Following the success we have achieved as a result of establishing the Writing Center, We embarked on establishing a parallel center that focuses on enhancing our students' English speaking skills. It is called Speaking Skills Center.
Colleagues involved in teaching EL98, EL99, EL111, EL112, EL118 and EL119 spend two of their weekly office hours in the Center, creating stimulating speaking topics and activities that motivate our students to talk, listen to English exchanges, present oral summaries of stories, etc. In addition, the Center should have a bi-weekly major speaking function in which students are given a chance to debate an issue proposed by tutors, particularly EL119 tutors. This major events can also include story telling followed by a student-led oral discussion supervised by their tutors. Stories can be something that students have read or something that they themselves have composed. The idea is to create a platform for our students to practice their English and receive purposeful couching from their tutors pertinent to enhancing the quality of their speaking skills and helping them develop their creative thinking skills as well.
