Reading more is the best way to learn to write English better.
How can we learn to write English better? The following is a message from an English teacher on the TESL-L Listserve, a community of over 20,000 English teachers on the Internet. "I'm appalled that anyone would believe that giving students books would help them learn how to write an essay. Learning (and teaching) a second language is MUCH more complicated than encouraging students to read." and " I am sooooooooooooooo tired of these simple "just give them books" solutions."
My answer to this was as follows.
Different people learn in different ways, although there are certain universaI principles. The power of reading is one of them.
I have learned many languages, mostly by reading and listening. I would not go to a class to learn how to write better in any language. I would read more, and I would listen more. I would choose content with the style and use of words that I want to learn from. I would notice words and phrases and save them for review. I would consult articles on the Internet, or books which explain the style that is most appreciated for the language I am learning and the kind of writing that I need to do. These materials abound, especially for English writing. I would do it all on my own. Reading would be my most important activity and where I would spend most of my time.
I fully recognize that a majority of learners may take a different approach. But I believe that nobody can improve their writing without spending most of their time reading. The challenge for the teacher is to find ways to encourage, facilitate or stimulate their students' reading. Providing advice and feedback may be necessary for a majority of students ( I agree that I may be an exception), but the reading is the most important activity. This is based on my experience as a learner and as a teacher.
Comments
Amen! In doing writing corrections with The Linguist, I almost always tell students to read more and to save and review their words and phrases. This helps them to learn how to form sentences more naturally. If they can do this, then their writing will definitely improve. You should read things that are interesting to you, and which challenge you a little. However, you should not read material that is too difficult. This will only frustrate you and make your learning less enjoyable. Choose materials that suit your current English level.
I, too, do not believe that students should be shoved into a corner and told to read, thus magically improving their language skills. However, you should participate in "active reading" - choose reading material, use a dictionary, do research and, most importantly, ask questions if you do not understand. So many of us refuse to seek help when we need it because we do not wish to appear weak or uninformed. Asking questions is a great way to gather information and opinions, so that you can formulate your own ideas.
Of course, once you have done the reading and the listening and the reviewing, you then need to practice. Submit writing samples and have them corrected. Do not be afraid to make mistakes because they are valuable learning tools. Seeing the types of errors you make give you a foundation from which to work. You learn what your strengths and weaknesses are, and how to build on them. You learn much more from active participation than you do from passive observation. Good luck with your language learning!