This was originally posted by [deactivated user]
Recently I viewed a short video tutorial on improving one's writing in a foreign language. I was intrigued by the process, so I thought I would try it out and see if it could improve my writing. I found it worked well enough for me that I intend to keep going with it - and I thought it might help others as well. A link to the video with full detail on this technique is at the bottom.
In brief the steps are:
- Step 1 - Cold Draft:
Write what you can without a dictionary. Write unknown words in your native language where needed.
- Step 2 - Fill in the unknowns:
Underline and look up unknown words
- Step 3 - Noun Review:
Mark nouns you have questions on.
Review them for noun/adjective alignment, grammar structures, cases, etc.
- Step 4 - Verb Review
Mark verbs you have questions on. Review conjugations.
- Step 5 -Editing
Correct mistakes and learn from what you looked up.
- Step 6 - Rewrite
Rewrite complete updated version
- Step 7 - Publish for Feedback
Type up and post for feedback/corrections from teachers or native speakers (if such is available to you).
WHAT WORKED WELL FOR ME:
I typically write directly in Italian, but stop as I write to look up words and conjugations. This is quite a choppy process and interrupts my thoughts constantly. The process outlined above made the writing itself far more fluid. Editing my content later improved the flow.
The quality of my writing definitely improved (!).
I clearly identified vocabulary to add to my review.
Although I rarely write longhand any more (and usually do directly online), longhand helped slow my thoughts. I also like the idea of having an archival notebook to look back on my practice efforts over time.
WHAT DIDN'T WORK SO WELL FOR ME:
The whole process took three times as long as my writing usually does, so that was a bit frustrating. This may improve with time.
I didn’t have the patience to write out a full verb conjugation for every verb I needed work on (as her beautifully presented notebook shows). Perhaps I may add that in later, but looking up the immediate conjugation form needed seemed sufficient to me for now.
Didn't have enough colored pens and highlighters at hand to clearly differentiate my notes. A trip to the office supply store is needed!
I am a messy longhand writer and I ended up not having enough room to make notes or corrections to my text in my notebook. Next time I am going to write on every other line of my notebook, leaving plenty of room for edits in the body of the text.
I hope this is of use to some of you. Good learning!
YouTube Tutorial Link:
Link to Main Vlog Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/LindieBotes.
Tools Referenced: Cooljugator: https://cooljugator.com.