Academic English

Students will learn to master a variety of skills involving oral and written communication, summarizing, paraphrasing, researching, discussing and presenting material. Students will develop competency in reading from multi-disciplinary sources and do self assessments in order to gauge their current knowledge and skill level to discover areas for improvement.

Academic Media

Through exposure to documentary film, news media, taped lectures and various reading materials, students will explore and discuss both established and controversial concepts. This course gives students an opportunity to expand vocabulary as well as broaden general knowledge and identify areas of personal interest. The focus of the course is on the development of many of the practical skills needed for participation in university courses: listening, taking notes, researching, analyzing, responding, summarizing and paraphrasing. The course themes range from slang and global culture to ecology, animal rights and scientific phenomena.

Academic Preparation

Students will develop reading, writing, speaking and listening skills essential for University Program study. Material for study will be taken specifically from content areas. Video tapes of university lectures will be used for listening and note-taking practice. Students will have an opportunity to write essays and research papers, and also to practice the MLA/Chicago style.

Business Conversation

The goal of the course is for students to develop an ability to orally express business concepts with clarity and fluency. This course will utilize an interactive and multi-disciplined approach to build business communication skills both individually and in small groups. Students will be encouraged to learn from one another as well as from native speakers through polls, interviews, speeches, surveys, guided discussions, games, etc. In addition, video and audio tapes will be used to strengthen listening and comprehension skills. Students will also be presented with specific business vocabulary, verb phrases and idioms in marketing, advertising and international business, etc.

Business English

Students will develop English language skills relevant to the world of business, which will help them function with confidence, fluency and accuracy in a business environment. Specific objectives of the course develop students' abilities to write résumés, be interviewed and conduct interviews, travel for business, effectively use the telephone for business, market and sell products, write business reports and give oral business reports, conduct and participate in meetings, analyze and interpret articles and videos connected with the business world, and role play realistic business situations.

English Proficiency

This course prepares advanced level students to interact with and respond to written and spoken English in a variety of contexts including academic, business, job-related, professional, and daily social and cultural interactions. The course will aim at improving students' abilities in three areas: aural and literal comprehension, oral fluency, and passive and active vocabulary. Students will be expected to read from a variety of sources such as essays, newspapers, magazine articles, short fiction and the Internet, and to view and listen to a variety of aural and visual sources such as videos, T.V., radio, lectures, native speakers, fellow students, and songs; and to critically respond to information and opinions in discussion groups and through presentations.

Reading and Responding

Students will develop proficiency in reading and listening comprehension in preparation for university courses. The course aims to develop the student's ability to comprehend and respond critically to a variety of visual and aural sources, including literary works, newspaper and magazines articles, video and audio tapes, and dictations. Students will further develop their ability to understand setting, plot, character, narration, conflict and theme. They will have an opportunity to summarize short and long passages, to build vocabulary and to give short oral presentations.