The best way to learn is learning by doing. To improve your writing skills, write and receive professional feedback on your texts. Correct your mistakes, learn to do better, develop your style, and self-direct your learning trajectory.
Find a workshop with the demonstration of ALL the self-editing tools in the community of practice (space “Workshops”)
To join the creative practice sessions on Fridays, apply today and get professional feedback form a native-speaking editor and myself. https://community.nataliatokar.me/c/calendar/creative-writing-2-0-dca3bf

What was your LEAST favorite thing about English classes in school?
https://youtu.be/xuebGwiqrNs

What presentations do you need to deliver most often? Spontaneous or prepared?

The result of the recent survey

You guys are telling me that you need:

1. Spontaneous speaking skills in English (presentation skills are in the same category)
2. An effective practice routine to learn independently
3. Native-Like Fluency to build your life and career from scratch in a new country (job interview & resume skills are in this category too)


83% need confidence in spontaneous presentation skills in English.
I know the exercises that can get you there. The videos that you see above and on my Youtube channel are the results of my own practice routine. I never write a script and I never rehearse. I sit down in front of the camera and start speaking, just like I sit down in front of a person and start talking to them and listening to them. No amount of preparation will teach you to FEEL into people and into yourself.

I am inviting you to join a FREE masterclass where I will demonstrate my favorite exercise to practice self-correction in spontaneous conversations. I will do a hot seat coaching exercise, meaning anyone can be in the spotlight (if they want it).

Please keep in mind that you should never attempt to correct your speaking behaviors at the moment of speaking. When you're in the middle of your conversation, you should focus on delivering your message, responding to questions, and doing your best to understand the people you're talking to and their perspective. We do the self-correction work AFTER you've finished speaking.

On Nov 27, I will show you how I do this exercise and how you can do it too. You can learn the exercise during the masterclass and then do it on your own any time you need it. I suggest you include it in your practice routine and stick with it for at least two weeks. Once you start recognizing your own patterns, you can change them.

RSVP here https://community.nataliatokar.me/c/calendar/spontaneous-speaking

You need to be a member to participate. The event is for community members only. It's free.

How to fix repetitions in writing? A fragment from the creative writing practice session

Read the full post here - https://community.nataliatokar.me/c/updates/how-to-fix-repetitions-in-writing-a-fragment-from-the-creative-writing-practice-session

Positive metacognitive beliefs

Examples:
Worrying/ruminating helps me cope
Worrying helps me get things done
Rumination helps me understand
If I analyze why I feel this way, I’ll find answers
Something bad would happen if I didn’t worry
Focusing on possible threats can keep me safe
It is important to control my thoughts
Analyzing my problems will help me find answers



Negative metacognitive beliefs
Uncontrollability

Examples:
I cannot control my thinking
If I don’t control my worry, it will control me
I can’t control my attention



Negative metacognitive beliefs
Danger

Examples:
Worrying too much can harm me
Some thoughts could make me lose my mind
Strong emotions are dangerous

Bad thoughts have the power to make me do bad things
Some thoughts can make bad things happen
Thinking something makes it true



All of these lead to feeling tired, demotivated, stressed, depressed, and anxious.
All of these harm your learning process if you don't self-regulate your learnign process.


"Metacognitive beliefs control whether we deal with negative thoughts, and they are therefore the reason that negative feelings persist because they block self-regulation"


Do you recognize your beliefs on this list?

Do you practice writing skills in English?
Do you take your practice seriously?
What does it even mean to take your practice seriously?
Here is what it means to me:
- I take notes in English on a daily basis
- I write by hand in English on a daily basis
- I write in my journal in English
- I ask for feedback
- I read my edited texts out loud
- I always self-edit my writing

To receive feedback on your writing skills and edit your texts in real time, join the creative writing session this Friday.

https://community.nataliatokar.me/c/calendar/creative-writing-2-0-eeaef0

Practice leads to change. If you passively learn something without actively practicing it, you’re not going to bring about the change that you want.
If you don’t measure the result of your practice in tangible improvements over time, probably you’re engaged in passive learning, and not active practice.

What are you practicing now?
What are you willing to improve in your life today?
Do you feel like you want someone’s advice on where to begin or do you know what you should be doing?

Thank you for your work today! Read the full post here (the link to the replay is inside) https://community.nataliatokar.me/c/updates/remove-the-words-that-add-uncertainty-to-what-you-re-saying

"Passive acceptance of the teacher's wisdom is easy to most boys and girls. It involves no effort of independent thought, and seems rational because the teacher knows more than the pupils. ...Yet the habit of passive acceptance is a disastrous one in later life. It causes men to seek a leader, and to accept as leader, whoever is established in that position. It makes the power ... by which plain men are misled into accepting old systems which are harmful to themselves." Bertrand Russel