How to Use Apps to Supplement Your Spanish Lessons

How to Use Apps to Supplement Your Spanish Lessons Suzy S. Its nice to have a little help when learning a new language. But what if help were available at the push of a button? Good news it is! In this article, Spanish teacher  Joan B.  discusses  how to find and use the  best Spanish learning app for you Spanish lessons are a great way to build a strong foundation  so you can speak, write, and understand Spanish fluently. A large part of your success  during lessons is what you do in between them. Reinforcing and practicing the concepts learned  can make a huge difference in your learning. One excellent way to manage your time in between lessons is to use apps as a supplement. Apps  offer immediate feedback, fun and creative games, pronunciation help, and much more. A while back, tutor Jason N. shared his recommendations for the best apps for learning Spanish, and then Breanna D. followed up with 15 MORE Spanish learning apps; now, lets take a closer look at  ways to use these kinds of apps! 1. Reinforce concepts If you learned a new concept in your lesson, you might still be struggling with how it works, as well as incorporating it smoothly into your repertoire. Practicing a new grammar concept with an app like Open Language (for iTunes and Google Play) will guarantee that you use it properly and understand it thoroughly. 2. Get extra feedback Here’s where you can take the initiative so your teacher can help you even more. Since lesson time is limited, why not do some extra practice with an app like Lingualia (for iTunes and Google Play) to pinpoint problem areas and concepts that aren’t totally clear to you? Then you can rapidly address these areas directly with your teacher. When you’ve already done the detective work of identifying the problem, your teacher can help you more effectively. 3. Immerse yourself Practicing Spanish frequently  can make it much easier to recall what you’re learning, in addition to improving fluency. Using apps on a regular basis when you have a few spare moments (on the bus or waiting in line, for example) can increase the time you spend practicing  Spanish, which in turn increases  your skill  level. 4. Comprehension practice Another great thing about lessons  is the opportunity to practice comprehension  when your teacher speaks to you. You don’t have to lose an opportunity in between lessons â€" you can continue to practice dictation, listening, and translation by using an app like FluentU, (for iTunes) where you can listen to Spanish audio. 5. Improve your accent Apps like Rosetta Stone (for iTunes and Google Play) use voice recognition in exercises. This ensures that you’re not just repeating, by rote, a word with incorrect Spanish pronunciation as you try to learn it. Using apps that help you in various ways to improve your accent will ensure that you’re pronouncing words accurately the first time you say them. 6. Make quick progress for a specific goal Some of the best Spanish learning apps, like Duolingo (for iTunes and Google Play), focus on the most useful and common words. This can be a great way to achieve a specific level of fluency in a limited amount of time, such as for a business interaction or upcoming travels. The app can provide you with a path to identify what level you want to reach and how to reach it, in combination with your lessons. 7. Discover your learning style Some apps use a more visual approach, like Fluencia (for web), while others, like Memrise (for iTunes and Google Play), use memorization as a key tool. The key to using apps as a supplement to your Spanish lessons is to discover what learning style works best for you. Experiment with different apps to see what works. Once again, this will also help you with your lessons â€" you can share with your teacher what ways of learning are working well and which ways aren’t as effective. 8. Have fun with the language Keeping it fun and fresh as you learn is important to avoid burnout and frustration. Apps like Cat Spanish (for iTunes), which is humorous and educational with its game format and pictures of cats, will keep you engaged and having fun while learning. Keep these suggestions in mind as you look for apps with which to supplement your Spanish lessons. As you find some apps that work for you, try to make steady progress â€" often the apps will keep track of your frequency of practice and your score, so use it to your advantage as a motivation tool. Your hard work will pay off! Readers, what do you think is the best Spanish learning app? Let us know in the comments! Post Author: Joan B. Joan B. lives in Carmichael, CA and has been teaching high school Spanish for more than 18 years. Shes studied French, Arabic, and Italian and spent time living in Spain. Joan aims to help students improve on tests and increase their conversational ability when traveling to Spanish-speaking countries. Learn more about Joan  here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

TutorPace is Their to Help You With Online College Math Tutor Service

TutorPace is Their to Help You With Online College Math Tutor Service We should enjoy each and every phase of our life. Every phase has some or the other kind of essence in itself and thus it attracts people in a lot of ways. The entire part of our life is comprised of various ups and downs that help in making our lives much more memorable. When you sit to count down what we have achieved is life, we not only count the bank balance we have made, but we also count the amount of love, enjoyment and concern we have received from other in our life span. But apart from being a good person it is also important you should be a good professional as well. The expertise of a good professional arrives in from the very initial learning days of our lives. School life and college life is enormously different from one another. There is a large gap between the culture and way both are spent. School is a place where we have to be disciplined and where we have to act according to our teachers. But in college life, things are not so. We can live according to our terms and condition and no such rule book is there. In college years most of the students move out of the track because of the freedom that they get. Some of them are not able to understand what the actual meaning of freedom is and thus ends up going some unmannered activities. But let no go into such problems and let us concentrate on what college is and why does a student go there. It is a place of learning and people are there to learn and acquire knowledge. It is better than we should concentrate on what college is all about and why does children come here. What online tutoring is all about? College is a place where you are there to receive education. Unlike school, college is about knowing one particular subject largely. For me one of the tough subject to carry of your college life is mathematics. I personally feel that mathematics is a very tough subject and to crack that subject every nook and corner is pretty difficult as well as time taking as well. To help you out in this subject I can suggest you to get tuitions under e-learning courses. It may be new type of learning experience, but one of the most popular one in the recent times. Students as well as there parents are adding up being fond of such a service. It has a wide variety of help in the form of services that are attracting most of students who are pretty concerned about having a bright future. Now, you will know about what kind of facilities it has that will help you to get the grip of this way of teaching and you also may feel attracted towards it and end up in enrolling your name into it. Characteristics of online teaching process Online teachers have some of the very good features that can help any student to increase their grades in an easy as well as in a better way. The teachers are very efficient and have expertise over the subject that will help the students to learn more and faster. A good institute issues a rigorous interview process that has to be passed and then only one teacher is been appointed to teach their students. Due to this the teachers have a good grip over the subject and can frame up the weak areas of a student if they conduct only one class with them. Once the weak areas are detected, the second process of the teacher is to turn the weak areas into their strength and this is done very smoothly and with patience so that the students can learn the subject well and from its roots. There is no limitation with the time the classes are conducted. The students can easily attend the classes anytime they want and it is as per their wish that what they want and how they want to get the classes. While sitting at home they can attend the classes and this helps them to save their time, energy as well as transportation cost. They can utilize that time for their study time only. This will help them to learn more. The online tutoring service provides its students with every single teacher. Every single teacher helps each single child every time they attend the classes. There is no such big class having many students at a time. When you have one single teacher who will assist you and help you whenever you need, a student can open up freely and they can easily solve their doubts with having a discussion. They are all away from the shyness that they face in any private or coaching classes. These are the basic characteristics that is very important for any child to increase their knowledge regarding the subject. But if you have an idea that every institute claiming to provide this service are there to help you with such charming facilities then you are not correct. There are many institutes who claim but are unable to put up with their promises and end up destroying the money of the students who have trusted them. How TutorPace is as an institute? TutorPace is one of the most reputed and well known institutes in the market of online tutoring facilities. It has good and qualified teachers who are there to change a student’s future in better within very less time. The rates that are charged by the institute are pretty much less and thus parents can rely on such a institute that will help their child to achieve better marks and lead a bright life ahead. The use of a good teacher and less time will help in making your life a better and a secured one. Thus, you can know more what online college math tutor service is all about in TutorPace.  

Are You Venting Appropriately at Work - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Are You Venting “Appropriately” at Work - Introvert Whisperer Are You Venting “Appropriately” at Work? I’ve just had a highly frustrating experience using an online tool that isn’t what I would say is “user-friendly”.   I had to get on the phone with customer support, drill down on an obscure page and find some tiny little light grey print.   That little print was in direct contradiction to the top page but the little print on the obscure page was the one that counted. It ruled my world and I didn’t even know it until I had someone to help me understand what was taking place. So, why am I saying this to you?   Really, I just needed to vent.   I had someone email a vent to me just yesterday. Venting can be a good way to let off steam and stress.   We all need to do it sometimes and you have to be selective about who you vent to.   At work, we do face a considerable number of frustrating things and it’s easy to vent to your work peers.   The problem with doing that is that if it is about the boss or another person (which it usually is) what you say will most likely get back to that person. I don’t care how “confidential” you try to make your venting; don’t count on it staying that way.   Trust me, as a manager, it always got back to me plus I usually knew when it got to others.   News travels fast. If you need to vent about a work issue, find a person who isn’t at work and is neutral.   (Being neutral simply means they will listen and not make you feel worse) If you want, you can vent to me.   If you want me to shift into “coach”, just let me know. Ahhh, I feel better now. Go to top Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!  Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Why Are English Plurals So Crazy Videos and Exercises

Why Are English Plurals So Crazy Videos and Exercises Have you ever wondered why English plurals are so crazy? Why we say foot and feet, but not book and beek? Why we say goose and geese, but not moose and meese? Why does child turn to children, and not childs?Most English speakers wont be able to tell you why, we just know that some words are different. Thanks to a wonderful new video from TED, we can learn about how the Vikings changed English plurals, and made them easier than they were. Before that, weve got a quick video lesson about how plurals work in English, with an exercise.English Plurals VideoCorrect the plural words in red. Write your answer in comments and we will respond.How many persons study English as a second language?Five womans opened a computer services company.Even childrens enjoy learning on the Internet.Most basketball players are 6 foots tall or more.Which breed of sheeps produces the finest wool?My tooths are sensitive to the cold.At daylight savings time, we have to change our watchs .The boys went fishing an d caught 10 fishs .There are 10 mans in the Maintenance Department.The wifes keep their knifes on the shelfs.So where did these crazy plurals come from? Watch the video below, then try the exercise.Interesting, right? Now try these listening questions. If you answer them in comments, we will respond.1. There are ______of ways that English doesn’t make sense.2. How many years ago was the plural of books ‘beek’?3. How many years ago was English and German the same language?4. _________it was like sheep is today where you don’t do anything to make a plural.5. Why did the English language change?6. At what age does it become very difficult to learn a language without an accent?7. Why did some irregular plurals remain? Justyna How many people study English as a second language? Five women opened a computer services company. Even children enjoy learning on the Internet. Most basketball players are 6 feet tall or more. Which breed of sheep produces the finest wool? My teeth are se nsitive to the cold. At daylight savings time, we have to change our watches . The boys went fishing and caught 10 fish . There are 10 men in the Maintenance Department. Five womans opened a computer services company. Even childrens enjoy learning on the Internet. Most basketball players are 6 foots tall or more. Which breed of sheeps produces the finest wool? My tooths are sensitive to the cold. At daylight savings time, we have to change our watchs . The boys went fishing and caught 10 fishs . There are 10 mans in the Maintenance Department. The wifes keep their knifes on the shelf. LOIEnglish Justyna, Your corrections look correct. It seems that you also may have copied the incorrect versions but I am assuming that was a mistake. Thanks for answering! Did you have a try with the listening exercise? Justyna 1. There are a lot of ways that English doesn’t make sense.2. How many years ago was the plural of books ‘beek’?-The plural of book was beek 1 thousand years ago3. How many years ago was English and German the same language?-English ang German was the same language 25 houndred years ago3.4. Sheep it was like sheep is today where you don’t do anything to make a plural.5. Why did the English language change?-English language change because Vikings got married English women and forgot real kind.6. At what age does it become very difficult to learn a language without an accent?-Learning a language without an accent was difficult at about 15 years old.6.7. Why did some irregular plurals remain?Some irregular plurals remain because they added s. LOIEnglish Good work. Im glad you did the listening part of the lesson. The answer to number 7 is because they were common words. Also, number 5 you have a grammar mistake. Get married TO someone. I hope this helps. Renan How many people study English as a second language? Five women opened a computer services company. Even children enjoy learning on the Internet. Most basketball players are 6 feet tall or m ore. Which breed of sheep produces the finest wool? My teeth are sensitive to the cold. At daylight savings time, we have to change our watches . The boys went fishing and caught 10 fish . There are 10 men in the Maintenance Department. The wives keep their knives on the shelves. LOIEnglish Good work Renan. Have you tried the listening exercise?

Barings Supports Elementary Students with Donation - Heart Math Tutoring

Barings Supports Elementary Students with Donation - Heart Math Tutoring Barings Supports Elementary Students with Donation Barings Supports Elementary Students with Donation January 23, 2018 We are excited to announce a generous donation to Heart Math Tutoring from Barings! In addition to their partnership through volunteer engagement, Barings is now helping Heart reach more schools next year through financial support! At each Heart school, 50-80 students will receive one-on-one tutoring from late September to early May. “We are very pleased to support Heart Math Tutoring, and believe strongly in the organization’s mission of providing elementary school students with tools to help them excel academically,” said Tom Finke, Barings’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Barings employees have been volunteering as Heart tutors since 2015, with 16 active tutors today. Read the fullPress Releasehere.

Teach Away Telegram - August 2011

Teach Away Telegram - August 2011 In the August edition of the Teach Away Telegram, we discuss whether or not international teaching is a feasible long-term career option. We also have a look at a very exciting teaching program that recently launched in the Republic of Georgia. And finally, one teacher shares what he learned while teaching in the United Arab Emirates â€" and why he is going back this fall!If you have any feedback on the Telegram, or if there is a particular topic you would like to see featured in an upcoming issue, please feel free to drop us a line. We love hearing from you.Happy reading! - The Teach Away TeamIn this issue:Teaching Overseas: A Long-Term Option?Georgia On My MindTwo Years in the UAE: A Teacher's StoryTeaching Overseas: A Long-Term Option?Teaching overseas for a year is often considered something one does after graduating university. Let’s face it, if you’re a native English speaker, possess a Bachelor’s degree, and you are open to new countries and cultures, teaching English ab road for a year is one of the best ways to get some of that desperately needed experience - and money - after university.As the emphasis on English language learning extends to more and more countries around the world, the need for English teachers grows in unison. Many governments have recognized that in order to develop as a nation, communication in English is key. Because of this, these governments have initiated education reforms - the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia are two countries that come to mind - focusing on introducing English to their youth, and in some cases, through immersion with other subjects like Science and Math. Private organizations have also used these government initiatives to develop their own English schools to not only teach English to children, but also to adults.All this growth is great, but can you teach overseas and still raise children, stay connected with friends and family, or even save a substantial amount of money? Is a long-term career oversea s feasible?In short, yes.Since the need for teachers is always growing, many international teaching programs now offer longer-term renewable contracts, as well as family allowances in order to attract a larger pool of qualified teachers. Opportunities allowing family visa sponsorship and comfortable accommodations are becoming more common; some also subsidize schooling for children.Staying connected with family and friends back home shouldn’t be much of a concern, especially considering the technological era in which we live. An internet connection and a webcam, along with some well-timed scheduling, are all it takes to see and talk to those you miss.Now, after considering family and friends, many people think about finances. Initially, teaching overseas may not seem to be the most lucrative option, but the cost of living is much lower in many countries, and this can add up to substantial savings for teachers. With the appropriate credentials and experience, more lucrative program s with salaries approaching $6,000 US/month are also accessible.Let’s think about all of this for a second:Teaching overseas provides you the chance to travel and experience another culture, learn a new language, build upon your resume, earn a steady income, live comfortably, bring a family in some opportunities, and still stay connected with family and friends. And of course, you’ll be able to meet new people, many of whom are teaching overseas and connecting via social networking pages like Teach Away’s Facebook page. So, what may have once been considered as a quick stint to build some experience and earn some money after graduation has quickly blossomed into a very feasible career option. Adventure and stability now co-exist teaching overseas.  Georgia On My MindHave you heard of Georgia? No, not the US State home to Coca-Cola’s headquarters, CNN, or any one of Ted Turner’s moustache-sporting enterprises; but Georgia, the country positioned at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.Ever since prying itself free from Soviet reign in 1918, the country has been trying to re-establish itself as the world power it once was during the reign of the Roman Empire. The country’s economy has recently experienced a major shift since the government announced an initiative to focus on building English language skills through the Teach and Learn with Georgia Program (TLG).This program, aimed at public schools from the primary to secondary levels, allows native English speakers from Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa to work alongside a local Georgian teacher to teach English. As education is a priority to the Georgian government, resources and support for teachers in this program are on the rise. In fact, Georgia’s Ministry of Education has given so much attention and funding to the program that at present, 75% of all classrooms now have computers and high-speed internet.But the focus is not only on classes and student success. Teac hers are being supported as much as possible as well. Foreign teachers are provided the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Georgian culture by staying with a host-family, traveling to famous areas including the Black Sea and the Caucasus Mountains via organized tours, and dining on delicacies including khachapuri (cheese bread) and khinkali (a Georgian take on dumplings).With 6-month and 12-month teaching contracts available that offer stipends equal to what many local Georgians earn per month, this is a great way for anyone with the minimum of 2 years of post-secondary education to travel, teach, and experience life overseas.For more reasons why Georgia should be on your mind, contact us here at Teach Away, or better yet, apply online.  Two Years in the UAE: A Teacher's StoryThis month, we spoke to Milad Mazaheritaghizadeh, who recently finished a 2 year contract in the United Arab Emirates. Milad taught grade 2 in Al Sameeh, Al Rahba, about 30 minutes from the city of Abu Dh abi. While Milad is currently enjoying some time in North America with friends and family, he is gearing up to return to teaching in Abu Dhabi this fall.When we asked Milad why he applied to teach overseas 2 years ago, he cited the need for a new challenge as his primary reason. “My friends were talking about this opportunity in the Middle East. After some time, I thought why not?” He had been teaching in Toronto for 2 years and the drastic change of pace the United Arab Emirates seemed to offer appealed to him; he was ready to try something new.Despite being ready for a change, Milad admits, “The UAE was not what I expected. I thought it would be more traditional, because it’s a Muslim country. It was much more Westernized than I expected, and it definitely caters to expats. In terms of the actual classroom experience, I didn’t know what to expect.”As it turns out, Milad suggests the best attitude is to expect the unexpected. When he first started teaching in the UAE, t he education reform project in Abu Dhabi had just launched. Resources were scarce and most classrooms were bare. Now, schools are improving the number of resources available to students and teachers, and there is an increasing amount of support available to staff.“The worst thing a teacher can do, in my opinion, is expect teaching in the UAE to be like teaching in Canada or in the US. There is definitely a different way of life, and you learn to adapt to it. You learn to go with the flow. Don’t ask why the little things are the way they are; you’re just there to do the best job you can do. You have to see it for the great opportunity it is.”While many teachers make the move to the UAE for the lucrative tax-free salary, in order to gain more teaching experience, and to experience teaching in a different setting, Milad says that teaching overseas can definitely advance one’s career. “Teaching in the UAE allowed me to experience new things, grow as a person, experience diff erent teaching styles and different education systems, and develop my adaptability as an educator.”When asked why he will be returning to the UAE this fall, Milad talks about the best part of the job: improving student achievement. “It’s a great feeling to see an actual change. You see a substantial change in the kids, whereas in North America, results aren’t that dramatic. You’ll see kids make huge strides in their language ability level, and that’s the best part.”

3 Things to Consider When Choosing a College - TutorNerds

3 Things to Consider When Choosing a College - TutorNerds Thinking beyond freshman year: 3 things to consider when choosing a college Tips From a San Diego College Admissions Consultant Most students think about their freshman year when choosing what college to attend. This makes sense because it will be the most important and transitional year in their lives thus far. However, the college experience will last four years and each year will be an essential part of a students overall education. Students also need to think about choosing a major field of study by their junior year and job placement opportunities upon graduation. They are encouraged to think about these three things before making a final college choice our private San Diego college admissions consultants are here to help. 1. The general education curriculum Both freshman and sophomore year will be focused on General Ed. There may be some courses that students are really excited about, but they should find out how likely they are to get into their first or second choice class. Many colleges are entirely impacted, meaning there are more students attending the school than there are seats for them to sit in. The General Ed curriculum might have tons of opportunities for students to explore potential majors or personal interests but they need to feel confident theyll be able to find a spot in these classes before they have to move on to junior year. If not, students will have to choose between attending college, and paying tuition, for a 5th year or missing out on those classes altogether. 2. Potential major options Many students enter the college environment as ‘undecided.’ This means they dont know what they want to study and theyre not going to declare a major until their junior year. Students who are undecided need to make sure there are several different options available to them when it comes time to make a choice. Most, but not all, larger public schools offer a wide variety of major options while smaller schools tend to specialize in just a few things. Some students are 100% sure they want to study something in particular. However, many of those students change their mind part way through so even students who have declared a major in their application should research what their other options might be just in case (READ: College Decisions: 3 Things to Think About). 3. Internship opportunities Thinking about internships while also dealing with all of the other things that come with applying to college is entirely overwhelming. However, after students complete their freshman or sophomore year, they should consider the value of an internship with the right company. Most freshmen are too tired to think about an internship after their first year but, sophomores and juniors are usually well-adjusted to the college environment and have the time and opportunity to do a summer internship. Students who know what they want to major in are encouraged to look into internships with local companies that might be hiring new graduates. Students can also use internships to determine whether or not they want to work in a particular field for 30 years or more. Its important that the college support these internships by giving students credit, but its also essential that there are enough companies in the local area who take on college interns over the summer. Our in-house San Diego college admissions consultants have a 97% success rate! Get into your top choice with the help of a consultant. Call TutorNerds today. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

How to Master Writing in a Foreign Language 5 Steps at Any Level

How to Master Writing in a Foreign Language 5 Steps at Any Level 5 Steps to Master Writing at Any Level Have you ever gotten an email full of spelling and grammatical mistakes?Eep!Chances are you have, and chances are it didnt leave  a great impression.When you write in a foreign language, you dont want to be the person  whose correspondence is riddled with errors. That, among other reasons, is why writing well is an essential part of learning any language. Why Writing Is So ImportantWriting Is Essential to Long-distance CommunicationNeed to communicate with someone who isnt sitting across from you? Youll probably need to use some form of written communication. Even if youre setting up a time to make a phone call or have a language lesson over Skype, youll probably be sending an email, instant message or text message. Using online chat rooms, forums and comment sections of articles, sending snail mail and even updating your social media in a foreign language all require writing skills.Mistakes Make You Seem UneducatedIt wont always be obvious that youre not a native speaker of your t arget language, especially if youre reaching out to someone for the first time. Errors in your writing will make you seem like you havent done your homework. People may doubt your ability to understand their reply. Thats not a good first impression to make.Language Tests Measure Writing AbilityDo you need to prove you can speak your target language? If so, youll probably be asked to prove you can write it. Most language tests measure your ability to write, either by asking you to write something in the language or by testing your ability to fill in the blanks in a sentence.Often the oral parts of language exams are less rigorous or theyre considered optionalâ€"I know thats the case with the HSK, which measures Chinese language proficiency. So being an excellent orator will not make up for below-average writing skills on many language exams.Writing Is Essential for Professional CommunicationIf you hope to use your target language in any remotely professional capacity, being able to w rite with relatively few mistakes becomes even more essential. The stakes are high in professional communication.You dont want to make any faux pas in an email to a client or supplier who speaks your target language, nor would you want to use the wrong greeting or make a glaring mistake in a cover letter to a potential employer.Mistakes in Writing Can Lead to MiscommunicationWhen you speak, smoothing out a misunderstanding takes seconds or, at worst, a couple minutes of confused back-and-forth. But when you write, choosing the wrong vocabulary word or garbling your grammar can cause serious problems with comprehension that end up taking a long time to unravel.There are less non-language clues for the reader to go by than for a listenerâ€"things like body language, gesture and context. Because of the nature of writing, back and forth communication is also slower, so it takes a longer time to figure out what you actually meant to say. Its so much better to write it correctly the first time.Ways to Improve Writing at  All Proficiency LevelsLearning to write in a foreign language isnt that different from learning to write in your native languageâ€"which took you 12 years of formal schooling to master. In most cases, the difference is that you have to be  more self-motivated to master writing in a foreign language, because you wont have 12  years worth of teachers forcing you to spell correctly. However, the same habits that make you a good writer in your native language will help you be a better writer in your target language.Read in Your Target LanguageChildren who read have better language skills  and language learners who read in their target language have better language skillsâ€"especially better writing skills. The benefits of reading accrue from any type of reading, not just active reading. Even if youre reading a romance novel or Harry Potter book in your target language and youre casually  skimming over anything you dont understand, the increased exposure to the language in its written form will help you develop better writing skills.Get Corrections on Your WritingThe best way to build a solid writing ability is to write and get corrected. Remember: This is how you learned to write in your native language. If youre studying independently, you can get corrections on your writing on sites like Lang-8. If youre working with a private tutor, make sure he or she gives you written homework and corrects it, explaining any mistakes.Once youve gotten your writing corrected, make sure to rewrite your text  to incorporate the corrections. That will allow you to internalize and practice the correct grammar, vocabulary and style in your target language.Pay Lots of Attention to GrammarWriting well means having impeccable grammar. When you speak, its easy to slur declensions  (in many languages, native speakers do just that) and generally hide a less-then-ideal grasp of grammar. Theres no way to hide poor grammar when you writeâ€"everything is bla ck and white on the page. So becoming a better writer means a complete grasp of grammar rules.5 Steps to Master Writing at Any LevelBuilding the Foundation: 5 Beginner-level Steps to Get Started  Writing1. Learn  the RulesYour first step as a beginner is to learn the building blocks of your target languages writing system.If the language has an alphabet (most do), that means both mastering the alphabet and learning spelling rules. Note that even if youre learning a language that uses the Latin alphabet, youll still have to learn some new letters, accents and pronunciations.If youre learning French, for example, youll need to master the  accent marks  and to know when  a c  should be written with a  cédille (ç).  If youre learning Chinese or another language that uses characters, focus on learning both basic, common characters and the building blocks of those characters (radicals).2. Master Basic GrammarWhen youre a beginner, its easy to feel like the grammar rules youre learning a re boring and stuffy. But this stage is all about foundation buildingâ€"it might not be super interesting, but its extremely important.Take all of your grammar lessons very seriously. You should also make sure you do grammar exercisesâ€"which count as writing practiceâ€"and get corrections to make sure you internalize and master grammar concepts as they are taught.3.  Focus on Correct SentencesWhen youre a beginner, dont try to write out huge compositions. Focus on writing simple sentences, but writing them correctly. Grammar exercises are a great example of a writing exercise for beginners. Dont get caught up in the quantity of writing youre doing.At most, your compositions should be about a paragraph long. At the beginner level, its better to focus your energy on doing a little well than doing a lot poorly.4. Keep Subjects SimpleAs a beginner, dont focus on writing complex tales using constructions you dont really understand. Beginner vocabulary and grammar concepts are generally very descriptive and concrete.The nouns youre learning are the kinds of things that you can point to or hold in your hand rather than abstract concepts. Grammar youve learned will be similarly concrete. Heres some subjects that are well-suited for beginners writing:Descriptions of your family, your home, your bedroom or your hometownDescriptions of your routinesâ€"how you spend the weekend, what you do at work, how you make dinnerDescriptions of what you did during the past day, weekend or on your last vacationThe bottom line is that you shouldnt be trying to argue about the meaning of lifeâ€"just focus on writing about simple subjects and doing so correctly.5. Write LonghandIf youre like most people, you probably do most of your writing on the computerâ€"in your native language or any other language. Your computer probably double-checks your spelling and might even have a grammar check as well.If youre learning a character language like Chinese, the experience of writing on the com puter is substantially different (easier) than writing longhand. The only way to get good at writingâ€"and to build a really solid foundationâ€"is to practice writing by hand. Here are some things you can write out by hand:Diary entriesShopping listsRemindersRemember, thoughâ€"if you really want to master writing, you need to be not just writing for yourself, but getting corrections on your work. So dont write anything so personal that you wont be willing to share with a teacher!Moving Forward: 5 Steps to Take as an Intermediate Writer1. Move to More Complex Subject MatterAt the intermediate level, you should start writing about more complicated subjects that require more advanced vocabulary and grammar.Current events is a great subject to practice with, because theres always something going on! You can also keep it personal by writing about experiences further in your past or your plans for the future.2. Write Longer TextsAt the intermediate level, you should be trying to write mor e than a few sentences. Do at least some writing that hits the 500-word mark.You should also start thinking about more than just whether or not each individual sentence is grammatically correctâ€"make sure that you can write a coherent paragraph with sentences that relate to each other and flow correctly. This means learning to use pronouns appropriately and learning the phrases your target language uses to refer back to ideas that have already been mentioned.3. Start TypingOnce youve established a strong foundation by writing longhand, you should move to typing.Youll need to change your keyboard to your target language. If your target language is Arabic, Russian or another language that doesnt use the Latin alphabet, I would recommend getting keyboard stickers as well.Typing well involves a lot of practice and is like learning a manual language, so it will take practice to get to point where you can type as fast in your target language as in your native language. Using the computer opens up a huge number of opportunities for writing in your target language, such as:Using social media. Pay attention to which social media platforms are used by speakers of your target language. If youre learning Russian, for example, set up a VKontakte profile. If youre learning Chinese, a Weibo account is basically a must.Commenting on blog posts. Reading blogs in your target language is a good way to get in plenty of reading practice, and participating in the online discussion is excellent writing practice.Utilizing relevant apps. Other apps that have a written component, ranging from dating apps to weight loss apps that force you to write updates.4. Learn Specialized Writing StylesWriting well, like speaking well, requires using the correct phrases, vocabulary and style for the circumstance. Different types of writing require radically different types of vocabulary and often have their own set phrases and formats that are quite different.Using the correct greeting is remarkab ly important if youre sending someone an email or letter. Here are some types of writing that most likely have specific formats that you should learn:EmailsLetters, both formal and informalCover letters and resumesInternet slangOther types of writing, depending on your goals as a language learner, might include academic papers, news articles, reports or scripts.Youll also want to learn set phrases like once upon a time.5. Read in Your Target Language and Write SummariesOne of the best ways to practice writing is to summarizeâ€"in your own wordsâ€"things that you read in your target language.This type of exercise is ideal for writing something that can be  corrected by a language exchange partner, teacher or tutor (remember you want to get corrections on at least some writing, and youre less likely to be corrected on your social media posts).The goal is to use the reading material as a way to learn new vocabulary and sentence structures and then to summarize the piecesâ€"without refe rring to the originalâ€"so that the vocabulary and turns of phrase are internalized. Basing your writing on something youve read also eliminates the need to come up with a subject, which is surprisingly difficult when facing the blank page.Mastery: 5 Steps to Dominate Writing as an  Advanced Learner1. Write for PublicationWant to become a really good writer? Make sure that your work is publicly available. The idea of a stranger reading your work is a powerful motivator to get it right. This doesnt mean that you have to become a full-time writer  in your target language (although there are certainly writers who write in a language that isnt their native language), just that you should seek out opportunities to publish works of writing. Heres a couple of ideas:Start a blog in your target languageGuest post on other blogs in your target language (especially if you dont want to commit to blogging yourself)Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper or magazine in your target languageSub mit a professional paper at a conference related to your profession.2. Practice Different Types of WritingAt an advanced level, youre working on more then learning set phrases used in writing. Instead, you want to master different types of writing.There are surprising cultural differences in some types of writingâ€"I had a French professor insist that an essay  must be five  paragraphs and had to adhere to a very strict format in order to be correct. Here are some of the types of writing youll want to work on as an advanced learner:Persuasive essaysNarratives of different lengthsCorrespondenceProfessional writing like reports and memos3. Retell Stories or Essays You Read in Your Target or Native LanguageRetelling stories (or other kinds of writing, depending on what type of writing youre working on) is a great way to practice.You read a piece of writing (of a manageable length, probably between 1,000 and 2,000 words), put the original aside and then try to replicate the piece of wri ting on your own. This exercise will both help you overcome writers block and teach you new vocabulary.Retelling stories is a good way to internalize the turns of phrase, vocabulary and sentence structure that native speakers of your target language use in their writing.4. Pay Attention to StyleYouve moved beyond merely avoiding gross errors in your writingâ€"so now its time to care about whether or not your writing sounds decent. This means varying your word choice by using synonyms and using sentence structures that arent only correct but that also sound good to a native speaker of your target language.5. Continue Getting CorrectionsOnce you get to an advanced level, its easy to assume that you dont need any more instruction. But if you really want to master writing, you need to continue getting corrections on your written workâ€"indefinitely. It doesnt have to be on every piece of written work you produce, but periodic corrections will help you continue improving your writing.Wri ting is one of the hardest things to do well as a non-native speaker of a language, because theres no room to hide behind mumbled errors  and because becoming literateâ€"even in your native languageâ€"requires quite a bit of effort and instruction.That doesnt mean writing should be neglected, because your overall language ability will often be judged solely on the basis of how well you write. There are lots of ways to improve your writing ability, but they can be essentially boiled down to three key components:Read a lotWrite a lotGet your writing correctedIf you can do those three things, youll see your writing ability increase until you can genuinely consider yourself a master!Emily Liedel  is a writer and polyglot. She speaks French, Spanish, Russian, German and Mandarin Chineseâ€"her goal is to speak all of the official UN languages fluently (HINT: Arabic is the language left on her list). She writes about language learning and living abroad at  www.thebabeltimes.com.And One Mor e ThingUsing FluentU on the regular will help your writing skills by expanding your vocabulary, giving you spelling and grammar practice and strengthening your overall grasp of the language youre learning. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the iTunes store  or Google Play store.