English Language Resources
The ability to communicate with the people around you is of vital importance. If a student is a non-native speaker, the lack of familiarity with a given language may be a source of discomfort and an inhibitor to building strong relationships and successful transition.
Below are a few English language resources, on and off-campus that can help students strengthen their English language skills and abilities.
Local in-person Resources
Writing Center The Writing Center provides free tutoring and writing workshops designed to help students become stronger writers. This is a great resource to help students in ENGL 1003, 1004, 1010/1011 classes, and any class that requires writing a paper.
Vernon Regional Adult Basic Education (VRABE) VRABE provides free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for students in the surrounding towns of UConn Storrs. Students have the opportunity to practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing with their peers while receiving guidance from a teacher. Classes are available during the fall and spring semesters and require picture I.D. for registration purposes.
Cross-Cultural Connections Cross-Cultural Connections is a resource for international students to help improve their English speaking skills as well as ease their transition into the American and UConn culture. It helps students bridge cultural gaps and fosters more open-minded individuals. Students are matched in a 1-on-1 format and they meet at mutually convenient times. Partners meetings are flexible and the time commitment is between 1 and 2 hours per week.
Online Resources
BBC Learning English BBC Learning English is an online tool that offers help with vowel and consonant pronunciations, colloquialisms, and general English language. This free resource is a great way for students to improve their English vocabulary and practice their English using guided pronunciation.
Lang-8 Blog Lang-8 is a free language-exchange social network. Students write a journal in any language they’re learning and that message is sent to a native speaker of that language. The native speaker then corrects the journal and leaves useful comments and feedback. The student then has the opportunity to help someone who is learning their native language through the same process. By checking each other’s journals, native speakers and language learners help to improve their language skills, help others to master their native language, and create friendships along the way.
EduFind
EduFind has a great English grammar guide that can help students learn parts of speech as well as how to use parts of speech when writing and speaking.