Millions of people around the world are eager to learn new languages. ESL teachers have a responsibility to guide their students through the process and offer them the best tutoring. Many learners think that speaking skills are crucial but they don’t understand that other elements such as writing can help them in this regard.
 
That’s why ESL teachers need to find the way to put all these elements into practice and improve the knowledge of their pupils. In this article, we will explain how to boost your students’ speaking skills through writing.
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5 Tips to Improve Your Students’ Speaking through Writing Practice

Language learning relies on four crucial methods: speaking, reading, listening, and writing. All of these methods have a huge impact on the overall process. In this article, we will show you how to use writing as the means to upgrade your students’ conversation proficiency. 

 
●      Let students write about what they already know

It’s hard for anyone to write about unknown topics and to come up with meaningful sentences in this case. This is especially difficult for pupils who are struggling with the new language. To prevent this type of problem, you ought to assign them with topics that are well-known and familiar. Pay attention to it while creating topic proposals.
 
Brenda Clark, who works as a writing tutor for BestDissertation.com, recently noted: “When students know a lot about their subjects, it will be easier for them to write better assignments. They can focus only on sentence structure and specific phrases to express thoughts clearly. Additionally, this approach will allow them to perfect the topic-related vocabulary and help them talk about it comfortably.” Therefore, ESL teachers should bear in mind that this writing method is the cornerstone of the successful language learning.

 
●      Interesting topics

It’s not only about assigning students with familiar topics. You also need to make interesting suggestions and keep them engaged in writing activities. If you don’t do it like this, there is a good chance that students won’t dedicate enough time to the writing projects and their results will suffer accordingly.
 
You should think about them as your target group: who they are, what they are thinking about, and what they do for fun. This way, you will soon figure out the most interesting topics for your students and find the best essay titles to make them more interested. It doesn’t take too much time and efforts – just brainstorm for a while and you’ll know what to do.

 
●      Collaboration

Teamwork is very inspiring for the vast majority of students. Not only that it makes the learning process much easier and amusing but it also stimulates collaboration and improves communication among group members. That’s exactly what makes team projects such an efficient language learning tool. ESL teachers know this quite well and use the method to improve their courses.
 
When you give an assignment to the group of students, they will have to brainstorm, plan, collaborate, and contribute individually in order to complete the work. In such circumstances, they will also make discussions and use many new words to express their ideas more precisely.
 
At the same time, better students will understand what their less advanced peers don’t know and they will help them understand new concepts. All this improves conversation skills and helps you run the language course more smoothly.

 
●      Make them write dialogues

People want to upgrade speaking skills because they want to talk to other people. This is the reason why writing tasks should include as many dialogues and groups conversations as possible. It will force students to start thinking about everyday situations and the ways people behave in such environment. They can write dialogues about all sorts of common activities.
 
From grocery stores and theaters, to family gatherings – there are thousands of situations in which students need to address other people and communicate. Writing about this type of situations can help them prepare for real life experiences with the new language. They will establish certain conversation patterns, which will allow them to answer everyday questions and inquiries quickly and more confidently.

 
●      Revision of written works

Nobody’s perfect and your students will definitely make a lot of mistakes while writing their assignments. However, this doesn’t mean that they didn’t study enough or didn’t pay attention to their duties. On the contrary, they probably did work hard but new languages are simply too difficult to learn instantly. ESL teachers need to give them time to reconsider their assignments and make revisions.
 
You should point out common omissions and then give them a day or two more to think about what went wrong. Ask them to rewrite their papers but tell them that they need to do it carefully this time. Once the revisions are made, students will already have sufficient knowledge about their tasks and they will be ready not only to write but also to speak about it. 
 
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ConclusionSpeaking and writing constitute a pair of active language skills. They complement and support each other. But it is much easier to use writing assignments to upgrade conversation skills. In this article, we explained 5 models through which ESL teachers can improve the speaking skills of their students. Make sure to try them out and let us know in comments if you have more valuable suggestions.
 

Steven Wesley is an ESL teacher, ed tech enthusiast and education blogger. He is interested in educational, technological and political issues and believes in the mighty power of the pen to change the modern world. Follow him on Twitter.

The International English Language Testing System (or IELTS) is a series of tests that individuals can take to demonstrate their proficiency in the English language—often for the purpose of studying or working where English is predominantly spoken. Many colleges, universities, and workplaces accept it across the globe.

The IELTS consists of two different tests: the IELTS Academic and the IELTS General Training. The Listening and Speaking components of the exam are the same for both tests, but the Reading and Writing components vary. Here are five tips to keep in mind when preparing for the IELTS:


1. Use a practice test to familiarize yourself with the exam structure

The total testing time for the IELTS is two hours and 45 minutes. Each section has its own time limit for completing questions. The Listening, Reading, and Writing portions must be completed on the same day, but the Speaking section can be taken up to a week before or after the other portions. Review the sections in order to determine how long you will be able to spend on each question. While it is important to answer every question (as there is no penalty for an incorrect answer), it is perfectly fine to move on to another question if you do not know the answer and are running short on time. You can return to the questions you skipped, as long as you have allotted time to check your answers.
 

2. Practice reading, writing, and speaking in English whenever possible

Watch English-language television shows and films. Read books and articles in English. Practice conversational English with friends. In short, become comfortable using English in both academic and informal settings in order to improve your fluency. The Speaking part of the test will require you to talk about both simple and more complex topics, so it is important to pay attention to the instructions you are given.
 

3. Find a study partner

Practice with a friend or find a study group that is specifically devoted to practicing for the IELTS. Speak with others who have taken the exam before, so they can share their experience and answer any questions you may have.
 

4. Do a “dry run” of the test

With the help of a friend, take a practice exam in a simulated testing environment. Time yourself, and treat this practice period as if you were really taking the exam. This can help you feel more relaxed on test day and can help you pinpoint any areas you may need to improve. It may also be helpful to familiarize yourself with the testing location, and to ensure that you have followed all instructions and paid any applicable fees ahead of your exam date.
 

5. Be prepared

Make sure to get plenty of sleep, as well as something to eat before the test. Lack of rest and a rumbling stomach are definite distractions that can prevent you from doing well. Take the time to create a routine for the morning of the exam, and stick to it.
 
Each year, millions of people take the IELTS to apply for educational and vocational opportunities around the world. While the length and complexity of the test may seem daunting at first, becoming familiar with the exam components and planning accordingly is the best way to ensure your testing success.
 
Niki Bridges is a contributing writer for UniversityTutor.com, the world’s largest global marketplace for finding independent tutors.

​Attending university abroad is a wonderful opportunity rich with exciting experiences. But as you are considering the admissions process, you might be wondering how to get your transcript translated. You have worked hard to build your academic transcript, so it’s important to make sure that it translates wherever you might go. Here is what you need to know about transcript translations when attending college abroad:
 
1. You will want to find a reliable service
When using a transcript translation service, ensure that it is the best one possible. Transcripts are too important to risk, so you will want to find a service that translates them accurately. Speak with other students who have attended college abroad to see who they have used, or ask your academic advisor. Some services are more expensive than others, but having an accurate transcript may be worth paying a bit extra if you are able. You will also want to make sure that you meet any school-specific requirements for translation.
 
2. You will need to gather all of your materials
Once you’re ready to start your transcript translation, you are going to need several important documents. It’s easiest to ensure that you’ve collected them and have them together before you start the process. Check with the service you are using or another trusted source to see what you will need, but you will definitely need to have the transcript on hand. You also want to make sure that any documents are clear and easy to read.
 
3. You will want to leave ample amounts of time
The translation process is not instantaneous, so make sure you’ve allowed plenty of time for your transcript translation. It can take days or weeks, so set a deadline to start the process that is well before you actually need the translated transcript in hand. Keep in mind that the more documents you have, the more time it will take to have them translated.
 
4. You will want to make sure it’s accurate
This is the most important step. The goal is to recreate an actual, precise interpretation of what the original document contains, not just an explanation of what it says. The final result should be a word-for-word translation of the original document.
 
Translating your transcripts is often an essential step of attending college abroad, so the most important goal to keep in mind is making sure it’s done correctly. Take time to research the best services, gather everything you need, and allow plenty of time for the actual translation process. Ask for as much advice as you can from trusted peers and advisors along the way to make sure you get it right. 
 
Catherine Martin is a contributing writer for UniversityTutor.com, the world's largest global marketplace for finding independent tutors.   

Recent tech innovations can make your virtual classroom more exciting. The primary advantage of integrating the following apps & websites into the teaching process is to increase the level of student interaction. And, with a bit of creativity, they will allow the learning process to become more personalized. Here are a few tools to help you better engage your students online:
 
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Edmodo.com
Edmodo is a very popular social networking platform designed for both teachers and students.
It was originally the platform for microblogging. Today, it’s a social network with many useful applications for all those who are involved in the teaching process.
In addition to exchanging messages between teachers and students, Edmodo allows link sharing as well as all sorts of multimedia files, quizzes, texts, etc.
There is also a calendar of events, and an online roster for curricular and extracurricular activities.
Teachers are able to connect with colleagues inside and outside of school, join groups in which they exchange their experiences, and they are able to plan activities, courses, and seminars.
 

EduBlogs.org
EduBlogs is one of the largest education communities on the internet. It offers free registration and provides a blog platform for teachers and students that greatly facilitates communication.
It’s focus is communication within the education world, without any marketing pretensions.
EduBlogs provides the ability to exchange knowledge, acquire new information, and learn continuously through online contact.

 
Wikispaces.com
Wikispaces are sites where friends, students or associates can edit jointly. The most well-known example is Wikipedia.They are a useful tool for sharing information and lessons. Teachers and students can use Wikispaces to publish, highlight, and share text, files, audio, video or images on their pages.

 
Schoology.com
Schoology is another great learning platform. It’s very similar to Edmodo and is primarily used in distance learning. The focus of the app is on collaboration and social interaction within a simple interface so that the users can easily handle the functionalities.
Schoology has all the necessary features to help the teacher manage the classroom and keep an eye on their students' work. A main component is an active data stream which allows the teacher to set up work materials so students can easily view and save them.
Once a student completes the work, the teacher can review it, evaluate it, and provide instant feedback.

 
Lucy Benton is a writing coach, an editor who finds her passion in expressing own thoughts as a blogger, and currently works at www.assignmenthelper.com.au. She is constantly looking for the ways to improve her skills.