IntroductionA fundamental aspect of acquiring skills in a new language is the ability to communicate messages in writing. For a teacher of English as a second language, nurturing students to develop strong writing skills is critical to the student's success both as a learner of the language and in their communication skills in reading, speaking, and even listening in English. The natural ability of native speakers to communicate in a given language does not automatically indicate proficiency in their writing skills, which must be acquired. Psycholinguist Eric Lenneberg noted that writing is a culturally specific and learned behavior (Brown, HD, p334). Consequently, writing skills are important in developing a student's appreciation of Western culture, and a student who does not acquire solid writing skills is deprived of many benefits of reading and communicating with the Western world. This essay will explore the key principles for developing writing skills for non-English speakers and how these principles can be applied by a teacher of English writing skills in a classroom context. The essay will explore relevant literature and research in this area. Key Principles for Developing Writing Skills The ability to write and express oneself in a second language with accuracy and coherence is a complicated skill. As stated by Celce-Murcia, as many native English speakers never master this skill (Celce-Murcia, M, p187). Mastering the Fundamentals of English That good writing skills take time to develop is understandable since good written expression relies on many other aspects of the English language. one's English skills, including good knowledge of English grammar, accurate spelling, a large vocabulary, unders...... middle of the paper... the ability to read greatly improves a student's writing skills . When designing classroom activities, a teacher might apply pedagogical practices that exercise a variety of these skills. Joy Reid suggests the use of cooperative and group work that offers writers an authentic audience, the integration of language skills into classroom activities, and the use of relevant and authentic materials and tasks (Carter, R and Nunna D, ( ed.), p32). Conclusion As Prabhu states, there is no one best method for teaching English writing (Prabhu, NS, p175) and a successful teacher is likely to use a combination of all these methodologies. In a school context, the best methods focus on the writing process, the use of free expression within the framework of learned conventions and controlled expressions, and the teaching of culture simultaneously with the teaching of language and writing skills..