on their field. If they cannot develop and improve their writing, they could be better off if they quit being EAL students. But they are not without ways to develop and improve their writing skills ? reading a lot, writing a lot and being guided a lot.