2003-2005 - Graduate School - The University of Alabama

General InformationENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTITUTEFor the non-native speaker of English, The University of Alabama English LanguageInstitute (ELI), a part of Capstone International, offers two types of year-round Englishlanguageprograms: the Intensive English Program is designed for individuals who areseeking intensive English study, while External Programs are designed for groups whodesire highly specialized curricula. In addition, the ELI has two programs for matriculatedstudents at The University of Alabama: the International Teaching Assistant Program,which trains and evaluates international graduate teaching assistants, and the Ac a dem icSupport Program, which provides opportunities for undergraduate and graduate studentswho may want or need additional English-language instruction.Intensive English Program and Courses. The ELI Intensive English Program (IEP)is designed for individuals who need to learn English as a second language. The focusof the program is on preparing students for academic success, which is accredited bythe Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA), in un der grad u ateand grad u ate study at The University of Alabama.Six levels of study, from beginning to advanced, are available. Each level consistsof 20 hours of core classes per week; additional optional classes are also available forstudents who wish to take them. Each level of study lasts eight weeks and is available 5times per year with eight-week sessions beginning in August, October, January, March,and June. After placement testing, students may begin their English study in any oneof these sessions.Students pursuing graduate study must complete Levels 4, 5, and 6 with a GPA of 3.5.In certain cases, the Graduate School, the ELI, and the student’s academic departmentmay together grant permission for a student who has completed Level 4 or higher witha minimum GPA of 3.5 to enroll in one graduate course per semester while completingthe ELI program of study. The specifi c course must be approved by the instructor anddepartment prior to enrollment.Students who apply for admission to UA and meet the academic and fi nancial qualifications to enter the University but do not have TOEFL scores available or do not meetthe TOEFL score requirement may be given the institutional version of the TOEFL examinationupon arrival. Students who do not obtain the required minimum score on theinstitutionally administered version of the TOEFL will not be eligible to begin an academicprogram and will be required to register for full-time study in the ELI until they meet theTOEFL requirement or satisfactorily complete the ELI program as outlined above.ELI Intensive English Program courses are designed for those who require a con cen -trat ed curriculum of study in English:Structure Levels One to Six. ELI structure courses provide students with the basicgrammatical structures they will need to communicate effectively in English in four languageskill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Each structure course emphasizescommunication — both comprehension (listening and reading) and pro duc tion (speakingand writing). Structure courses meet fi ve hours per week.Spoken English Levels One to Six. ELI courses in spoken English provide studentswith the opportunity to improve their listening and speaking skills and to gain confi dencein using English to communicate orally. Students practice appropriate conversation managementskills, receive instruction on problem areas of pronunciation, and learn usefulvocabulary. These activities are carried on through a variety of classroom exercises thatfocus on the everyday situations students are likely to encounter while adjusting to lifein the United States. Spoken English courses meet fi ve hours per week.Reading/Writing Levels One to Six. ELI reading/writing curriculum is designed toprovide students with skills needed to comprehend written discourse at the college level aswell as produce written English in a variety of forms. Reading skills include un der stand ingthe main idea of a passage, understanding an author’s purpose, dis tin guish ing fact fromopinion, reading quickly, using the resources of a collegiate dictionary, and discussingwritten discourse in a relatively sophisticated manner. Writing exercises are designedto stimulate self-expression and personal involvement in writing. With attention to each77