ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

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ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

April 3, 2020

English for Academic Purpose

The English for Academic Purposes Program (EAP) is the equivalent of American Language Academy’s Intensive English Program (IEP) given over a longer period of time. EAP is designed to offer the best learning experiences and support to English learners to meet their needs for their academic or professional purposes. This program was created for English learners who are unable to commit to a full-time program of English language study.

The EAP specializes in providing English language instruction for students who wish to attend an American university or college for their undergraduate and graduate studies. The ALA English for Academic Purposes Program graduation certificate assures that students possess the English language skills necessary to succeed at the university level.

Our EAP program gives you the flexibility of combining your other obligations with high-quality courses in academic and professional English. If you are a working adult, an English learner studying in another field beside English, or a mother with small children, this is the program for you!

EAP Overview

Method of Instruction: On Campus or Online
Prerequisites: iTEP Placement Test
Level Categories: Introduction, Foundation, Academic, Advanced Academic
Est. Completion Date: 24-36 months from the start of the program
EAP Graduation Certificate: Waives TOEFL, IELTS, or other standardized English test scores to our partner institutions
EAP-11 Duration per Level: 18 weeks (9 weeks per level section)/11 hours per week
Program Completion Requirements: Completion of Level 5B
Total number of units in EAP-11: 12 levels (units)
EAP-7.5 Duration per Level: 27 weeks (9 weeks per level section)/7.5 hours per week
Program Completion Requirements: Completion of Level 5C
Total number of units in the EAP-7.5: 18 levels (units)
Contact Admissions@ala.edu for EAP 7.5 course details.
Enrollment: Open enrollment throughout the session
Course Schedule: Morning, Afternoon, or Evening hours available

Introduction to English A-B

These courses meet the needs of English learners who have little or no English language training. In this course, you will receive a thorough introduction to the English alphabet and its sounds as well as its basic vocabulary and grammar. In the classroom you will focus on learning about the new culture you are in and how to survive in it.

The language skills you practice in class will help you carry out all the activities you need to do in the real world of the U.S. every day. You’ll be having conversations and doing role-plays with other students and solving simple problems on a team. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to read, understand, and fill out questionnaires and forms; you’ll be able to ask simple questions in shops and offices and understand the answers people give you. You’ll be able to answer the questions they ask you. You’ll also have your first experiences taking tests that look like university tests and doing homework!

Levels 1A-B, 2A-B, 3A-B

During your courses at these levels you will work towards becoming fluent in everyday social English. You will develop your listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills as they are used in the real world. You’ll be able to participate in English conversations about your family and friends, educational background, work experience, daily routines, hobbies, and interests. You’ll be able to read and talk about short books of fiction and nonfiction. You’ll be able to understand and discuss short news and entertainment programs and write about all these topics in English.

In the classroom you’ll be involved in partner and group activities to practice real-life language. You’ll participate in conversations, role- plays, and longer, more complicated simulations of everyday situations. You’ll be part of team problem-solving activities which require the use of all four language skills as well as critical thinking skills and which force you to depend on the other members of your team. After your practice in the classroom, you’ll go out into the community and use your skills to observe and interview people and participate in their projects. Finally, you’ll bring back what you’ve learned and share it with other students at ALA.

Throughout these levels you will begin to learn about and practice the kinds of academic and professional work you will be doing when you finish your English language learning. Level 3 is the bridge which connects social language to academic and professional language. At this level you will continue to improve your everyday social English and begin to apply all your language skills to academic and work-like situations. You will start to learn how to listen to, understand, and take notes during situations like a university classroom lecture or a professional work meeting. You’ll start learning how to write an academic paper or a report for work. You’ll start reading more complicated short articles about academic subjects and workplace issues and you’ll learn how to organize and give oral presentations about these topics to a large group. By the end of Level 3, you’ll be ready to start our Academic English courses.

Levels 1A-B, 2A-B, 3A-B

Level 6, AUPP Track, Test Preparation Track

Level 6 is an optional course for ALA graduates who would like to continue their studies while awaiting entry into their undergraduate or graduate program. In this course, academic English language skills are taught and practiced using authentic college-level content-based materials and task- and project-based activities. You will be held responsible for your English learning and asked to reflect on how the language and academic skills you are practicing are applicable to your chosen field of study. The course has two parts.

Academic Skills Course: All students take an English course on mastering the academic skills necessary for success in an American college or university. Course topics include: tips on navigating the college system; time management techniques; the most frequent types of college tests and exams; test-taking strategies and ways of overcoming test anxiety; how to read and learn from a college textbook; the most common types of writing assignments ; the major characteristics and values of the American university environment; appropriate and successful ways of holding an English conversation and interacting with professors, advisors, and fellow students. English classes in this course are conducted face to face by an ALA English teacher on campus and meet nine hours a week.

AUPP Track

American Universities Pathway Program (AUPP) is the second part of the Level 6 course. Students take one or more online college courses. AUPP courses provide students with college credits which can then be transferred to many colleges and universities. Courses are offered through Tiffin University and Rio Salado Community College and are the equivalent of a semester’s course work. Both are regionally accredited postsecondary institutions. ALA requires students to attend nine hours of individual coaching on ALA’s campus and meet with a mentor who functions as their guide to academic success.

TOEFL, IELTS, or GRE Track

Students take a TOEFL, IELTS, or GRE prep course taught by an ALA English teacher in a face to face format nine hours a week. Additional online course material and practice tests are a component of the class. The courses review test content in an enjoyable, accessible way and give students feedback on what their strengths and weaknesses are. They also present and practice strategies for performing well on each section of the tests. Individual tutoring is available for students who are experiencing difficulties understanding the course content.

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