Lesson 62 – Building confidence – writing

Now it’s time to step up again and get more confident

Today I want to give you an assignment that will help you to gain confidence in writing

 

1. I hope that you managed to leave a message yesterday about speaking.
2. I’m waiting for my invitation to join your group for a session 🙂
3. Now let’s think about how to get some of your writing out there.
4. Showcasing your writing so that people can comment and give advice is a great way to improve.
5. You will also need to be brave to post your writing for everyone to see BUT it will help you to really make sure the writing is your best and then get help with improving it.
6. Believe me the more you step out of your comfort zone, the more you will get to where you want to be.
7. The key thing is to get practice and feedback – without feedback it is hard to know how to improve!
8. As Step by Step members you are all in the same boat – so I encourage all of you to post your writing and ALSO to comment and be supportive to others who are posting their writing – let’s help each other!
9. I can’t wait to see your work here on the site.
10. Find out at the bottom of the page to make this happen.

 

If you don’t use English every day then consider finding a speaking partner here on Gapfillers. I asked you all at the beginning if you wanted to share Skype names but only 2 people stepped forward – this is an opportunity there are people on this programme who could be a speaking partner. Let me know and I can circulate Skype names (in this group only)

 

Key skills to develop:

 

• Think about your planning – Yes, that old chestnut!! But it really is key.

 

• Go back to the lesson on planning (all of week 4 in fact). Look at this again – remember brainstorming is not enough it won’t help you a lot- you need to organise your brainstorm!

 

• For your first attempt choose a topic that you are comfortable with – this will help you to write it better

 

• Also choose the task (1 or 2) that you are most comfortable with and write this one first

 

• Don’t rush, take your time, you want to post the best writing that you can – this will be quite public

 

• One way of getting even more feedback is to record yourselves and then create a blog to post your recordings – invite other Step by Step members to comment

 

• Why not ask your Skype buddy/speaking partner to look at it first before you post it?

 

• Once you are happy then take the plunge and create your blog and post your first piece of writing

 

• Now go and look at other people’s writing and give them your feedback – be positive as well as ‘critical’ we want be very supportive in our collaboration

Don’t forget, if there is anything you don’t understand or can’t find send a message via Contact us

 

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Now let’s try some writing

 

• Now go to My Account on Gapfillers

 

• Choose My Blogs

 

• Add a picture if you want – you don’t have to do this

   

• Choose Blogs for the Section

   

• Write a short introduction to your blog

   

• Choose New Post – write your first (or copy and paste – best from notepad) Task (1 or 2)

   

• When you are happy then make sure it is live and press save

   

• This should now appear in the Blog Section on the Home Page

   

• Go back in a day or two and see if anybody has posted a comment on your blog (this is the most exciting part!)

   

• Now look and see if other people have posted writing and make some comments on their work

 

Here is my challenge!

I will also be looking for writing to appear in the blogs so if you want MY comments on YOUR writing you need to set this up and post your work!

 

Don’t forget, if there is anything you don’t understand or can’t find send a message via Contact us

Now you’re done!

Good luck and let’s make great progress with IELTS!