It is very late for me to know Self Access Center ‘s existence and where it is. Self Access Center is a very special part of our school. This kind organization is not usually heard in other schools, or other schools’ this kind organizations are not that diversified and hard working as ours. I have known it and use this center’s materials for two years, and I do learn a lot from here.
Basically, it is a place where provides students, teachers, and staff in this school to learn English, Japanese, Spanish, German, and French. In SAC, it has magazines, newspapers, tapes, video tapes, CD-ROMs, practicing books, on-line materials, and satellite channels, etc. for us to use. Every kind is well organized and categorized, and of course, each kind is updated by a week, a month, or a semester, and that depends on what kind of material it is. From 8:30 a.m. to 9:20 p.m. , Monday to Friday, we can go there anytime we want.
SAC not just provides individual learning. Every semester, SAC opens many self-learning groups for students to join. These groups are designed and lead by students who are very interested in learning language and passionate to interact with other students. Every group leader picks their topic such as travel English for a semester, and then the leader leads the whole group to cooperate and prepare objectives in every meeting. There is no teacher. So students must be active and positive to learn.
In addition to group working, there is also consulting service for students to interact with seniors who are good at or interested in some fields. Like Jasmine knows well on going abroad in England, and she is one of the consulter, so students who are interested in this area can make an appointment with her and ask what you want to know. Besides, you can practice speaking with consulters, too. Just don’t be afraid and don’t be shy to knock knock!
If you want to find more, there are also materials for big exams such as TOFEL, TOEIC, GEPT, GRE, etc, and other language exams’ practicing tools. After working hard on your own lesson, you can have a rest to see a movie there, too. Like Friends season 1 to 10 are my personal favorite. So, learning and entertaining are combined in SAC. Then, what are you waiting for now? Let us learn and know as much as we can in this college.
Cathy