By Cherry Joy D.
Garma
PIA-Ilocos Norte
SAMTOY Books, a
homegrown bookstore here in Laoag City has started offering an English clinic improve
students’ command of the English language.
The bookstore,
housed at the provincial government-owned La Tabacalera, has become a temporary
classroom for students and pupils from grade school to college students to
polish their English proficiency.
The bookstore got
its name from the Ilocano word “samtoy” a contraction of “Sao mi ditoy”,
meaning “our language here.”
The English
clinic offers a six month-course on grammar abilities, correct word usage,
diction and pronunciation among other skills. The course started in August and
will end in February next year.
Gladys Foronda,
bookstore manager, said the clinic seeks to contribute to students’ skills
development.
“This is
community service. Apart from educating the youth, we are able to help those
who cannot afford to go to school,” she said.
Samtoy Books collaborated
with the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte and the Mariano Marcos State
University (MMSU) to implement the program.
“The students
will be guided by globally competitive and well-recognized English teachers
from Ilocos Norte,” Foronda said noting that teachers are from the MMSU’s
Department of Languages and Literature.
The clinic charges
a minimal fee of P500 for students who could afford paying while other students
are fully subsidized.
Foronda said five
of 20 students who are currently enrolled entered the program at no cost.
“The lectures are
very beneficial because teachers can focus on the individual student’s
weaknesses. We based our lectures on international English standard,” Foronda
added.
The course will
focus more on students’ diction and pronunciation while it tries to enrich
their vocabularies through reading materials that Samtoy books provided.
The clinic will
be completed in February in time for the English Month observance where
competitions such as creative writing and extemporaneous speaking are set.
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