Fall and Spring

Pre-Beginner Grammar

This course focuses on vocabulary development and basic comprehension of ideas from simple sentences to groups of sentences written in standard American English. The goals of this course are to help students to read simple sentences in standard American English and become familiar with correct word forms and word order. Students receive focused practice in the association of sound and meaning, write simple sentences and connected sentences.

Beginner Grammar

This course provides English language learners (ELLs) with opportunities to further develop their grammar. The use of the present and present progressive tense as well as the simple past is emphasized. Irregular verbs are also introduced. Further instruction covers basic sentence structure, the eight parts of speech, and the application of grammar in simple sentences and basic paragraphs.

Intermediate Grammar

This course provides reinforcement in the application of the perfect tenses. Reflexive nouns, modals, and the passive voice are also discussed in length. Gerunds, infinitives, and embedded clauses are taught as well.

Advanced Grammar

This course builds upon the grammar forms studied in the previous levels. Students review previous learned material while further extending their knowledge to the more intricate rules of grammar, focusing on conditionals and preferences. In studying these concepts, students also explore improving and refining editing skills. Students develop their ability to compose grammatically correct and comprehensible sentences, paragraphs, and essays. The study incorporates various clause types, indirect speech, passive voice, and perfect modals.

TOEFL Preparation

This course provides training of all four language skills: reading, listening, speaking, and writing in integration as it is required for the TOEFL. It focuses on the skills necessary to take the test, the structure of the test, and time-management. Students become familiar with the format and directions of the test; and with the types of questions that are asked in each section. Each student can identify his or her weak area by working with each section of the test.

Pre-Beginner Reading and Writing

Beginning with letter recognition and sequencing, this course introduces the student to basic pre-reading and reading skills with passages containing high-frequency vocabulary. Emphasis will be on lexical growth and comprehension of the main idea. Writing during this course starts with the conventions of alphabetization, capitalization, and basic punctuation. Students construct simple sentences noting subject-verb agreement.

Beginner Reading and Writing

Students progress to more meaningful readings by identifying main ideas, scanning for details, inferring word meaning from context, and making and confirming predictions in passages. Students build vocabulary beyond simple survival language and are encouraged to use context clues to foster a greater facility for independent vocabulary acquisition. Classroom discussions focus on establishing and confirming student comprehension, but also encourage students to articulate original insights and impressions regarding reading materials. Pre-writing activities are explored as students learn to create a coherent, unified paragraph with a topic sentence and supporting sentences.

Intermediate Reading and Writing

In this intermediate reading course, students identify chronology and organization of a text, paraphrase main ideas, and relate them to supporting details. Focus is on improving comprehension, reading rate and strengthening vocabulary. During this course students learn to develop a 2-3 paragraph essay containing connected sentences and transition words. Revision strategies are introduced, such as editing and evaluating a classmate’s writing.

Advanced Reading and Writing

The Advanced Reading course augments the foundational skills developed in prior levels by introducing academic approaches to reading, by discussing and writing about texts. Focus is on fostering student comprehension of increasingly advanced reading material, making thematic and philosophical connections across texts, and synthesizing elements of primary and secondary texts in authentic texts. Student writing skills are enhanced via an emphasis on developing and maintaining an argumentative essay structure upheld by academic citations of at least three logically sequenced supporting paragraphs, and a consistent tone of voice. Students participate in peer conferencing to exercise their compositional and editorial abilities.

TOEFL Reading and Writing

This course draws on a variety of novels, poems, short stories, etc. to elevate the skills of reading, speaking, writing, and listening in regards to the TOEFL Test. TOEFL questions often emphasize authors, works, genres, and movements in all four sections. The questions may be classified into two groups: factual and critical. The factual questions may require a student to identify characteristics of literary or critical movements, to assign a literary work to the period in which it was written, to identify a writer or work described in a brief lecture. The critical questions test the ability to read a literary text perceptively. Students are asked to examine a given passage and to answer questions about meaning, form and structure, literary techniques, and various aspects of language. The topics and texts studied increase students’ knowledge of vocabulary and language and will also serve to help students achieve higher scores on the TOEFL.

Pre-Beginner Pronunciation

This pre-beginner pronunciation course provides systematic drill in the pronunciation of the English language for the non-native speaker of English. The student practices the phonics in essential daily speech patterns to improve speaking skills and do active, guided listening of recorded materials to improve listening skills.

Beginner Pronunciation

This beginner pronunciation course is designed for non-native speakers of English to develop more correct pronunciation. Students’ pronunciation difficulties are addressed as well as their use of idiomatic English. There is guided listening of recorded materials to improve listening skills in important settings. Students learn more American English phonemes, stress patterns, some commonly reduced phrases, and how to use word stress for focus and emphasis. Students learn to communicate in English by practicing basic listening and speaking skills, such as complimenting someone, asking for directions, making small talk, introducing someone, and other necessary tools to enhance their oral communication skills. The introduction of new vocabulary words and pronunciation correction are also an important part of this course.

Intermediate Reducing Accent Class

Students continue building on skills from the previous course practicing in the important skills of pronunciation, such as stress, vowel reduction and intonation are covered. Strategies for improvement are provided through daily assignments, drills, presentations, listening practice, discussion, and peer-evaluations.

Advanced Reducing Accent Class

This advanced course is designed for non-native speakers of English who wish to reduce accent and develop near-native fluency with idiomatic expressions. Students learn to communicate in English naturally and effectively by practicing listening and speaking skills, to communicate with more confidence. Students practice syllable recognition, word stress, reductions, rhythm, and intonation, all of which are essential for clear communication. Students also have an opportunity to work on individual sounds that are problematic for them personally. Pronunciation issues will be addressed from a variety of perspectives.

TOEFL Reducing Accent Class

This TOEFL reducing accent course has been set up to be taken by students who are non-native speakers of English to acquire the skills and confidence necessary to communicate effectively and to achieve higher scores on the TOEFL. More advanced listening is provided and note-taking strategies are practiced to help students prepare for the demands of the TOEFL. This course focuses on the spoken communication and active listening skills necessary for practice in the important skills of pronunciation, such as stress, vowel reduction, , , rhythm, timing, and intonation.  Speaking topics are designed to allow students to apply the content, language, grammar, and style they have practiced in their texts and cassettes. Speaking activities include presentations, interviews, role play, and group discussions.

Pre-Beginner American Culture

This class introduces students, who speak no English, to basic words and expressions to help adapt to life in the U.S. (Fall)

The next semester of American Culture focuses on the needs of students at the Pre-Beginning level. This course in American Culture develops and improves English-language skills, while fostering knowledge about American society and culture. (Spring)

Beginner American Culture

Through this course, the students are provided with fundamental knowledge about USA and exciting cross-cultural exchanges. Students explore traditional American values and how these values have shaped various institutions and facets of life in the United States. (Fall)

An expansion of Beginner American Culture, this course introduces distinctive American people, places, and things. Students explore American values which influence many institutions and life in the United States by exploring topics ranging from Native Americans to basketball. (Spring)

Intermediate American Culture

This course is a continuation of Beginner American Culture. Throughout this course, students continue to expand their knowledge of the USA as they explore various topics ranging from baseball to body language. (Fall)

A follow-up of Intermediate American Culture, this course focuses on various American social customs. This course introduces overlapping issues of race, religion and politics. Students explore topics reaching from the Wright Brothers to hip-hop. (Spring)

Advanced American Culture

This course is an extension of Intermediate American Culture. Students explore the traditional American values that have drawn people to the United States for more than 200 years and discover the impact of these values on American life. The topics embrace diversity in American society, family, education, government and politics, religion, business, and recreation. (Fall)

This course provides students with an overview of various aspects of American culture, such as famous people, places, important historical events, and traditions. The course covers basic concepts and current issues of American society and help students learn more about U.S. history, geography, government, and popular culture. The language component of the course focuses on idiomatic vocabulary. (Spring)

TOEFL American Culture

This study helps refine discussing American history and culture in an analytical manner. Students use their elevated knowledge of English to tackle more multifaceted and controversial issues of American culture. With an emphasis still placed on oral discussion and essay writing, students prepare presentations about various topics to demonstrate their knowledge of American culture and their command of spoken English. They develop and practice with vocabulary from the Academic Word List which helps them achieve higher scores on the TOEFL. At the course’s end, students feel confident in their familiarity of American culture and history and in the many skills they have learned to discuss it more proficiently.

 

SUMMER CURRICULUM

Level A – Listening and Speaking

This class is for students who are either new to English or who have very limited English ability. Students will begin their development of their listening and speaking skills with the emphasis on everyday topics.

Level B – Listening and Speaking

This course focuses on developing foundational listening and speaking skills for Beginner level students. All activities will be centered on authentic recordings and situations that students can encounter on an everyday basis. Students will learn to identify and articulate suggestions, opinions, and locate specific facts from spoken English.

Level C – Intermediate Listening and Speaking

Students will develop their listening and speaking skills in an integrated manner. All activities will be centered on authentic recordings and situations that students can encounter on an everyday basis. Students will learn to identify and articulate comparison and contrasts in spoken English as well as summarize information they hear.

Level D – Listening and Speaking

Students will develop their listening and speaking skills in an integrated manner. All activities will be centered on authentic recordings and situations that students can encounter on an everyday basis. Students will learn to identify a speaker’s purpose and attitude as well as give a short presentation on a researched topic.

Level A – Reading and Writing

This class is for students who are either new to English or who have very limited English ability. Students will learn the most basic functional English patterns and very basic skills related to reading, and writing. Students will also be exposed to very basic vocabulary as well as numbers and dates.

Level B – Reading and Writing

In this course, reading and writing activities will be blended in each chapter while being focused on a particular subject. As students continue through the book activities will increase in difficulty. They will learn to predict and verify predictions in written text as well as write sound paragraphs.

Level C – Reading and Writing

In this course, reading and writing activities will be blended in each chapter while focusing on a particular subject. As students continue through the book activities will increase in difficulty. Students will learn to identify different sources of support in written text as well as continuing to improve their writing of paragraphs.

Level D – Reading and Writing

In this course, reading and writing activities will be blended in each chapter while focusing on a particular subject. As students continue through the book activities will increase in difficulty. Students will learn to identify rhetorical features such as the passive voice and its usage. They will also write comparison and contrast essays.

Level A – Pronunciation

This course is an introduction to the English language and the sounds associated with it. Students will take part in activities that are focused on producing English phonemes correctly. They will also learn to letters that correspond to English sounds

Level B – Pronunciation

In this course, students will continue to build on their ability to recognize and produce sounds of American English. Some topics covered are: vowel and consonant sounds, stress, linking, and other features of connected speech.

Level C – Reducing Accent Class

This course will develop a student’s ability to intelligibly communicate in English. The focus of the course will be the correct production of English in conversations. One focus will be on producing changes in intonation used to distinguish statements from questions while speaking.

Level D – Reducing Accent Class

This course will focus on reducing the influence of students’ accents on their intelligibility. Activities and strategies will be given in order to aid students in the reduction of their accent. These activities include polishing rhythm in order to sound more natural and fluent in English.