The ELI curriculum consists of core courses that focus on developing reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, an orientation course that introduces students to the U.S. culture and academic life, and a TOEFL preparation course that provides instruction in test-taking strategies.

Reading 

The reading component of this course prepares students for university-level reading by developing reading comprehension, note-taking, critical thinking and analytical skills. Topics encompass many fields and genres in order to expose students to a broad scope of vocabulary. 

Writing

The writing component of this course focuses on developing the skills necessary for academic writing, including prewriting, drafting, revision, collecting and citing sources, and peer review.  Students also become familiar with different genres of writing, including free writing, creative writing and journaling.

Listening and Speaking

This course employs various listening materials, such as lectures, discussion, speeches, films, music, and video clips to help students enhance their listening comprehension, note-taking and critical thinking skills. 

The speaking component of this course builds fluency, pronunciation and expression.  Students use new vocabulary and improve pronunciation through speaking tasks and drills.  

TOEFL Preparation

The TOEFL Preparation course is designed to help students acquire the skills and confidence necessary to get a high score on the TOEFL. The course explains the format of each section of the TOEFL exam, offers specific test-taking strategies, and strengthens the main English language skills. Although the intent of the course is to enhance students’ TOEFL scores, the material covered in class will fine-tune any student’s English language skills so that they can succeed in the university classroom.

American Culture and University Life (Fall only)

This course is designed to introduce students to American culture and to help them develop the skills they need to succeed in an academic environment.

Academic Skills (Spring only)

This course focuses on study skills necessary for success in a university setting. Topics include note taking strategies, reading and writing strategies, research skills, and stress management/test anxiety.