Professional Development Program |
TOEIC Preparation
Open to students at the intermediate level or above, the TOEIC class prepares students to reach their target scores on the TOEIC exam, which can be taken monthly at International Educational Services. Designed to give students maximum exposure to language skills and drills that will help them become more confident and competent test-takers, this course focuses on the two general areas—listening and reading—that are evaluated on the exam. The class is divided into four equal parts: an introduction to business and professional vocabulary; reading comprehension focused on such genres as business letters, memos, newspaper articles, advertisements, and notices; listening comprehension focused on the four specific areas of the TOEIC exam; intense grammar review that focuses on the types of English structures most frequently found on the TOEIC exam.
Teacher Training (TESOL) for Non-Native Speakers
This intensive, highly demanding eight-week class is intended for international students who have an interest in teaching English in their own countries. Due to the nature of the course, only students who demonstrate English proficiency at the high intermediate or advanced level will be accepted; moreover, the maximum number of students accepted in any class is five.
TESOL students will be expected to demonstrate competence in all areas of language acquisition and the ability to help English learners of varying levels to improve their English proficiency. To this end, students will undergo rigorous training in all areas of English, including grammar, vocabulary building, pronunciation, reading comprehension, listening and speaking. TESOL students will also learn and practice teaching methodologies in an interactive learning environment. In addition to the in-class training, students will participate in classroom observation, classroom teaching, and peer tutoring totaling twenty hours; only then is certification granted.
Workplace English
This course, which may be offered on campus or on site, is designed for students at all levels who desire to improve their English proficiency for the workplace. Although not a tutorial, the class will focus on the English vocabulary and skills that specific groups of workers need to advance in their profession. Work-related vocabulary, fundamental grammar, business and professional writing, and work-themed listening and reading exercises will be the focus of this course.
Workplace English is designed more for local students who have immigrant status, and thus it may not offer enough hours per week to satisfy the requirements for international students on an F-1 visa. International students expressing a desire to take this course may receive written permission from the school to enroll in Workplace English if it does not interfere with their current English program and if there is available space in an existing class.
Teacher Training (TESOL) for Native Speakers
This intensive course, offered to well-qualified individuals (preferably with an education background), is designed to develop confident and competent instructors of adult English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) learners. Students will focus on understanding the specific needs of adult learners and on developing successful strategies in leading them to greater fluency and linguistic confidence. Students will be thoroughly trained in teaching writing, reading, vocabulary, pronunciation, and listening comprehension to students of a wide variety of backgrounds. Students will also become proficient at developing interesting lesson plans and managing a variety of classrooms. Throughout the course, students will be active participants in their education, interacting with their peers and the instructor. This course includes a thorough review of important grammar concepts relevant to the teaching of ESL.
Length of Program
68 classroom hours*
20 hours of observation and classroom teaching**
*The 68 classroom hours are generally completed through a 4-week program or a 6-week program. However, other formats may be used contingent upon the approval of instructor and students.
**Additional hours can be completed through special projects supervised by the instructor.
