Welcome to Improve Your Writing Today Blog

Welcome to my writing blog.  I’m very excited about blogging.  This is new for me, though I’ve been in the field of education for nearly 30 years.  Writing happens to be my specialty, and I would like to share my expertise with others.  I have a Master’s degree in Reading/Writing/Literacy & TESOL from the University of Pennsylvania and used to LOVE conducting Writer’s Workshop sessions in public school in America.

The purpose of my blog is to emphasize the importance of the writing process, something that has been neglected all too often and to share tips and strategies for improving writing skills- whether academic or professional.

Many people dread the idea of writing.  Some don’t know where to begin.  Some don’t how to develop their writing after beginning.  And, of course, after writing, there are many structural issues that many face.

One of the reasons that people encounter difficulties when writing is that they don’t understand the steps in the writing process, the most important of which is the first step- prewriting.  Like following a recipe, one must carefully travel through the steps of the writing in order to produce a good piece of writing.  If you wanted to bake a cake and missed the first step or two, the outcome will be disastrous.  The same applies to writing.

In this blog, I will discuss the steps of the writing process and many other topics such as common errors in writing, IELTS writing, writing the college application essay, writing a cover letter, writing a resume/CV,  writing genres, error correction in writing (for teachers & peer reviewers), etc.,  I will also post informative articles related to writing.  Please feel free to share your ideas as well.

Blogs will be posted on a weekly basis, so be sure to check out the latest article.

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What should a teacher focus on when correcting an essay?

Check out this funny ‘Mr. Bean’ video about an essay (called Comedy for ELT- The Esssay).  What do you think?

When I write

I just want to take a moment to share with you my approach to writing.  Hopefully, it will be beneficial for anyone of you who may have difficulty with writing or who may just want to compare approaches.

When I write, I carefully go through all the steps of the writing process.  Almost everything we do in life involves gradually going through steps.  Think back about  when you first learned to drive.  Did you  get in the car and start driving like a pro or did you learn in stages?  And what about your baby?  Did your baby just wake up one day and start walking?  Or did he/she start crawling, and then start taking baby steps, then wobbling, then walking?  Language, likewise, is learned gradually. No one takes a language class one day and becomes fluent the next day!

When I write, the first thing that I do is prewriting, also known as planning or brainstorming.  As I mentioned in my initial post, this is the most important step.  In all of the examples that I mentioned, no one can achieve success without undertaking the first step.

My prewriting entails generating a list of all the ideas that I would like to include in my writing piece.  I do this in various ways.  Wherever I am, I jot down my ideas.  If I’m in the doctor’s office, for example, and an idea comes to my mind, then I jot it down on one of the many pieces of paper in my pocketbook (lol) or in the Color Notes of my cell phone.   If I happen to be in the bed and a thought comes to my mind, I turn over, grab my laptop, and jot down my idea on the sticky note on my laptop.  My prewriting is abbreviated of course.  No sentences.  I gather all of these ideas and write it on one piece of paper or type it on Microsoft Word in list format.  I then go over the list a second time and write a number next to the topics in the order in which I would like to present it.  I also add subtopics or any other ideas that may come to my mind. The third prewriting step (yes, I do my prewriting in 3 steps) involves rewriting my ideas in outline format.

After prewriting….

(To be continued.  Stay tuned)

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You can get all of that plus more in the Live Writing Webinar.  See details below.

Live Webinar Date:  Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Presenter:  Rasheedah Abdul-Hakeem, M.S. Education, University of PA, USA

Start Time: 9:00 p.m. EST

Length: 60 minutes

*Price: $25

Register today to attend this live webinar!

Registration deadline:  July 25

Who should attend?

• High school students
• College bound students- those needing help with the college application essay
• College students who need help with reports, essays, and research papers
• Teachers of any subject who give students writing assignments
• Anyone who would like to receive tips and strategies for more effective writing

What will I get?

*Free one-on-one 1 hour writing tutorial for the first 3 registrants

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*Pdf of the webinar

*Opportunity to ask questions

What will I learn?

• Why going through the steps of the writing process is important
• How to properly go through the steps of the writing process
• What is the most important step of the writing process
• How to identify and correct your errors

About the Webinar

Many people get stuck when having to complete a writing assignment.  They don’t quite know how or where to begin.

It is my belief that the way to excel at writing is by traveling through the writing process.  I invite you to travel on that journey with me as we examine each step in that process.

Writing is like a journey.  When you go on a trip, whether it be to another city or to another country, you plan first.  You book a flight.  You make a list of what you plan to take with you on that journey.

Writing, likewise, requires planning.  In order to produce an effective writing piece, we must- WE MUST-go through ALL the steps in the writing process.

This live webinar will help you to reflect on your weaknesses as a writer and will give you practical strategies for improving your writing.

Presenter

Rasheedah Abdul-Hakeem is an American who has been a teacher for more than 20 years. In 1986, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Temple University. Immediately following graduation, she attended an Arabic Intensive Summer Program at Middlebury College. She received a Master’s Degree in Education in 1991 (from the University of Pennsylvania), with a major in both Reading/Writing/Literacy and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). She has experience teaching children and adults, both in the states and abroad. Her experience includes teaching ESL, EFL, English, Spanish, Arabic, Islamic Studies and Reading (She is a Certified Reading Specialist).

Additionally, she has studied at several Islamic universities and institutes- correspondence, online and on-site (in Arabic-speaking countries) and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in shariah.

In addition to teaching and studying, Umm Ibrahim has designed several English and Education courses for an online university. Below are some reviews of her online classes.

5 Star! Outstanding instructor & very informative course

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began this course. However, upon finishing, I feel the instructor helped me to achieve a better understanding of Islam, as opposed to how the media or certain misguided groups portray it. The course is very well organized. I give this course 5 stars and recommend that everyone take it. You will be amazed!

Neefy Renthrope, Introduction to Islam, Dispelling the Misconceptions, Udemy

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English had never been a subject I enjoyed doing. I did it simply because it was a compulsory subject. However, logging into the English 102 online class, I just didn’t want the class to end! The depth of information, the elaborate way it was presented, never ceased to fascinate me.It is simply amazing how Sr. Rasheedah is able to keep her students glued to the screen; you simply feel the vibrancy of the class as if it were a brick and mortar classroom! I am looking forward to being her student again.

Twahir Kassim, Kenya, student, English 102, online university, Regional Coordinator – East Africa

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Sr Rasheedah is so good (May God preserve her). I find all the classes absolutely amazing. I am greatly indebted to her for the amazing teachings.I love how she teaches.This is the first time I am studying Education as a discipline, and I think the courses are really well designed. I am learning so much; the lessons are so full of gems that I am constantly learning new things and ideas keep coming to me for my adult students too.

Madeeha Bokhari, Bangladesh, Classroom Management, Differentiated Instruction, Eng 101, Eng 102, Introduction to Pedagogy, online university

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I had the privilege of being a student of Sister Rasheedah for Eng 101 & Eng 102.

English 101 covered note-taking skills. The ease and flow Sr. Rasheedah has in teaching English language was tremendous. Note-taking and making short notes for lectures is very important, as it plays an important part when revising study materials or preparing to give lectures.

Sr. Rasheedah, being an educator and having years of teaching and training expertise, taught us a very professional approach for note-taking from lectures, books, and preparatory notes for public speaking.

Mohammad Irfan, Civil Engineer, UAE, English 101 & English 102, online university

How does the webinar work?

The webinar is broadcasted via the internet with live audio delivered through your computer speakers or through your phone. The live presentation is displayed directly from the presenter’s computer to your computer screen. Questions and answers are managed through a chat-style submission system with questions being read and answered by the presenter for the entire class to hear.

What equipment do I need?

All you need is a computer or iOS device and an internet connection. You’ll be able to view the presentation and listen to the audio over computer speakers.  If you prefer to listen only, without viewing the presentation, you may use a phone to dial in.

How do I register?

If you would like to attend the webinar, please click here.  You will be taken to a page where you will be asked for your name and email.  You can then make payment for the webinar via PayPal.  Upon completion of registration, you will receive a confirmation email containing a link to join the webinar hosted by Anymeeting.  You will also receive a reminder prior to the webinar.

When it’s time for the webinar to start, just click the Join URL in your confirmation email. Don’t share the link with anyone; it’s unique to you.

What if I have more questions?

 If you have any more questions, please send an email to etcservices@ymail.com.

*Kindly note that ALL sales are final whether you are able to attend or not.  There are no refunds for the webinar.

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If you answered yes, to the above questions, then click on the button now to begin your journey with me as we travel through the steps in the writing process.

This course, unlike many other courses, looks at writing as a process and not a product. It emphasizes the importance of going through each step of the writing process, thus enabling you as a writer to produce an effective writing piece, whether it be an essay, a research paper, a journal article, etc., Practical strategies that will empower you as a writer are given throughout the course.

Writing, like a journey, requires effective planning in order for the outcome to be successful. This course will look at a variety of prewriting (planning) methods that you can choose from and provides you with practice exercises. Additionally, there are quizzes that will help you measure your progress.

The most common writing errors that both native speakers and non-native speakers make are also examined to help you identify and correct your errors. The course ends with more tips that will help you excel at writing.

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