Beginning to Intermediate

Business Communication

You will practice speaking and writing skills to develop the personal presence necessary for success in business. You will learn how to communicate more effectively in professional situations, including meetings, social events, and presentations. You will also learn how to compose at least three different types of professional business communication.

Everyday Conversation

You will develop your vocabulary and practice communicating in short, everyday personal conversations. These may include talking about your daily life, or role playing what to say at a restaurant, shopping, at the doctor’s office and more. You will develop your fluency and confidence in everyday situations.

Grammar Basics

You will review and improve spoken and written English grammar. You will practice applying grammar rules in real, communicative activities that include writing and speaking with classmates. The course will cover present, past, and future verb tenses, in addition to prepositions, nouns and articles and other grammar lessons.

Reading Club

You will read short, entertaining texts such as short stories, a short novel, lyrics and articles. You will develop vocabulary and reading skills by using strategies such as understanding inferences. In groups, we will discuss characters, story/plot, and ideas presented in the readings. Purchase of a book (digital or paper) is required.

Talk More 1

Do you want to feel more comfortable speaking in English? In this class, you will have fun expressing yourself orally while working in pairs, small and large groups, or alone. Using the improvisational system of InterPlay, you are invited to speak without preparation and to make things up. In addition to expanding your story telling abilities, you will learn other ways to communicate with others using movement, voice, and stillness. Whether you are shy or outgoing, you can learn how to succeed at getting your message across more effectively and enjoy the process!

Topics in the News

You and your classmates will choose news stories and topics that we will cover in class. You will read articles and watch video clips of various news stories and discuss them. You will learn and use new vocabulary that relates to the topics we study, and we will review vocabulary with group activities and games. As a final project, students will work in groups to create their own news video stories.

High Intermediate to Advanced

American Pronunciation

In this course, you will learn what aspects of your pronunciation make it difficult for North Americans to understand you. You will learn strategies to improve your English pronunciation. We will practice how to make specific sounds, intonation, linking and stress. Other activities will help you eliminate your problem areas.

American Popular Culture

In this course, students will learn about American popular culture through reading, speaking, writing, listening, and visiting sites in Atlanta. This class will be taught in a manner that is similar to a typical academic seminar in US universities, giving students an opportunity to learn more about the teaching and learning practices of typical university classrooms. Students will also participate in two in-class field trips — one to the World of Coca-Cola and one to CNN — as well as complete one independent field trip. Students will pay their own entrance fees for class field trips, and the total cost of those may be about $30.

American Studies

You will use the skills of writing, reading, speaking, and listening in English as you learn about the city of Atlanta. Course content focuses on Atlanta from a historical and contemporary perspective, from slavery and the Civil War to Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement to the headquarters of Coca-Cola, Home Depot, and CNN, and a vibrant music scene. You will read as well as listen to lectures and watch movie segments about the city. You spend part of the class time visiting important sites in Atlanta and keep a written and oral journal of your discoveries. Please note that students may also participate in in-class field trips. Students will pay their own entrance fees for class field trips, and the total cost of those may be about $30.

Better Writing

In this course, you will learn writing skills and strategies that are necessary for non-academic types of writing. You will practice writing for both formal situations like service requests/complaint or personal responses to everyday situations (e.g., condolences, thank you’s, replies to invitations), and informal situations like Facebook postings or Tweets, text messages and blogs. As part of this course, you will review vocabulary, grammar, and writing techniques that are useful for non-academic types of writing.

Creating Your Digital Self in English

Creating and cultivating an online presence in a second language can be a challenging yet rewarding journey. This course will help you learn strategies and skills to help you build your online network, develop your writing and oral presentation skills, and connect to the global community in English. In the process, you will discover new things about yourself and explore different online platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

GRE Writing

This class will help you develop your critical thinking and analytical writing skills. You will learn how to develop complex ideas and arguments and provide coherent support for them. You will practice both the “analyze an issue” task, for which you need to construct an argument and support it and “the analyze an argument” task, for which you evaluate someone else’s argument.

IELTS Prep

In this course, you will learn the basic skills needed to improve your scores on the IELTS test. We will practice strategies for the four sections of the test: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Purchase of a textbook required.

Improving Oral Skills

In this course, you will improve your speaking and listening skills in English using current news events. Activities will include listening to news reports, studying vocabulary and speaking styles, and participating in debates and discussions. You will receive feedback on your speaking to help you focus on what to improve. You will also participate in group discussions and situational role plays.

Leadership Across Cultures

In this course, you will learn about the theoretical and practical aspects of leadership in the cross-cultural context. You will practice giving oral presentations, listen to interactive lectures on specific topics, and engage in academic discussions and hands-on activities. You will gain an appreciation of cross-cultural differences in leadership as well as enhance your personal leadership capabilities.

Professional Presentations

In this course, you will practice giving advanced-level speeches. You will practice preparing and presenting on a variety of topics using appropriate media tools. You will develop strategies specific to your strengths and weaknesses by receiving feedback from the teacher and your peers.

Professional Writing

In this course, you will practice the grammar and style needed to write several professional writing forms. These may include professional emails, resumes, cover letters, blogs, and white papers. You'll write and have your writing reviewed each class and join your classmates in activities to improve your grammar and North American voice.

Talk More 2

Do you want to feel more comfortable speaking in English? In this class, you will have fun expressing yourself orally while working in pairs, small and large groups, or alone. Using the improvisational system of InterPlay, you are invited to speak without preparation and to make things up. In addition to expanding your story telling abilities, you will learn other ways to communicate with others using movement, voice, and stillness. Whether you are shy or outgoing, you can learn how to succeed at getting your message across more effectively and enjoy the process!

TOEFL Prep

In this course, you will learn the requirements of the four sections—writing, reading, speaking and listening—of the TOEFL exam. You will practice answering sample questions from each section and receive feedback on how well you perform the various tasks required on the test. Purchase of a textbook required.