Herald Corp.’s education subsidiary Herald Edu has launched an English study service that aims to provide an enhanced platform for teenagers to study English, company officials said Wednesday.

Launched on Monday, the “English Qbig” website offers a comprehensive English learning program that will help students with their reading and writing skills. The programs will be applicable to students from third grade in elementary schools to middle schoolers.
The courses are offered in five different levels and led by proficient English teachers who formerly worked at the Educational Broadcasting System. They will use various materials including those from The Junior Herald, the sister newspaper to The Korea Herald dedicated to teenage readers.

The new website uses a special program “7 Thinking Map” that helps students to write in English logically.

English Qbig also offers English classes divided into different categories -- reading, writing, grammar and listening -- allowing students to choose based on their needs.

“The new education service aims to provide an effective learning platform that enhances students’ understanding ability and expression skills. The programs will help students have confidence in taking any forms of English tests as the course supports them to learn the algorithm of reading and writing,” said Herald Edu CEO Kim You-kyong.

To mark the launching of the website, the company will offer gifts to those who participate in a quiz program on the website until April 26. Prizes include an iPad Mini 2, vouchers and discount coupons for course fees.

More information is available at www.Englishqbig.co.kr.

By Lee Hyun-jeong (rene@heraldcorp.com)