Whether it is for the TOEFL or TOEIC test, for a job interview, or to study abroad, English skills have become one thing every student hopes to master during her college life. However, we all know how difficult it is to learn an unfamiliar language and speak it fluently. To assist students with English writing and speaking, Ewha’s English Program Office (EPO) provides two special places to help student in each skill respectively.

 

 

 

         The English Lounge, located in ECC B147, was launched last May in order to provide students with a comfortable place to practice speaking in English. The lounge is equipped with big comfy sofas, a big LCD TV and PCs. Additionally, a graduate student majoring in English is on duty in the lounge all day long as an assistant to help students, and the EPO’s over 30 professors each keeps a regular consulting hour.

 

 

 

      “I feel I can improve my speaking ability in here which will be helpful for me in applying to a foreign exchange program,” said Ryu Hye-jin (Mathmatics, 1).

 

 

 

      The English Lounge is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday. The specific staying hour schedule of professors will be posted on EPO’s website by this month.

 

 

 

      Just as there is a lounge for speaking, there is also an EPO’s clinic for writing. The English Clinic, located in ECC B116, was established in 2001 to enhance students’ English writing skills. Having provided services to more than 660 students in the last semester, the English Clinic is staffed by graduate students in the master’s and doctorate programs of the English department.

 

 

 

      “The clinic not only helps students proofread their essay assignments, but also guides them to write better in English. We cover everything from selecting topics to editing,” said Kang Sin-ae (English, Graduate School).

 

 

 

       To use the services of the clinic, students should make reservations via the EPO homepage (http://epo.ewha.ac.kr/) at least a day in advance or to make a phone call to the clinic. After an appointment time is set, students will fill out a form to explain the type of assistance they need. Then a 30-minute consulting session starts.

 

 

 

       “The consultant kindly helped me correct awkward expressions in my essay. Though some words have similar definitions, the actual usage differs depending on the situation,” said Bae Yoon-jeong (Korean, 2).

 

 

 

          Students can make use of the clinic 10 times per semester. But students who fail to show up for their appointments or cancel more than two times cannot use the service for the rest of the semester.

 

 

 

       “English Clinic mainly focuses on helping students’ writing ability. However, sometimes some students ask us for their verbal skills in the clinic. We recommend them to use the lounge instead of the clinic,” said Kang.

 

 

 

         The clinic is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. from Wednesday to Friday.

 

 

 

 

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