100 Level–Lower Elementary

G100L Grammar
In this class, learners will write sentences using simple present and past tense. Learners will understand basic sentence structure, word order in English, and use nouns and verbs in sentences.

This class is paired with Writing 100. Students will have the same teacher for both courses.

W100L Writing
In this class, learners will write simple and compound sentences. Learners will write short paragraphs (5-7 sentences) about familiar topics and use writing mechanics like capitalization, punctuation, and indentation.

This class is paired with Grammar 100. Students will have the same teacher for both courses.

R100L Reading
In this course, students will begin to read ESL beginner passages of 200-300 words, understand and use vocabulary, and respond to questions about the readings. Learners will also be able to express ideas and opinions about the reading passages.  

SL10L  Speaking/Listening
In this class, students will practice speaking and listening for everyday situations. Students will give simple presentations and speak on a variety of topics such as daily activities, plans, likes and dislikes, and past experiences. Students will also use listening strategies to improve their listening comprehension. In addition, students will develop their pronunciation, including English rhythm, intonation, consonant sounds, and vowel sounds.

 
200 Level–Upper Elementary

G200L Grammar
This is a high-beginner grammar course. In this class, students will form sentences using present, past, future, and present-progressive verbs. Learners will use grammatical vocabulary to explain simple, compound, and complex sentences. Learners will use correct word order and identify parts of speech such as nouns, verbs, articles, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions, and comparative adjectives and adverbs.

This class is paired with Writing 200. Students will have the same teacher for both courses.

W200L Writing
In this class, students will write simple and compound sentences and be able to add information to sentences. Students will write texts for social purposes such as emails, as well as short paragraphs about familiar topics. Students will use correct writing mechanics and formatting such as capitalization, punctuation, indentation, and margins.

This class is paired with Grammar 200. Students will have the same teacher for both courses.

R200L Reading
In this class, students will develop strategies, skills, and vocabulary for reading ESL high-beginner passages on different topics. Students will develop reading skills such as making predictions; identifying the topic, main idea and major details; and using pictures and context to understand vocabulary. Students will respond to questions about the readings, make sentences using key vocabulary, and express their opinions about the topics.

SL20L  Speaking/Listening
In this class, students will practice listening and speaking for everyday conversation as well as more abstract conversational situations such as comparing cultures. Students will give simple presentations and participate in speaking tasks using simple present, past and future tenses. Students will also use basic listening strategies to understand ESL-beginner listening passages. Learners will develop and practice American English pronunciation using rhythm, intonation, consonant, and vowel sounds.

 
300 Level–Lower Intermediate

G300L Grammar
In this lower-intermediate grammar class, students will understand and use specific grammar structures at the word and sentence levels. Students will use oral and written communication, focusing on progressive and perfect tenses, modals, count and non-count nouns, pronouns, articles, and comparisons.

This class is paired with Writing 300. Students will have the same teacher for both courses.

W300L Writing
In this class, students will write different types of paragraphs (process, descriptive, narrative, and opinion) using simple, compound, and complex sentences. Students will add information to sentences and combine sentences, as well as link ideas with transition words and dependent clauses. Students will improve their understanding of the steps of the writing process and use writing mechanics such as capitalization, punctuation, indentation, and margins.

This class is paired with Grammar 300. Students will have the same teacher for both courses.

R300L Reading
In this class, learners will develop strategies, skills, and vocabulary for reading ESL low-intermediate passages of 400-600 words. Students will make predictions before reading, identify topics, main ideas, and major details of a passage, and understand vocabulary in context. Learners will also identify signal words and common organizational structures, give simple summaries, and compare two ideas about the same topic.

SL30L Speaking/Listening
In this class, students will practice speaking and listening related to practical conversational situations, as well as formal interactions such as listening and responding to simple ESL lectures on academic topics. Students will give 3-5 minute presentations and participate in a variety of speaking tasks using simple present, past, and future tenses. In addition, students will develop listening strategies for ESL-intermediate passages on practical and abstract topics. Students will develop their pronunciation including American English word stress, reductions, sentence stress, rhythm, intonation patterns, and consonant and vowel sounds.

 
400 Level-Intermediate

G400L Grammar
In this intermediate grammar course, students will use specific grammatical structures at the word and sentence level, including all verb tenses and active and passive voice. Students will produce all possible sentence types.

This class is paired with Writing 400. Students will have the same teacher for both courses.

W400L Writing
In this class, students will compose different types of paragraphs such as opinion, descriptive, comparative, and cause-effect, using a variety of sentence types. Students will also improve writing mechanics and formatting for both paragraphs and essays. Learners will write a classification essay and follow the steps involved in the writing process.

This class is paired with Grammar 400. Students will have the same teacher for both courses.

R400L Reading
In this class, students will read for general purposes and develop the skills, strategies, and vocabulary necessary to read ESL intermediate passages and non-simplified passages of 500-700 words. Students will make predictions before reading; identify the topic, main idea and details of a passage; and use context to understand vocabulary. Students will also use signal words, identify organizational patterns, make inferences, and understand pronoun reference.

SL40L Speaking/Listening

In this class, students will practice speaking and listening for practical and academic conversational situations. Students will also listen and respond to simple ESL lectures on academic topics. Learners will give 4-6 minute presentations and participate in a variety of speaking tasks using simple present, past, and future tenses. Students will use American English pronunciation including word stress, reductions, sentence stress, rhythm, intonation patterns, consonant and vowel sounds, and thought groups.

 
500 Level–Upper Intermediate

G500L Grammar
In this course, students will study sophisticated grammar structures such as adjective clauses, adverb clauses, noun clauses, and reduced clauses. Students will also study modals, pronouns, subject-verb agreement, and verb tenses. Learners will be assessed on their ability to recognize correct/incorrect structures, edit for errors, and also produce the forms in written and oral communication.

R500L Reading
In this course, students will read for U.S. university classes and admission tests by reading texts similar to U.S. academic textbooks. Students will develop skills, strategies, and vocabulary for reading short and long passages, as well as develop summarizing, critical thinking, and written/oral discussion abilities. Students will practice extensive reading, which includes note-taking and comprehension of main ideas, as well as intensive reading of short passages, which is seen on the TOEFL exam. Students in this class will identify main ideas, use text organization to improve comprehension, understand the writer’s purpose, and distinguish between main ideas and minor details. In addition, they will use context clues to understand new vocabulary, find clues to understand how writers develop their arguments, and make inferences about the reading passages.

This class is paired with Writing 500. Students will have the same teacher for both courses. Students must take both courses.

SL50L Speaking/Listening
In this course, students will prepare for the speaking and listening demands of U.S. university undergraduate classes and admission tests. Students will develop listening skills and note-taking strategies in order to understand ESL academic lectures and interviews as well as short news broadcasts and real academic lectures. Learners will also improve pronunciation skills and increase their vocabulary.

W500L Writing
This course helps students prepare for the writing demands of U.S. university classes and admission tests by developing the skills necessary to write coherent paragraphs and essays. Students will summarize and write about the passages from the Reading 500 class. In addition, they will use APA style citation and develop understanding of the steps of the writing process in order to write in-class and at-home essays.

This class is paired with Reading 500. Students will have the same teacher for both courses. Students must take both courses.

 
600 Level–Lower Advanced

G600L Grammar
In this advanced grammar course, learners will develop an understanding of which grammar structures are more sophisticated, such as stative passive, complement noun clauses, and unreal conditionals. Students will apply these structures to their writing and speaking. Learners will also develop an understanding of their own grammatical problems in speaking and writing and then learn how to monitor and edit for those specific problems.  

R600L Reading
In this course, learners will read for U.S. university classes and admissions tests by reading authentic college-level material. Students will improve their summarizing, critical thinking, and written/oral discussion abilities that are necessary for both extensive and intensive reading. Learners will analyze main ideas, text structure, and purpose for extensive reading, as well as analyze details and determine the meaning of unknown vocabulary with intensive reading assignments. Learners will also improve post-reading skills such as summarizing and synthesizing texts in written and oral form.

This class is paired with Writing 600. Students will have the same teacher for both courses. Students must take both courses.

SL60L Speaking/Listening
In this course, students will continue to prepare for speaking and listening demands of U.S. university classes and admission tests by engaging in speaking activities that simulate real social and academic situations and assignments. Students will take notes on simulated academic lectures and interviews, as well as authentic newscasts and lectures. In addition, learners will improve pronunciation skills and vocabulary knowledge.

W600L Writing
In this course, students will prepare for the writing demands of U.S. university classes and admission tests by writing integrated TOEFL-like essays, summary/response assignments, and a research-based persuasive essay. Students will write both in-class and at-home essays and assignments in a manner that is both linguistically and conceptually sophisticated. Students will also continue to use APA-style citation in order to avoid plagiarism and appropriately refer to texts. Students will follow the steps of writing including gathering, analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating information, as well as composing and revising their writing through multiple drafts.

This class is paired with Reading 600. Students will have the same teacher for both courses. Students must take both courses.

 
700 Level–Upper Advanced

R700L Academic Reading and Discussion
In this course, students will prepare for the reading demands of U.S. university classes by reading authentic college-level textbook chapters, academic research articles, and literary non-fiction texts. Students will develop note-taking skills, critical thinking, time management, intensive reading skills, independent research skills, and academic vocabulary. Students will improve both their extensive and intensive reading ability. They will also improve written and oral discussion skills such as evaluating and analyzing new ideas from different writers’ points of view, synthesizing information from multiple texts, hypothesizing writers’ responses, and justifying positions using evidence from multiple texts.

This class is paired with Writing 700. Students will have the same teacher for both courses. Students must take both courses.

L700L Listening
In this course, students will continue to prepare for the listening demands of U.S. university classes by developing listening and note-taking skills. Students will listen to academic lectures, interviews, news broadcasts, and documentaries on a wide range of topics. In addition, students will expand overall communicative effectiveness and increase their vocabulary.

S700L Speaking
In this class, students will learn how to deliver clear, well-organized, culturally appropriate academic presentations. They will also manage and participate in academic discussions based on two or more academic readings per week. Students will work to improve aspects of their pronunciation that may affect the overall clarity and fluency of their speech, as well as enhance non-verbal communication skills. The final project is a formal academic presentation based on the student’s research.

W700L Writing
In this course, students will prepare for the writing demands of U.S. university classes by writing academic emails, stand-alone academic research paragraphs, and an analytical research paper. Students will increase their ability to write in a linguistically and conceptually sophisticated manner and improve the ability to write texts that conform to readers’ expectations. Students will utilize information from multiple sources and continue to use APA style citation in order to avoid plagiarism and refer to texts. Students will also enhance their editing and revision skills. 

This class is paired with Reading 700. Students will have the same teacher for both courses. Students must take both courses.

 

Specific Purposes Track Courses

Admissions 101

In this course you will learn about the process of applying to an American University.  You will gain a better understanding of how the U.S. higher education system works and how the application process differs depending on the program you are applying to. You will develop your own plan for finding the right program for you and for identifying the steps of the admission process.

Advanced Grammar 2

In this course, you will review and improve your ability to use complex grammar structures in English, including sentence patterns, contextually-appropriate pronoun use, adverb placement, adjective and noun clauses, parallel structure, phrasal modifiers, subjunctive forms, and conditionals. You will learn to identify the differences between the tone of written/academic (formal) and spoken/non-academic (informal) forms of English. You will have extensive practice using these in both written and spoken assignments.

American Literature

In this course, you will enhance your understanding of U.S. culture by reading samples of classic and contemporary North American short stories, poems, plays, and novel excerpts.  You will develop your ability to read, discuss, and analyze the settings, plots, and characters of various works while identifying the use of literary terms and devices.  By independently and conscientiously completing at least three hours of weekly reading and vocabulary homework, you will increase both your active and passive vocabulary that may be encountered on standardized tests, in university classes, and in casual conversations.  You will also see how some works of famous American literature have been brought to life on TV, in films, and on the stage.

American Movies

In this course, you will look at the American contribution to several film genres.  You will start by learning several of the essential elements of film, and then you’ll move on to a close consideration of four film genres.  At the end of the class, you and members of your group will remake a scene from a movie to interpret how a particular film uses the elements of a particular genre.

Blogging for a World Audience

In this blogging course, you will experiment with sharing your unique vision by writing expressively for your classmates and an internet audience. You will have the opportunity to communicate your views in English as you build a blog based on the mission statement of your own making. In addition to developing a guiding metaphor (a picture or photo that reinforces your mission statement), you will learn basic blogging skills such as linking to resources, uploading photos, monitoring statistics, and selecting suitable colors and images for the overall blog design. You will be expected to read and comment on each other’s blogs, perform your work orally, and possibly record and post your audio or video recordings.

Business Case Analyses

In this course, you will focus on the case method for business.  You will learn the five steps in case analysis and learn how to analyze a case individually and in your learning teams.  You will also develop the ability to continually initiate on case analysis, learn the process of design thinking, and complete a prototype of a design in a competitive classroom. As much of the work in this course is group work, you will be expected to participate actively in your group not just by showing up but contributing in real and tangible ways. 

Communication Skills through Online Gaming

This online gaming course is designed to help you develop various aspects of your communication ability in English while enjoying an exciting and entertaining gaming experience. This course targets all four communication skills using the content provided by the popular, free-to-download League of Legends gaming software.   The course targets the four skills in the following manner: for reading through reading comprehension, vocabulary learning, and register awareness (the League of Legends lore is replete with literary elements and register-specific discourse features; in writing you will improve your ability to  summarize describe, and paraphrase; in speaking develops student’s critical thinking skills as students discuss gaming strategies as well as social issues relating video-gaming with violence and addiction; and in listening comprehension, you will listen to tutorial instructions and take part in real-time game play against their peers.

Cross-Cultural Communication

This courses will introduce several theories and frameworks that learners can use to understand and improve their communication with people from cultures different than their own. Learners will engage in practical, hands-on application of techniques and strategies to develop their confidence and abilities when participating in intercultural exchanges.

Current Events

Are you interested in what’s going on locally, domestically, globally? If you are, this class will help you to improve all your language skills—reading, speaking, listening, and writing—by concentrating on one or more current topics, including ones selected by you and your classmates. You will read newspaper and magazine stories on these topics, listen to and watch news reports, and visit web sites.  You will keep a personal blog on the topics that will be used to guide classroom discussion and your projects.  As part of the course, you will also learn how to interview and report news events (video), as well as write opinion columns, reviews and feature articles (newsletter). Throughout the course, you will work on editing the news videos you record and, at the end of the course, we will select your best videos and post them onto the Language Institute’s official YouTube channel.

English for Environmental Studies   

In this course you will learn about topics in environmental sustainability including transportation, energy, recycling and reuse, water and land use and on how organizations in Atlanta are responding to these environmental challenges. In addition to studying about both environmental issues and initiatives, you will hear guest speakers from GA Tech and local environmental organizations and participate in a volunteer event. Organizations could include: Atlanta Beltline, Atlanta Clean and Beautiful, Chattahoochee River Keeper, GA Conservancy, GA Tech Green Buzz, Trees Atlanta.   

GRE Writing Plus

In this course, you will develop writing knowledge, skills, and strategies that are essential for improving your performance in both sections of the Analytical Writing section of the GRE.  You will also develop critical thinking and reasoning skills and strategies that are the necessary starting point for being able to produce written texts like those required by the GRE.  You will develop the following abilities:  analyze writing prompts; identify potential writing positions within those prompts; strategically select the writing position that best suits your own knowledge base and the time constraints of the task; quickly plan an essay that includes specific, and well thought out examples and details; compose a four paragraph essay that is designed to allow writers to demonstrate all of the skills required by the GRE; and evaluate essays in relation to GRE criteria. 

Leadership by Design/Team Leadership

In this course, you will focus on three areas: project management, leadership skills and training and team building.  The ultimate goal of the course is for students to develop skills in project management, leadership and team building and use those skills in creating clubs for students at the Language Institute to participate in.   Students will create and run a club.  You will learn the skills necessary in project management including recruiting members, creating a charter/vision for the club, holding meetings and implementing activities for the club.    Through teamwork, you will develop your leadership and collaboration skills.

Service Learning

This is an upper-level service-learning English course. ‘Service-learning’ is an established university strategy that enhances student learning while meeting community-identified needs. For English language learning, service-learning provides a workplace setting for applying language skills, as well as knowledge and appreciation of a local Atlanta community and its residents.  In this course you will examine causes and effects of poverty for children in the U.S. and you will work with children and staff at Boys and Girls Clubs USA to identify and support the learning goals for a special learning support program for children.

TOEFL Preparation Plus

This is a course designed to prepare students for the IBT TOEFL exam. There will be an overview of all skills, question types and ample opportunities to practice each skill area. Tips and strategies will also be examined for each skill area. 

Vocabulary Development for Standardized Tests

Vocabulary acquisition is essential for students to succeed academically and to score well on standardized tests. The purpose of this course will be to enhance your vocabulary knowledge specifically related to test vocabulary and to develop skills for how to answer vocabulary questions on standardized tests. You will be exposed to 400 words that have been researched and found to be most common on standardized tests. You will learn pre-test strategies for how you can acquire vocabulary like by learning parts of speech and homonyms. You will also acquire during-test strategies for how you can answer vocabulary test questions when you know or do not know the word by utilizing context clues and inferences, for example. Lastly, you will increase your awareness of the various types of vocabulary questions.

Writing More Creatively: Using Literary Devices

The purpose of this course will be to develop skills for how to be a more creative writer.  First, you will learn to define and identify literary devices. You will work on identifying these devices in various contexts, such as in poems, songs, short stories, news articles, research papers, and more. After successfully identifying and understanding each device, you will work on using them. You will apply these devices to all different types of writing, from developing creative writing (like poems) all the way to enhancing introductions for academic papers. This course is considered an integrated skills course; you will be expected to listen, speak, read, and write.


 
Electives 

GMAT / GRE Preparation 
Advanced: 600-700 Level Students
Learn strategies for writing the issue and argument essays on the GMATand GRE as well as how readers score essays. Particular emphasis is placed on how to approach the various types of questions for the argument essay. Learn to brainstorm the argument and support your analysis while developing appropriate grammar structures, and analyzing models of argument essays. No required text.

Word Power: Building Test Vocabulary
Intermediate - Advanced: 400-700 Level Students
Prepare for vocabulary questions on important standardized college entrance tests such as the SAT and GRE. Study word roots and parts to figure out meanings of words you have never seen before. Some class time is devoted to practicing and choosing vocabulary in realistic test settings.

iBT TOEFL Preparation: Reading Strategies & Practice
In this course you will get an overview of the types of questions you can expect to see on the reading section of the iBT TOEFL. The instructor will introduce each type of question and then give you strategies to answer the questions. You will spend class time learning to identify question types and practicing strategies to answer the questions under timed conditions. You will also learn strategies to increase your reading speed.

iBT TOEFL Preparation: Speaking Strategies & Practice
In this class, you will get an overview of the three kinds of tasks that make up the speaking section of the iBT TOEFL You will gain a better understanding of how the answers to this section of the test are scored and learn strategies that will help you improve your speaking score. You will be given the opportunity to practice these strategies, and the instructor will help you identify ways that you can improve your responses to the questions.

iBT TOEFL Preparation: Writing Strategies & Practice
In this class you will learn about the two kinds of writing tasks on the writing section for the iBT TOEFL. You will gain a better understanding of how responses to these tasks are scored and learn strategies that will help you improve your writing score. You will be given the opportunity to practice these strategies and the instructor will help you identify ways that you can improve your responses to the questions. You will not be doing most of the writing in class but will be expected to do some writing outside of class. Class time will be spent on strategies and feedback.

iBT TOEFL Preparation: Listening Strategies & Practice
In this class, you will learn about the two types of listening materials found on the listening section of the iBT TOEFL. You will also learn about the different question types on the test and learn strategies to answer these questions. You will practice answering the different types of questions, including main idea and detail questions, speaker attitude and purpose questions, and synthesizing and inferencing questions. You'll also develop the important skills of taking more effective notes by identifying organizational patterns and discourse clues.

iBT TOEFL Preparation: Reading Skills & Practice
Improve your reading skills. Practice reading academic passages and answering questions that measure your ability to understand and analyze the meaning of the passages. Practice multiple-choice question types to measure your ability to understand main ideas, details, inferences, discourse, and vocabulary. Practice new question types in which you demonstrate what you have learned or read by completing a table or a narrative summary, or by choosing a correct paraphrase of a reading.

iBT TOEFL Preparation: Speaking Skills & Practice
Work on improving your speaking skills. Practice three kinds of speaking tasks. In the first task, you are asked to state explain and support your answer to a question using personal knowledge and experience. In the second task, you are asked to read a short passage and listen to a short talk, then answer a question combining information from the talk and reading passage. In the third task, you listen to a short lecture or conversation, and are asked to summarize key ideas from the talks. Work on your ability to use clear, smooth, sustained speech for overall intelligibility and language use that demonstrates control of grammar and word choice, and organization.

iBT TOEFL Preparation: Writing Skills & Practice
Work on improving your writing skills by learning about the two kinds of writing required on the iBT TOEFL. In the first writing task, you are asked to respond to a question using personal knowledge and experience. In the second task, you are asked to read an academic passage and listen to a lecture. Then, you answer a question discussing the key points in the lecture and explain how they relate to the information in the reading passage. Outside of class, you may work on writing essays, which the instructor will score.

iBT TOEFL Preparation: Listening Skills & Practice
Work on improving your listening skills. Practice listening to short and long conversations, academic discussions, and academic lectures. Focus on note-taking skills, idiomatic vocabulary use, and grammar structures that are typically found in spoken English. Practice new question types that measure your ability to understand a speaker's attitude or meaning.

Becoming More Fluent: Using Dramatic Activities to Improve Speaking 
Effective communication is more than just grammar; the way you use your voice, face, posture, or gestures affects the message you are sending. Many second language speakers need to improve their nonverbal skills. This course will help you express yourself as fully as you would like to. Dress comfortably in clothes that allow you to move and sit on the floor. In this course, which makes use of dramatic activities, you will work in a large group, smaller groups, and in pairs. Explore different ways of communicating through vocal exercises, rhythm practice, articulation exercises, improvisations, and imagination exercises. On the last day of class, you will perform a final monologue or skit.

The Rhythm of English: Improving Your Pronunciation 
Get a real feeling for American English pronunciation by listening to songs and singing along.  Experiencing the language in songs gives you a true sense of how vowels, consonants, stress, and intonation combine to give English its distinctive rhythm. The goal of this class is to help you use more vocabulary and be more confident when you speak.

 
Short Courses

 

BEGINNING TO INTERMEDIATE COURSES

ESL: Basic Writing
In this course, students will practice writing for everyday personal communication by writing emails, blogs, and short letters. Students will improve the organization of their writing and practice using common words, expressions, and grammar structures seen in everyday written communication.     

ESL: Dramatic English
Improve your overall speaking fluency by participating in skits and improvisations. Overcome your fear of speaking by taking on the personality of different characters in short monologues, dialogues, and improvisational skits. Attention is given to nonverbal language and voice projection exercises. By the end of the class, you should feel more confident about your ability to communicate orally in English.

ESL: Everyday Conversation
In this course, students will improve their communication skills for everyday life. They will practice common words and expressions used in personal conversations and also improve pronunciation skills to help listeners understand their message. Students will participate in role-plays to develop both their abilities and confidence in everyday conversational situations.

ESL: Grammar Basics
In this course, students will review the basic rules of spoken and written English grammar. They will practice applying these rules in real, communicative activities that include writing and speaking with classmates. 

ESL: Reading Club
In this course, students will read short literary texts such as short stories and abridged novels.  Students will develop reading strategies that are focused on reading for meaning and making inferences. They will learn how to discuss and analyze literature using concepts such as character, plot, setting, theme, and point of view. 

ESL: Topics in the News
In this course, students will develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in English while learning about current events in the news. Students will read articles, watch videos, write brief news articles, and complete various activities to increase vocabulary and improve grammar.

 

 

INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED COURSES

ESL: American Literature
In this course, you will learn some basic approaches for analyzing literature that are common in American literature classes.  You will also learn the general characteristics of Southern literature.  You will read and discuss various texts that are related to or representative of Southern literature.  You will develop your reading, speaking, writing and critical thinking skills through your participation in class activities and assignments.

ESL: 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 Coke and one to CNN—as well as complete one independent field trip.   

ESL: American Pronunciation
In this course, students will learn which aspects of their pronunciation may be interfering with how well listeners can understand them. Students will practice the physical processes required to make specific sounds, as well as thought groups, intonation, linking, and stress in their pronunciation.  Students will learn strategies and techniques that they can use to make their pronunciation more clear and comprehensible to listeners.

ESL: 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.

ESL: Better Writing
Practice making your vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation more accurate in your writing. Learn various techniques for sentence combination and word-order variations. The instructor will help you identify weaknesses in your writing and provide feedback on how to improve these areas. Learn how to recognize differences in formal and informal writing in terms of vocabulary, grammatical structures, and punctuation.

ESL: Building Stronger Vocabulary
Understand and use idioms and expressions in everyday conversation in English. Listen to the vocabulary in authentic contexts and learn to incorporate some expressions into your spoken English. You will also be exposed to vocabulary that appears on standardized college entrance tests, such as the SAT and GRE. Study word roots and parts to help you figure out meanings of unfamiliar words. Some class time will be devoted to choosing vocabulary in realistic test settings.

ESL: Business Case Studies
In this course, students will learn basic techniques for analyzing and writing about business cases. They will learn the characteristics of different types of business cases and business case analyses. Students will also improve their listening and speaking skills by participating in interactive lectures and discussion activities related to reading and analyzing business cases.

ESL: Business Communication
In this course, students will improve their speaking and writing skills to help develop the personal presence necessary for success in business.  Students will learn business vocabulary, write short business memos and reports, give a presentation, and discuss case studies about employees, products, and customers. 

ESL: iBT TOEFL Preparation
In this course, students will learn skills and strategies to help them prepare for and take the TOEFL exam. Students will gain an understanding of the requirements of the four sections of the exam. Then they will practice answering sample questions from each section. The instructor will provide feedback on how well students perform on the various tasks required by the test.

ESL: Improving Oral Skills
In this course, students will improve their oral skills by learning about current topics in the news.  Students will read and listen to news sources and then participate in and lead discussions and debates on “hot” topics that are relevant to the US and the world. Students will receive feedback to help them improve both verbal and nonverbal communication skills throughout the course. 

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

ESL: Movie Making: An Integrated Language Skills Course
Practice all the language skills–speaking, listening, writing, and reading–while making a class movie. Learn the basics of using movie-editing software and make a Web site for the film. The movie will be about a topic of interest to students. Past topics include the Cherokee Indians and the city of Atlanta. Research your topic of interest and learn film techniques. You present information on film while visiting actual topic-related sites. As a final project, you will use your research and video clips to create a short documentary film and a live Web site.

ESL: Preparation for GRE Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning
In this course, you will learn strategies to improve your scores on the Quantitative and Verbal sections of the GRE exam. You will improve your ability to analyze relationships among parts of sentences and better understand the structure of a text and how the parts of the text relate to one another.   You will also review the basic mathematical concepts tested on the GRE including algebra, geometry and data analysis. The course will help familiarize you with the types of questions found on the GRE quantitative and verbal reasoning sections.

The textbooks you need to buy for this course:

Barron's NEW GRE, 19th Edition | Buy online

Barron's 6 GRE Practice Tests | Buy online

ESL: Preparation for IELTS
In this course, students will learn the skills needed to improve their scores on the IELTS test.  Students will learn strategies for the four sections of the test: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

The textbook you need to buy for this course:

Barron's IELTS with Audio CDs, 3rd Edition  | ISBN: 978-1-4380-7278-4 |  Buy online

ESL: Professional and Technical Writing
In this course, students will compose and practice various types of professional writing such as emails, business letters, resumes, and blogs. Students will also learn and use vocabulary and grammar forms that are essential for maintaining appropriate formality within a professional setting. 

ESL: Public Speaking
In this course, students will learn how to give effective presentations to American audiences. They will give different types of short presentations and develop their understanding of how both the body and the voice are used in effective oral presentations.

ESL: SAT Preparation
In this course,  you will learn strategies to improve your scores on the Critical Reading and Math sections of the SAT exam. You will learn how to answer sentence completion questions by expanding your vocabulary and  understanding of sentence structure and practice reading comprehension questions, including inference and tone. You will also review basic and advanced math concepts including numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, statistics, and probability.

The textbook you need to buy for this course:

Barron's 6 SAT Practice Tests, by Wolff and Geer ISBN: 978-0764147234 | Buy online

 
Graduate Preparation Workshops

Clearer Pronunciation
Advanced Level Only
Identify parts of your speech that interfere with your overall intelligibility.Work on difficult sounds, stress and rhythm patterns, and intonation. Get extensive individual feedback and learn strategies to help you monitor your pronunciation.

GTA Training Course for International Students
Advanced Level Only; For graduate teaching assistants
Practice teaching before your teaching assistant begins. Get tips on how to present effective lectures, how to handle one-on-one interaction with students, and how to create a more interactive classroom atmosphere. You will be video-taped and get feedback on your practice teaching sessions. At the end of this course, you receive an assessment of your readiness to handle a teaching assignment.

Academic Speaking
Advanced Level Only
Refine and practice your discussion and oral presentation skills in English. Work on fluency, accuracy, and appropriateness in spoken communication in English, preparing yourself to participate more effectively and confidently in class discussions and research groups. Practice academic presentation skills including organization, delivery, and use of visual aids.

Academic Writing
Advanced Level Only
Prepare to write academic papers. Identify areas of weakness in your writing that affect overall clarity. Specific areas include grammatical accuracy, organization, word choice, and documentation skills. Work on writing that is specific to your academic discipline.