If you are looking for ways to practice and improve your English speaking and comprehension skills, you have a wealth of resources available. Use links below to explore your options both within Yale and in the greater New Haven area.
Writing a paper?
Schedule an appointment with a GWL Fellow to get feedback on your clarity and improve your self-editing skills.
Yale Resources
English Language Program
Part or Yale’s Center for Language Study (CLS), the English Language Program (ELP) offers academic English language and communication support. ELP staff will assess your needs with expert advising and an oral performance assessment. Once you know your needs, the ELP offers a range of courses where you can practice your skills with fellow graduate students. The ELP also houses a rich collection of English language audio and video materials, helpful software, a collection of ESL texts, and other English language resources at Yale. For more information about services please contact the Director of ELP, James Tierney, at james.tierney@yale.edu or call 203-432-6806. You can also visit the CLS office at 370 Temple Street, room B35.
Office of International Students and Scholars
Yale’s Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) offers English Conversation groups where you can improve your communication skills through informal discussions on different topics in American culture. Visit their site to learn more about English conversation groups, English language programs, online ESL resources, and even translation services. You can also sign up for the Conversation Partner program, which pairs non-native English speakers with native speakers for one-on-one language and culture exchange. For more information, contact the office at oiss@yale.edu or 203-432-2305. You can also visit the OISS International Center at 421 Temple Street.
New Haven Resources
Bridges ESL offers free tutoring in small-groups to immigrants and visiting internationals. Classes are available in four levels: Survival, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Run through Yale’s Dwight Hall and the Asian American Cultural Center, classes are conveniently scheduled on Saturdays from 10 AM-12 PM and are located at 295 and 301 Crown Street in Downtown New Haven. To register, please visit their website.
New Haven Adult and Continuing Education Center offers ESL classes and on-line resources for beginning, intermediate, and advanced learners that combine listening, writing, speaking, and reading skills with life and basic skills. Please follow the link and click on “Programs” to find information about their “English for Speakers of Other Languages” program as well as instructions for registration. The classes are conducted at 580 Ella T. Grasso Boulevard, and you can contact the office at 203-492-0213 with questions.
Gateway Community College ESL Program offers helpful on-line resources and tutorials, helpful resources for mastering English Vocabulary and Grammar, as well as a diverse selection of courses for English learners. Gateway also offers an ESL Certificate Program. For questions, please contact the ESL Coordinator Susan Chenard at schenard@gatewayct.edu or 203-285-2045.
The New Haven Free Public Library offers a range of resources for developing English reading and speaking skills. Please visit the website for links to programs or call 203-946-8138 for additional information.
Additional Resources
Still have questions about how to engage other scholars’ ideas in your writing, or want feedback on your use of sources in a draft? Schedule a 1–1 consultation with a Graduate Writing Lab Fellow.
Ready to submit to your instructor, a conference, or an academic journal? The Poorvu Center gives students direct access to Turnitin, where you can double-check that you’ve fairly paraphrased, summarized, and quoted your sources.
Explore GWL Programs
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Writing Consultations
Get 1-on-1 feedback at any stage of the writing process—from brainstorming to final edits.
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Workshops & Panels
Interactive opportunities to grow your academic writing knowledge or expand your toolkit of skills.
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Peer-Review Groups
Groups of 4–7 students who meet weekly to share feedback, make progress, and support one another on a common project.
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Writing Retreats & All Writes
Full-day and half-day events where graduate students set goals and write as a community in a quiet, supportive space.
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