In order for our students to meet their goals quickly and effectively, the Intensive English Program offers a variety of courses and uses the latest ESL teaching techniques.

Our program has 6 levels of proficiency from basic to advanced and class size is small with an average of 12-15 students. Levels with fewer than 9 students may be combined.

The IEI’s Intensive English Programs are open to full and part-time students. Course load will be based on the student’s specific visa type.

The Intensive English Program teaches general academic English and is designed for individuals or groups who want to improve their English to meet personal, professional, and academic goals.

The Intensive English Program is a full-time curriculum of 20 hours per week. We believe that the best way for students to learn English is by taking responsibility for their own learning process. As a result, IEI classes teach students both knowledge of English and learning strategies for acquiring the different skills they need. Students participate in a wide range of activities in class that provide them with an interesting and meaningful experience.

Goals and Outcomes

We help students develop these skills:

• Giving formal presentations
• Writing research papers
• Note taking strategies
• Conversational English – both listening and speaking
• Reading
• Letter writing
• Strategies for listening to TV, radio, movies
• Computer skills such as PowerPoint
• Pronunciation
• Correct grammar usage in speaking and writing
• Vocabulary development

In all courses, we emphasize:

• Meaningful communication
• Learning by doing real-life tasks
• Integration of skills such as reading/writing, listening/speaking or reading/speaking
• Students’ responsibility for their own learning
• Learning strategies for success in skill development
• Students’ interaction with each other and American culture

Class activities often include:

• Watching videos
• Field trips
• Pair and small group discussions
• Role plays
• Working in a computer lab
• Doing group projects

In all levels, students do homework that can include listening, speaking, reading, or writing assignments. These assignments build on what students have been working on in class and enrich their learning experience.

If students begin in level 100 and don’t repeat any levels, they will finish our program in 3 academic years (fall and spring semesters). Our summer session is significantly shorter than the fall (9 weeks in summer vs 15 weeks in fall and spring). As a result, students should not expect to progress to the next level after taking the summer session. Students can repeat any level up to 3 times and stay at the IEI for up to 6 years.

Special Group Programs

We also work with international universities, businesses, educational agencies, and other University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign units to customize courses for groups of students or professionals with specific English needs. Learn more about Special Group Programs.