| As writers, it is very easy to forget who it is that | | | | introductory paragraph above as follows. Writers |
| is reading our words. If you consider the number | | | | can forget the readers of their words. People are |
| of words that are read nowadays on screen as | | | | reading more words on screens now than in |
| opposed to on paper, you may want to consider | | | | books or magazines. Second language English |
| readers of English, to whom English is a second or | | | | students are reading more and more material on |
| third language, as part of your real or potential | | | | the internet as a way of learning and practising |
| readership. As a teacher of English, I know full well | | | | their English. Writers should think about using |
| that this opening paragraph is highly unsuitable | | | | material that is suitable for these readers. |
| reading for an operating level non-native English | | | | The most noticeable change here is in starting |
| reader. | | | | sentences with a clear subject. Sentences starting |
| Reading is very important when acquiring, learning, | | | | with adverbial phrases, gerunds and prepositions |
| improving, practising and perfecting a new | | | | cause difficulty for students who have less than |
| language. For students, reading allows time to | | | | an advanced level of English. Cleft sentences and |
| think, consider and work out what is being said. | | | | conditionals without if, test even an advanced |
| Listening skills take much longer to acquire than | | | | learner. |
| reading, so it is important for them to find reading | | | | Another consideration is in the demographic of |
| texts that are both manageable to read, and | | | | those acquiring English. Professionals, academics, |
| importantly, interesting. | | | | bankers, doctors, lawyers, IT specialists and the |
| Blogs are now being used more and more in | | | | list goes on. In fact, the same demographic you |
| English language teaching because they offer such | | | | are writing for currently, except with less than |
| a wide choice of subject matter to attract | | | | mother tongue English skills. I would certainly not |
| student attention and are also usually of an | | | | advise changing your style to that of a children's |
| appropriate length. Around two hundred to six | | | | bedtime story. However, I would consider keeping |
| hundred words. So when you are writing blogs | | | | the first one or two paragraphs reasonably |
| and articles perhaps it is worth considering your | | | | student friendly to at least grab their interest and |
| grammar and lexis. Second language students | | | | add the possibility of new readers of your work. |
| normally have trouble understanding when they | | | | You can then happily show of your ability to use |
| have difficulty in finding the basic elements of | | | | the subjunctive later in your piece. |
| phrase. That is, subject, verb, object. Even if they | | | | Were it to be me, my advice would be to stay |
| do not understand the adjectives, adverbs, | | | | away from clichéd and archaic phrases. Lo |
| modifiers and some vocabulary, they can still | | | | 't was my postilion who was struck by lightening, |
| follow an idea so long as the structure is friendly | | | | may sound poetic but it would send most readers |
| for them. | | | | to a dictionary in seconds. Be that as it may, I still |
| If I was to consider this article as being good | | | | advise writing with form and style. |
| material for a student, I would re-write my | | | | |