Every semester, the Skills Centre professionals conduct writing labs designed for students not working in their first language. These labs are attached to two English courses — 001: Remedial Activities for Secondary V English Language Arts and 101: Writing English. Teachers of these courses identify their weakest writers, and these students are encouraged to register for the labs.

• Labs consist of a small group of students (4 – 12)
• They are held weekly in a hybrid format, combining synchronous and asynchronous meetings
• Lab instructors lead students in a series of readings and writing assignments
• Students receive instruction and one-on-one guidance in academic writing and editing skills
• Students also develop their reading skills and knowledge of English vocabulary
• Students’ lab work is graded, and the results are given to their teachers who generally include the lab grade as a portion of the final mark for the course

These labs are very beneficial. The small size of the groups allows instructors to address individual writing difficulties and to provide the students with valuable feedback and encouragement. Lab students often show remarkable progress and gain confidence in dealing with writing assignments in all their courses.