Improving your academic English
Apply now for part-time English as an additional language courses
Did you know that the University of Manitoba’s English Language Centre offers a variety of part-time English as an additional language courses? The courses focus on speaking and writing for students whose primary language is not English and are offered on both the Fort Garry and Bannatyne campuses.
If you’re interested in developing your academic English and communication skills, these courses offer a great way to do that with support from instructors and peers. The English Language Centre will be offering a total of eight 30-hour courses this winter: four that build skills in academic writing and four that focus on speaking and academic presentations.
“Graduates who have developed their communications skills have been more successful in advancing their careers quickly after graduation,” said Garry Dyck, director of the English Language Centre. “The feedback in these courses will give students an awareness of their current communicative abilities and encourage ongoing improvement through to the time that they are seeking employment.”
Keshab Thapa, a graduate student in the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth & Resources, says the courses have helped him in many ways.
“These courses have taught me how to organize my ideas and ensure the proper flow in my writing and have provided a general understanding of the standards and expectations required for the Canadian style of writing essays and research papers,” said Thapa. “To me, these courses are helpful for improving sentence structure, citing articles and editing drafts. They also provided tips on organizing the different components of a research paper.”
Peer editing and class discussion also offers students the chance to get feedback and perspectives from other colleagues.
“The questions raised in the class by other participants and the interactive discussions allowed me to expand my way of learning,” said Thapa. “Facilitators were very helpful and open to discuss any questions raised by the students.”
Current U of M students whose first language is not English can register for the part time academic English courses at a cost of $30 per course. The cost for non-U of M students is $150.
Registrations are processed on a first-come, first-served basis and the number of spots is limited. Early registration is recommended.
The English Language Centre is also offering a series of free 90-minute workshops on both Fort Garry and Banntyne campuses this winter.
For information on courses and workshops and to register, visit the English Language Centre’s website.