This blog post was originally published on Upswing on October 20, 2022.
Let’s say your English teacher asks you to write a narrative essay. You took notes in class and you feel like you have an understanding of the required genre, but after drafting a page or two, you’re not sure if you really do. Or, maybe you’ve been asked to write a research paper in the American Psychological Association (APA) style. It’s your first time citing sources in this style guide (you’ve always used the Modern Language Association (MLA) style.) You try your best, but you’d like someone to look it over, and make sure you’ve got it right. The writing process can be challenging for many students. That’s why we at Upswing have writing tutors online, ready to help you. But what if you’re really busy and you feel like you can’t set aside 30-60 minutes for a live online session? Well, you’re in luck. What is Assignment Review? Assignment Review is Upswing’s asynchronous tutoring platform. Instead of meeting with a live tutor, you submit your draft to our queue and within 24-48 hours, a tutor will review your draft, write you back, let you know your writing strengths, and give you ideas for improvement. That way, you can feel confident revising and turning in your final version to your teacher. How Does It Work? First, make sure your college is a partner of Upswing and that they are contracted to have Assignment Review as part of their services. After that, it’s simply a matter of:
There’s a private message box between you and your writing tutor, so if you forget to include something (e.g. tell us you’re supposed to cite in MLA, not APA), you can quickly let us know. You can also attach any other helpful documents after submitting. How Do I Get the Most Out of My Review?
Why Assignment Review? Asynchronous tutoring isn’t a new concept, but, especially after the pandemic, it’s on the rise. Students are juggling more than they ever have before. Live-sessions (online or in-person) with a writing tutor is the ideal way to help you truly master the writing process. However, working with a tutor asynchronously can be a better fit for some students. The live-sessions can go so quickly sometimes; it’s nice to be able to sit down with a copy of your tutor’s suggestions so you can digest them better. Students are often distracted by pets, kids, and unreliable internet connections, which can make attending a live online session difficult. I enjoy doing assignment reviews because it allows me to think through my suggestions even more carefully. I also like including additional resources (e.g. video links, images, webpages, handouts), which I may not have time to share during a live session. My favorite part about doing assignment reviews is knowing that I’m reaching students who may not have otherwise gotten the help they need. So, the next time you think you’re too busy to get help from a writing tutor, guess again! Upswing’s Assignment Review is here to help.
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Freshman composition teachers often assign descriptive and narrative essays. They're a favorite first-assignment, but what is a narrative essay and is it the same thing as a descriptive essay? It depends on who you talk to, but I think most teachers would tell you that although narratives and descriptive essays have similar characteristics, they are technically different genres (types of writing). Let's discuss them both! What is a descriptive essay? A descriptive essay asks the writer to describe something, usually a(n)...
I almost always suggest students organize their descriptive essays spatially, which means breaking up their subject into a sections. For example, if I were going to describe a restaurant, I might have one body paragraph about the welcome desk, the second describing the left-hand side of the dining room, the third about the center, and (maybe) a final body paragraph about the right-hand side of the dining room. What is a narrative essay? A narrative essay is extremely similar to a descriptive essay. It, too, requires you to paint a picture with words by using all five senses. The difference, however, is a focus on the experience being told. The word "narrative," after all, is a fancy word for "story." Your goal in writing a narrative is to paint a story with words. You will
This is probably the most challenging aspect of the narrative essay because we're used to having introductions that lead into our subjects, guideposts that tell our readers what to expect in each paragraph, etc. Instead, be creative! Let the timeline of your narrative help you organize your specific details, and allow plot points to guide you as you draft. How do you write a descriptive essay or narrative? For both genres (types of writing) you will want to... Start with a specific subject Most of the time, we think the bigger the subject, the more words we can write. This, however, is a myth. The smaller your subject (or topic choice) the easier it is to come with ideas for your essay. For example, you would not want to choose China as your subject for a descriptive essay. It's too big! Instead, choose a specific location, like
The same is true for a narrative. You would never want to choose my two years in the army as your subject or your entire childhood. These timelines are too long for a short and simple narrative assignment. In fact, if you think about it, you would need an entire book to cover these timelines. Instead, choose a specific moment in time. I suggest
When you choose a long timeline, you inevitably end up skipping around or omitting details simply so you can "get through" the story. Readers will feel rushed and confused. Slow down! It's okay (and preferred) to focus on a single day or hour. You will have enough ideas to write your paper. I promise! A word of caution: When choosing a subject for your narrative essay, be careful not to choose something too personal or emotional. Remember, you may be doing peer review, so your classmates will read your story--- as well as your instructor. Use all five senses Remember, the five senses are
I suggest you spend some time brainstorming each and see what you can come up with! Most of the time we rely on our sight, which is a good start--- but don't forget to include other sensory details, like smell and sound. These will make your descriptions more vivid! When using the five senses, be as specific as possible, so instead of saying the place smelled terrible, you might say, "the hotel smelled of dirty socks and day-old noodles." For narratives, you can utilize action as well as dialogue! So, instead of saying something like, my mom gets annoyed when I don't clean my room, you might try, My mom wrinkled her nose as she entered into my room and said, "I don't know how you stand being in this room. It's a pig sty!" Show, don't tell This is especially important in narratives because we often wish to convey emotions in our stories, but you will also want to use this trick in descriptive essays as well. "Show, don't tell," basically means to be as specific as you can and trust your readers to pick-up on the emotions behind images and ideas. So, instead of saying, my sister was mad at me, you'd want to describe what she did that shows she was mad. For example, "I hate you!" my sister yelled and stomped down the hall, slamming her bedroom door behind her. Can you see how the second one shows she's mad without me even telling you that? Always comb through your drafts for emotions or ideas that are "told" to the reader and see if you can flesh them out with action, vivid descriptions, or dialogue. Adhere to any special requirements from the teacher Teachers often have special requirements, so review your assignment instructions carefully. Some teachers, for example, may ask you to include a thesis statement in your narrative essay, while most do not. This thesis will likely need to sum up or give your "overall impression," which simply means to say in one sentence (after giving the set up for your story) what you learned from the experience. Or, you may be asked to reflect on the narrative at the end, which means you will include your closing thoughts after you've concluded your story, often as its own paragraph. Again, read your instructions or talk to your teacher. Concluding tips
When it comes to narrative essays, make sure you organize by beginning, middle, and end. I strongly suggest you establish the setting (location) for your story by describing the sights, sounds, and smells (etc) as you introduce key players, thoughts, and dialogue into your narrative. As always, remember that writing is a process. It's okay if you don't "get it" the first time. We often discover our "stories" as we write, so be open to multiple drafts or versions of your essay before turning in your final draft. Also, don't be afraid to reach out to a writing tutor. We understand the challenges of the writing process and the common pitfalls while writing in this genre. Oftentimes, we're able to pick up on errors (big and small) simply because we're not as emotionally attached to your writing as you are. Let me know in the comments if these tips were useful, and best of luck! Freshman composition teachers often assign students rhetorical analysis essays, but what is a rhetorical analysis? And how do you write one? Let's start by learning the difference between a summary and an analysis because the number one mistake I see students making when attempting this genre (type of writing) is that they end up summarizing and never get around to analyzing. This often results in a poor grade or a comment from the teacher asking you to "redo" the assignment. The other mistake I see students making with this genre is that they feel compelled to respond to their text, either in favor or against what the author/speaker is saying. That isn't a rhetorical analysis, either. What is an analysis? Well, we know it is not a summary. In other words, you should not break-down your text (article, video, ad, whatever) chronologically in your analysis essay. You may need to summarize---as part of your writing process or briefly in your introduction---before getting to your analysis, but the summary of whatever you're supposed to be analyzing is not the same thing as actually analyzing it. We also know that a rhetorical analysis isn't a response or reply to the author or speaker, so try your best to keep your opinions about the issue or topic to yourself. To analyze means to study something carefully through a process of examination. Therefore, at the heart of every analysis is an argument (or opinion) about how well an author achieved his or her stated (or implied) purpose. In other words, for a rhetorical analysis, you need to decide
What does rhetorical mean? It comes from the word "rhetoric," which simply means "persuasive writing or speaking." We often use rhetoric when we craft our own arguments. In a rhetorical analysis, however, our job is to study the way someone else attempted to persuade. We must decide if their chosen strategies for persuasion worked or not. Typically for these assignments, you'll be given or asked to choose an opinionated article, short video, or ad--- basically anything that attempts to persuade. To analyze, you will need to identify various techniques or rhetorical appeals used by the author or speaker. Learning about various appeals (techniques) authors and speakers often use for persuasion can help with this. Your teacher will likely provide a list of rhetorical appeals along with definitions, but you can also check out the brief video below. It summarizes the three most common appeals: logos, ethos, and pathos. How do I write a rhetorical analysis essay? As with any essay, you will need all the parts of a typical college essay: an introduction, body, and conclusion; however, before you stress about your thesis, topic sentences, organization and grammar, take a deep breath and read through the following steps specific to writing a rhetorical analysis essay: Step 1: Read/watch and annotate Too often I meet with students who are so anxious to turn in their essay for a grade that they do a poor job reading/watching the thing they need to analyze and annotating it. Sometimes they completely skip this step. (Yikes!) The truth is, you cannot successfully analyze anything you're unfamiliar with, so get familiar with your text, whether it is a scholarly or opinionated article, video, ad etc. I suggest you read through your text or watch your video at least 3-5 times. The more times, the better! Be sure to annotate. In other words, take notes:
Step 2: Identify author's purpose/ message Why did the author(s) write this text, do you think? Or what were the author(s) hoping to accomplish when they recorded their message? Who is their audience? (eg. college students, parents, teachers...?) Do they challenge their readers to make a change or think differently about a topic? What is the author's (or speaker's) thesis statement? And, no, you do not need to do outside research to discover these answers. (So no googling for "answers," please. It won't help you as much as you may think!) I admit that some teachers may ask for a research component to a rhetorical analysis, but not usually. Instead, ask yourself what you (as a reader or audience member) "get out" of this text. Be as specific as possible. So, instead of saying "this text is about restrictive gun laws," you might say "the author wants his/her audience to consider how restrictions on gun ownership is in violation to the second amendment, and he/she wants us to cut back on these restrictions in Texas." You don't have to agree with the author(s)! For now, we're simply looking for what the author(s) are saying or what they are attempting to persuade their readers to believe or do. Step 3: Look for and identify rhetorical appeals Writing rhetorical analysis essays are particularly challenging because oftentimes (especially for hot topics like abortion, gun control, etc) we already have our opinions formed before we read the article or watch the video. We may either already agree with the author or speaker, so it makes it "easy" to be persuaded or we do not agree with the author or speaker and no matter what he/she says, we'll never be persuaded. Forget your personal bias! In fact, don't worry about the topic being discussed for a moment. Instead, focus on the techniques used by the author or speaker:
Step 4: Develop an analysis-focused thesis Your thesis should tell readers your opinion about how well the author achieved his/her purpose and/or how. Having such an argument (opinion), remember, is at the heart of a rhetorical analysis essay. Doing this ensures that you are indeed analyzing (and not simply summarizing or responding with bias), which will result is a better grade for this genre. So, for example, you might say something like
Check out the brief video below if you need a refresher on thesis statements, but remember that the best place to put your thesis is usually the last sentence in your introduction. Concluding Tips
I get that you want to do the thing that will be graded, but believe me when I say how much better your analysis will be if you take the time to study your text and the appeals used in it. This will also ensure that you don't simply summarize and lose points for not analyzing. As always, remember that writing is a process. It's okay if you don't "get it" the first time. We often discover our opinions as we write, so be open to multiple drafts or versions of your essay before turning in your final draft. Also, don't be afraid to reach out to a writing tutor. We understand the challenges of the writing process and the common pitfalls while writing in this genre. Oftentimes, we're able to pick up on errors (big and small) simply because we're not as emotionally attached to your writing as you are. Let me know in the comments if these tips were useful, and best of luck! Freshman composition teachers often assign students literary analysis essays, but what is a literary analysis? And how do you write one? Let's start by learning the difference between a summary and an analysis because the number one mistake I see students making when attempting this genre (type of writing) is that they end up summarizing and never get around to analyzing. This often results in a poor grade or a comment from the teacher asking you to "redo" the assignment. What is an analysis? Well, we know it is not a summary. In other words, you should not restate plot points or events while drafting your analysis essay. You may need to summarize---as part of your writing process or briefly in your introduction---before getting to your analysis, but the summary of whatever you're supposed to be analyzing is not the same thing as actually analyzing it. To analyze means to study something carefully through a process of examination. Therefore, at the heart of every analysis is an argument (or opinion) about how well an author achieved his or her stated (or implied) purpose. In other words, you need to decide
What makes it a literary analysis? Literary describes the type of writing you are analyzing. Typically for assignments like this, you'll be given or asked to choose a short story, poem, song, or some other kind of creative writing for the purpose of analyzing. To analyze, you'll need to identify various techniques or literary devices used by the author. Learning various devices (techniques) authors commonly used will help with this. Your teacher will likely provide a list of possible devices, but you can also check out this website of 45+ literary devices. How do I write a literary analysis essay? As with any essay, you will need all the parts of a typical college essay: an introduction, body, and conclusion; however, before you stress about your thesis, topic sentences, organization and grammar, take a deep breath and read through the following steps specific to writing a literary analysis essay: Step 1: Read and annotate Too often I meet with students who are so anxious to turn in their essay for a grade that they do a poor job reading and annotating. Sometimes they completely skip this step. (Yikes!) The truth is, you cannot successfully analyze anything you're unfamiliar with, so get familiar with your text, whether it is a short story, poem, song, etc. I suggest you read through your text at least 3-5 times. The more times you can read it, the better! Be sure to annotate. In other words, take notes while you read:
Step 2: Identify purpose or theme Why did the author write this text, do you think? Is there a lesson (theme) to be learned? What is it? And, no, you do not need to do outside research to discover these answers. (So no googling for "answers," please. It won't help you as much as you may think!) I admit that some teachers will ask for a research component to a literary analysis, but not usually. Instead, ask yourself what you (as a reader) "get out" of this text. Be as specific as possible. So, instead of saying "this text is about freedom," you might say "the lesson in this short story is to never take your freedoms for granted." Step 3: Look for and point out literary devices used by the author As mentioned earlier, the thing that makes your essay an analysis is your argument (opinion) of how well you think the author did at expressing his/her purpose or message in the text. You can form whatever opinion you want about the author's decisions (techniques for writing), but you need to back up it up. To do this, you'll need to be familiar with the types of literary devices used by the author and be able to identify these literary devices as they are used in the text. I suggest breaking up your body paragraphs by different devices, so maybe a paragraph on symbolism, another on personification, etc. But it's up to you how you support your opinion. Just make sure you point out and share how the author attempted to achieve his/her purpose. Step 4: Develop an analysis-focused thesis Your thesis should tell readers your opinion about how well the author achieved his/her purpose and/or how. Having such an argument (opinion), remember, is at the heart of a literary analysis essay. Doing this ensures that you are indeed analyzing, and not simply summarizing your text, which will result is a better grade for this genre. So, for example, you might say something like
Check out the brief video below if you need a refresher on thesis statements, but remember that the best place to put your thesis is usually the last sentence in your introduction. Concluding Tips
I get that you want to do the thing that will be graded, but believe me when I say how much better your analysis will be if you take the time to study your text and take the time to learn about literary devices that may show up in your text. This will also ensure that you don't simply summarize and lose points for not analyzing. As always, remember that writing is a process. It's okay if you don't "get it" the first time. We often discover our opinions as we write, so be open to multiple drafts or versions of your essay before turning in your final draft. Also, don't be afraid to reach out to a writing tutor. We understand the challenges of the writing process and the common pitfalls while writing in this genre. Oftentimes, we're able to pick up on errors (big and small) simply because we're not as emotionally attached to your writing as you are. Let me know in the comments if these tips were useful, and best of luck! I've been an English teacher at Cambly for almost two years now. (Has it been that long already?) And an ESL and writing teacher for university and college students even longer--- since 2013! What is Cambly? During the pandemic, all my teaching and tutoring went online. I'd already done some online tutoring, but I was hoping to connect with more ESL students. A friend and coworker of mine suggested I try Cambly, which is an online platform where students from all around the world (for a reasonable price) get to speak with native English speakers. Most Cambly teachers are just that--- a native speaker. Which is great! If you've been practicing English for a while, it's nice to have someone to "test" your English. (After all, isn't speaking to a native speaker and having him/her understand you the ultimate test?) I am, however, more than a native English speaker. I have a Master's in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MTESOL) and am an experienced ESL instructor. I can explain why you're making the errors you are as well as give you tips for how to improve based on your specific level or skill sets. Am I underpaid at Cambly? Oh, yes! So why do I do it? Because I know how to help, I love teaching, and it's fun to meet other people from around the world! Working with regular students I don't mind having one-time conversation with students, which is an option while teaching for Cambly; however, it's much more fulfilling when I have students regularly signing up to have lessons with me. It gives me a chance to assess their abilities and build lessons specific to their needs. There are several ways I can help you with your English. Here are a few favorite options, which my regular students mix and match, depending on what they feel they need. Free-Talk Usually, the best way to improve your English is by simply having a conversation in English (without a translator). That's what I call "free-talk." I have decades of experience in helping students talk at whatever level they are at. All my first lessons with students is a type of free-talk. Some students, especially after having worked with me for a while, like choosing topics using the eslconversationquestions website, but I like it when students talk freely and without preparation. I also love it when students ask me questions! The goal in free-talk, after all, is to keep the conversation going and not use the translator. So don't be shy! Tell me a little about yourself, your interests, your goals, your country, your goals, your day--- I'm here to listen and help you improve. (Please no politics, though!) Engoo Articles This is probably my favorite option because it combines a lot of different skills: reading, vocabulary, pronunciation, speaking, etc. Basically, we go to the Engoo article website together (or you can do this on your own before our scheduled lesson) and choose a level (see image below) and topic. You can choose between intermediate (level 5) to proficient (level 10). After we make our selection, we
Engoo articles are great because new topics come out daily. You can also build your confidence as you move from level 5 to 6 to 7, etc. Grammar Guided Conversations I can answer your grammar questions, share resources, give ideas for personal practice, but also--- build conversation around specific grammar concepts. I like using the grammar focused questions on the eslconversationquestions website, but we can
Cambly Lessons
Cambly provides ready-to-go lessons for paying students. They're not bad! I especially like the ones that provide IELTS and TOEFL practices. If you're studying English for a specific purpose (eg. business), then we might find a good Cambly lesson series for you. There are also some interesting idiom and conversation focused lessons. Don't be surprised if we skip around or we don't make it through an entire Cambly lesson during a single reservation together. The Cambly lessons are often long, too easy, or too hard. It sometimes takes a little practice getting the Cambly lessons to work for you. Conclusion I work with ESL students all the time! It's my career. So if you'd like to do something besides the ideas listed in this article, don't hesitate to ask! I have a number of good articles on this blog that can help any ESL student answer questions and build their own English practice, but if you want to work with me on-on-one, find me on Cambly! It's natural to reach for your translator when you find a word you don't know in English. After all, we feel more comfortable in our native language, so putting words we don't understand into our native language feels...comforting.
If you ever hope to become a fluent speaker of English though, you will need to learn that the translator is the enemy. It will stop you from truly becoming a fluent speaker of English. Let's talk about why! Translation is for survival, not fluency For me, learning words in another languages is fun, but it can also be essential, especially if I'm traveling countries that don't speak my native language. When I visited China, for example, I ordered my food, found my hotel (etc) by translating words and phrases to help me get what I needed. (I'm sure you've done the same!) Sometimes I will ask a friend who speaks the language how to say "this word" or "that word." It's a good way to get interested in languages or get started in learning a new one! But I don't expect to learn a language by translating, and neither should you! Even with my level one (very basic) students, I try to help them find ways to translate less often. The truth is, translating can be addictive and often unhelpful. Languages are not all the same You'd think all words and phrases in your native language would translate perfectly in English, but just as grammar is different in each language, so are idioms, contexts, and meanings behind words. Some words don't exist at all in another language, or you may have several ways to say one idea whereas there are many ways to say the same idea in English. For example, in Icelandic, there are forty six ways to say "snow," whereas in English, there's just one. Learning the "hard" way It may seem "harder," but I promise putting your translator away will make you a better speaker of English. Start learning words by
I wish there was a magic button that allowed us to learn a language, simply by pushing it whenever we needed it, but there isn't. It takes time to be fluent. Translating will slow down your progress, so be brave. Put the translator away. Put yourself in uncomfortable situations--- that challenge your English skills. It's the only way you'll truly be fluent. What is grammar? Grammar is a set of rules. They allow communicators (speakers) to understand one another. I won't go into a lot of detail (just a little) but Advanced Linguistics (the study of languages) teaches us that any one language could have several different grammars (or sets of rules). It all depends on dialect, culture, or traditions passed down from one generation of speakers to another. Think about slang, idioms, how many ways to say "tomato," or the difference between "rubbish" and "garbage." All this is to say that there is no one way to communicate an idea and that there is no "one" dominant grammar for any particular language. When someone asks me how they can improve their English grammar, they almost always have a specific grammar in mind, whether they know it or not. That is, Academic English, the English we use in school. In my opinion, this grammar is the strictest (or most challenging) of all grammars. Then why do studnets want to learn it so badly? Why learn Academic English grammar? There are several reasons. Academic English
Perfectionism doesn't make you a better English speaker Before I continue, I'd like to stop and remind you that you don't have to know grammar to have good grammar. Think about it...
In other words, try not to obsess over every little rule or every tiny grammatical mistake while you are learning English. Try your best, ask questions, and have fun! Having said all that, learning grammar can build confidence and help you feel more fluent, so it's worth doing! The rest of this article are tips and resources for improving your grammar. Tip #1 Go to the "Grammar Gym" often Think about improving your grammar like going to the gym. There are a lot of exercises and weights to use to build your muscles. Grammar exercises build "muscles" so you can use the grammar you practiced in real-world experiences--- like speaking, listening, reading, and writing in English. It's like someone who goes to the gym to build muscles so they can run a marathon (race). I suggest "working out" or doing grammatical exercises for 10-15 minutes at a time. If your schedule allows, you can increase your work outs (slowly!) to 30-40 minutes. Tip #2 Determine your English "level" Doing grammar exercises sounds easy enough, but which ones should you focus on? How long should you work out? It depends on your level, your personal schedule, and your motivation. To determine your English level, try reading this article I wrote called "How's my English?" Tip #3 Don't give up! Being healthy and "fit" in English grammar take time. Be kind to yourself and always ask questions to your English teachers, tutors, and trusted native speaker friends if something doesn't make sense to you. Grammar Exercises The table below lists some of my favorite FREE websites to help you learn difficult grammar for your level. For Beginners
For Intermediate
For Advanced
I hope these suggested topics and websites are helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions!
If you're reading this article, I think you know a little English. Am I right? Maybe you studied English for a while, but you stopped. Did you get busy? Or did you "go home" after studying in an English speaking country and haven't used your English in a long time? Are you forgetting your English? It happens! Let's talk about what you can do to get better at English--- wherever you are at. Get into a habit Learning English takes time and practice. If you don't use it, you lose it! If you stopped using English, don't get mad at yourself. Instead, get back into a habit.
Award yourself with gold stars or a favorite drink if you keep to your schedule. Tell a friend about your goal and have him/her keep you accountable. Pick a skill There's
I have a bunch of articles to help you know what to do to improve each skill once you've picked one. But I think you can come up with your own ideas. Do you have any old workbooks or exercises from past teachers? Why not google your questions? (eg. What is present progressive?) Be creative and do your best to only work in English. (Remember, the translator is your enemy!) Find a teacher or tutor
It might cost a little, but hiring a private ESL teacher or signing up for English tutoring are probably the best ways to improve your English. If you are in an English speaking country, you could sign up for an English class at your local community college. Even though you won't always have one-on-one time with a teacher, you'll have classmates with similar goals, which can help motivate you. If, however, you want one-on-one help, I suggest you start your search online. Here are a couple of my favorite online resources: However you decide to work with a teacher or tutor, make sure you share your goals and manage your time. Also, be prepared to take an aptitude test--- something that measures your English. It isn't fair to ask a tutor to "rate" your English based on a short conversation. He/she will need to evaluate all aspects of your English before deciding if you are a basic, intermediate, or advanced English learner. Conclusion Anyone can get better at English! Be patient with yourself, build a habit, and practice. Don't give up! It's good to build your vocabulary--whether you're an ESL student or have been speaking English for your entire life. I remember wanting to build up my vocabulary when I was a lit major (studying literature/reading) in college. There was a lot of big vocabulary in the books I was required to read. Then, when I was in graduate school, I had to read a lot of difficult journal articles, so learning how to improve my vocabulary, even as a native speaker of English, became important. I have a few tips for helping you build up your vocabulary, no matter what level you're at in your English learning or reading abilities. Whatever you choose to do to build your vocabulary though, remember that context is king--- in other words, don't forget to put your vocabulary in context. This will help you retain (or keep) the vocabulary you are learning, but also help you use the vocabulary correctly in real world situations. Tip #1 Learn the parts of speech Trust me. This will help you as you do the other activities listed below. Learning the parts of speech basically means that you know the difference between a noun, verb, and adjective. You could also learn the difference between an adverb, article, and preposition. Knowing these grammatical terms will help you have a better chance of using your new vocabulary correctly. Here's a good website to help you get started in learning the parts of speech. Tip #2 Use google images This is a strategy especially good for those first starting to learn English, but it can also be helpful for those of us who are more advanced. In fact, it's one I used the other day! Basically, if you know the word in question is a noun (eg. -tion suffix; see more about suffixes below), you can type the word into google images and get a picture of the word. There are studies that say that learning words with images makes them last longer. You could also google new words in general and that can work in a pinch (in an emergency), but I don't recommend generally googling words as you might get searches you aren't intending. It's safer to go with a good online dictionary. (More on that in a moment.) Tip #3 Read! Read! Read! You don't need to start out reading difficult journal articles or even large books. Start small. Maybe read more blogs--- like this one! Here's a link to another great blog that you might enjoy, especially if English is your second language. After reading a few simple blog posts, I suggest you try out engoo. This is one of my favorite websites to help students build their vocabulary. You can pick your level and read through the vocabulary before reading the article. This is a GREAT thing to do with a tutor or a friend. If news articles aren't your thing, or you'd like to challenge yourself a little more, here's a list of suggested books you might want to check out at your library or buy at a used bookstore. Tip #4 Watch movies with subtitles This can be a really good way to discover new words, too. I especially like this one because you're able to see new words in context and hear how new words are pronounced. I suggest subtitles because you can see how the new words are spelled. Tip #5 Make a list of new words I used to keep a notebook with me and whenever I came across a new word while I was reading, I'd write it down. Then, later, I'd look it up in my little red dictionary, which I bought from Barns and Noble. I found that the dictionary was mostly useful, but sometimes the definitions were confusing or didn't help me see how I could use the new word in real life. I suggest looking up new words in the Learner's Dictionary. It keeps the definitions simple, has a pronunciation button (very useful!) and always gives two or three examples of how you can use the word in the real world. When I was a lit major, I used to put my new words (with definition) into a small bucket and each day, before I went to school or work, I'd pick a word from my bucket and try to use it at least once in my every day speech. I wasn't always perfect, but I did my best. Tip #6 Memorize meanings of common prefixes and suffixes Prefixes are groups of letters that appear at the beginning of many English words and suffixes are groups of letters that appear at the end of many words. Learning them will help you quickly guess the meaning of new words or build your own. Here are some of the most common:
I hope these tips help you build up your vocabulary! A word of caution
It's okay to use a translator once in a while, but I don't recommend using one for LARGE vocabulary words as there are often words in English that are not in your native language and vise versa, so the translator may lead you in the wrong direction. This post was first published by Upswing on 10/4/2021 under the title, "Kicking off National Tutoring Week Celebrations." National Tutoring Week is October 4th–8th! We asked students to nominate the Upswing tutor who has impacted them the most so we can celebrate and honor them during Tutor Week!
Kassie Lamoreaux was nominated as one of our honorees 🎊 Kassie has been a synchronous and asynchronous writing tutor with Upswing since 2015. With over 15 years of experience in tutoring writing and over 8 years of teaching college ESL (English as a Second Language) and Freshman Composition, it’s no wonder she’s so skilled at guiding students through their writing assignments. During her time with Upswing, she has completed over 1,000 live sessions with students, and reviewed and provided feedback on over 500 student essays! Students describe Kassie as having a “cheery, optimistic attitude,” “very engaged,” “motivated,” and “the absolute best!” As an Upswing team member, Kassie is warm, kind, enthusiastic, and an asset to both the management and tutor team. Read Kassie’s thoughts on tutoring with Upswing, below. Q: Why do you choose to tutor with Upswing? A: “I love the schedule flexibility and the Upswing platform, but more than anything, I love our students! The tutor support and resources are also fantastic, and I feel appreciated for the work I do, which is always nice.” Q: What’s your favorite aspect of tutoring in general? A: "Breaking down and simplifying a task and/or helping students take ownership of their own writing process.” Q: Tell us why you think education/access to academic support is so important. A: “It’s important to have academic support like tutoring because not everyone learns the same way. Upswing makes individualized learning possible for everyone, no matter his/her learning style.” Q: What has been one of your most memorable “breakthrough moments” while tutoring? A: “Oh, I’ve had too many to count, but more recently, I worked with a student who didn’t understand the researching process. Talking her through the various stages and giving her permission to make mistakes along the way, especially while drafting, seemed to relieve a lot of her stress.” Q: What is one pro tip/best practice you can share with fellow tutors? A: “Always ask students what they’re working on and what they’d like to “get out” of the session. Too often, we’re tempted to jump in without asking questions, but it’s easy to jump the gun and confuse students by assuming you know what they need. Setting goals for a session should always be negotiated, and the best way to start is by asking good questions about the assignment (eg. purpose, audience, length, requirements, due date, etc.) before offering any kind of help.” |
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