Writing skills

Writing is a challenge and one of the most rewarding aspects of study. Adult learners have different levels of writing skills due to their education, practice, study experience. For less experienced people writing assignments can be a serious obstacle. At the beginning of the course you need to establish your students' writing skills in order to help those who need to improve them.

You may wish to suggest some of the following exercises to improve writing:

	develop a writing habit - ask learners to write daily about events from their life
	write for five minutes - ask learners to write on a self-selected topic for 5 minutes it is possible to extend time for writing but within some limits
	write from prompts - ask learners to imagine something that inspires them for creative writing
	make a life chart - ask learners to imagine their life as a chart and to write in detail about one event of her/his life

Some learners worry about writing. You can discuss their anxieties with them and suggest practical activities for overcoming writer's block, e.g.:

	brainstorm about the topic
	scribble - write down whatever comes to mind
	"it is only a draft" - think of each piece of writing as a something needed to be developed
	write in pencil - ensuring you have to come back and rewrite
	start anywhere (in any order) - you can re-arrange your thoughts later
	write by talking - before starting to write speak your thoughts aloud
	use the computer - it is easier to change text
	take regular breaks