IEP Program Design
Improve your English and experience US culture and student life on a large, traditional university campus.
Levels
Students take an ELI Placement Exam on the first day of the session to determine the level for each core class. A student can be in different levels based on the tests. For example, a student can be Reading/Writing 3, Speaking/Listening 4, and Structure 2.
We do not have classes for beginners (Level 1).
Level | Student Skill Level | CEFR Level |
---|---|---|
1 | (Not offered) | A1 |
2 | elementary | A2 |
3 | low intermediate | A2/B1 |
4 | high intermediate | B1 |
5 | low advanced | B1/B2 |
6 | high advanced | B2/C1 |
When there are few students, classes may be combined.
Apply NowCore Classes
Core classes meet for a total of 20 hours per week. These are intensive courses designed to help you improve your English quickly.
Class | Levels | Hours per Week | |
---|---|---|---|
Reading/Writing | 2-6 | 9 | |
Speaking/Listening | 2-6 | 6 | |
Structure (Grammar) | 2-6 | 5 |
Culturally Speaking
Culturally Speaking is a free, optional conversation class in which ELI students meet with US students. Students meet twice a week for informal conversation, primarily about cultural topics. It is a great way to meet American and other international students.
ELI Seminars
ELI Seminars are free, optional one-hour classes offered on Friday afternoons during each IEP session.
Examples of seminar topics include the following: American/Alabama Football, American Idioms, Spelling in English, Civil Rights in Alabama, Pronunciation, and American culture. View the current schedule of seminars by visiting the ELI Seminars page.
Learning English through Popular TV Shows Seminar
Student Activities
Each session, the ELI plans a variety of activities that allow students to visit areas in Alabama and in the southeastern United States, practice their English skills, and become better acquainted with their teachers and each other. Typical student activities include movies, concerts, shopping, recreational sports, and weekend trips to nearby locations–the beach, the mountains, and cities such as Atlanta, New Orleans, and Memphis. Visit the ELI Student Activities page to view this session’s activities.
Study Center
When not in class, ELI students may use the ELI Study Center, where they can check out books, listen to audio materials, and watch videos, including popular movies. In addition, students can receive free individual instruction and assistance from qualified tutors in the ELI Study Center.
Class Schedules
For core classes, students typically have RW (Reading/Writing) and SL (Speaking/Listening) classes in the morning and STR (Structure, or Grammar) classes in the early afternoon. Some core classes have alternate meeting times.
Elective courses are scheduled in several different time slots, and Cultural Speaking courses are scheduled in the afternoons.
Sample Schedule – Fall/Spring
Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
9:00 | RW | RW | RW | ||
9:30 | RW | RW | |||
10:00 | |||||
10:30 | |||||
11:00-12:00 | SL | ||||
12:00-1:00 | Lunch | ||||
1:00-2:00 | STR | STR | STR | STR | Friday Seminar (optional) |
2:00-3:00 | Culturally Speaking (optional) | Culturally Speaking (optional) | |||
2:30-3:30 | Study Center Open | Study Center Open |
Sample Schedule – Summer
Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
9:00-10:20 | SL | ||||
10:35-12:45 | RW | ||||
12:45-1:45 | Lunch | ||||
1:45-3:15 | STR | Friday Seminar (optional) |
Notes
1) Students register from available class times each session and typically take all three core classes.
2) Core classes in all levels (Levels 2 – 6) are offered each session.