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Tips on Enhancing Your Writing Skills

Buy Resources
Buy a few resources for your library, such as dictionary, thesaurus, and grammar reference guide.

Read
Good writing is closely connected to good reading. To help students select a book, some of the staff in the English Language Proficiency Program have compiled a list of their favourite books: please click here.

Write in a Journal
Many students find journal writing beneficial. We suggest that you read a short article from a magazine or newspaper and then write about the article in a journal. This process is quite helpful if done several times a week. Or, simply write daily about your life experiences in a journal. The process will not only enhance your writing skills but it can also be fun.

Listen to Audio Books
Listening to audio books can also help your language skills. Audio books can be borrowed from one of the public libraries: Waterloo Public Library: http://www.wpl.ca/ and Kitchener Public Library: http://www.kpl.org/

Workshops
Students may register for Writing Skills Workshops.  To enroll, please drop into Counselling Services and talk to the front-line staff, or communicate with Katherine MacLean, ext. 33245, kmaclean@uwaterloo.ca. In the workshops, students will learn writing structures: essay, paragraph, sentence, and grammar.

Writing Centre
Students may register for the Writing Clinic and receive one-to-one or group tutoring. Students in the Centre are also given an opportunity to write the ELPE under the tutor's supervision. 

Course
Students may enroll in a course as outlined by their faculty:        http://elpp.uwaterloo.ca/facultyrequirements.html. If students pass the course with a 60% or 65% (as outlined by their faculty), they are exempt from writing the ELPE.

ELPE Review
Students may schedule an appointment to review their ELPEs. Please drop in to the Writing Centre (PAS 2082) to book a session.

ELPE Strategy Sessions
Each term, just before the ELPE, the English Language Proficiency Program offers strategy sessions. These sessions offer information on how students can pass the ELPE. Registration is not required. For dates and times, please click here.

Three Step Program
The "Three Step Program" is recommended for students who are on the cusp (five points away) of passing the ELPE. Please contact Katherine MacLean.