Centre for Language Enhancement (UR CLE)

Lecturers based in the Center for Language Enhancement (CLE) carry out research of different dimensions on four (4) languages mainly English, French, Kinyarwanda and Swahili. Studies carried out on these four languages fall under various themes of which language teaching and learning, language and linguistics, language and communication, literary studies as well as a variety of cross-cutting issues related to language and language teaching. 

Research on language teaching and learning comprises numerous topics such as language course design, language teaching materials, language teaching methods, teacher training and language teaching, knowledge construction in language classroom discourse, bilingual and multilingual education, mother tongue use in L2 classrooms, language teaching and assessment, rural versus urban language teaching, ICT based language teaching and assessment, etc.

All CLE research activities do not constitute the end in themselves but they all lead to paper and book writing for publication. That is because writing and publishing research findings is an integral part of researchers’ professional life in the CLE. The research findings are used for writing and organizing scientific papers as well as preparing them for submission to publishers. It is true that research helps to carry science forward.

As for community outreach, CLE staff provide translation and interpreting services to the general public. The center also organizes language training sessions to primary and secondary schools surrounding different UR campuses, and these activities are conducted through students’ English language clubs mentored by CLE teaching staff. Furthermore, the center guides and facilitates whoever wishes to take language tests such as TOEFL and IELTS, as well as other international tests like GRE and PRAXIS. CLE staff also participate in monthly community work organized by the university in and around its different campuses.