Main Program Course Descriptions

The American Language Program focuses on teaching language proficiency. Accuracy is imperative in order to achieve clear communication. Therefore, most of our courses are based on an understanding of the grammatical structures of English.

Core: The Core courses integrate the four language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking with a focus on grammatical structures. These courses are offered at many levels.

Reading/Vocabulary/Writing (R/Voc/Wr):The Reading, Vocabulary, and Writing courses are designed to increase vocabulary while enhancing reading and writing skills.

Reading/Discussion/Writing (R/D/W:These high level courses are for students who wish to develop confidence in their reading, writing, and speaking skills for professional or academic purposes. Students learn reading strategies such as predicting, inferring, analyzing and synthesizing. Discussions about the readings will help students to express themselves in an informal setting. The writing portion of the class emphasizes vocabulary, content and organization. Grammar is taught on an “as needed” basis.

Communication Skills and Vocabulary (Comm Skills/Voc):  In this class, students will learn to be proficient in spoken and written English. The course will also focus on vocabulary enrichment for better communication.

Current Events Through the Media (Curr Events Thru Media):  This course is intended for students who wish to enhance their knowledge of national and world issues while improving their reading, vocabulary, and speaking skills. Newspapers, magazines, and television will be the informational sources for this course.

English for Business (Eng for Bus): This advanced course is for students who would like to improve their English skills for the office. The focus will be on speaking and writing in a business setting.

TOEFL Preparation (TOEFL Prep):The TOEFL Preparation classes are for students who need to improve their test taking skills and want to enhance their performance on the TOEFL examination. We offer two levels of the TOEFL Preparation class— low advanced and high advanced. Students have the opportunity for a great deal of practice and are given exercises which cover all aspects of the exam. Problems are addressed as they occur.

Grammar/Oral Communication (Gram/OC): These classes give students a solid grammar foundation in writing and speaking. Oral activities encourage students to improve their communication skills while reinforcing the grammatical structures. The focus is on speaking and writing clearly and accurately. These courses are offered at many levels.

Vocabulary/Idioms Through the Media (Voc/Idms/Media): These courses will increase the students’ vocabulary and understanding of idiomatic language. Articles from magazines, newspapers, and the internet will be used, as well as television and/or movie clips.

American Customs and Culture (Am Cust/Cult): In this class, students will read and talk about American customs and culture. It will help to give them a better understanding of how Americans think and insights into some American patterns of behavior. Non-verbal communication, values, relationships, traditions, and attitudes are some of the subjects that will be addressed.