Levels of Instruction
Classes focus on language and cultural skills needed for successful university study. IELI has four levels of instruction. Each level takes one 15-week semester (or one 10-week summer session) to complete. Classes meet 18 hours per week. Level 1 is high beginning. Students entering IELI must have a basic knowledge of English in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Some classes at levels 1 and 2 are multi-level. Students who place into Level 1 repeat these classes for additional credit upon advancing to Level 2. The content of the courses varies from term-to-term.
Classes at all levels are credit bearing. Depending upon major department, undergraduate students may apply up to 36 IELI credits as elective credit towards graduation.
Statement of Philosophy
Grounded Curriculum
Knowledge is socially constructed. The role of faculty is to facilitate students' construction of knowledge of language and its use. The role of the curriculum is to guide this construction by providing tasks and opportunities relevant to students' academic goals that will allow them to continually test and verify their knowledge.
We take a holistic, integrative view that recognizes the interplay of viewpoints often labeled as cognitive, humanistic, and sociocultural.
We aim for a curriculum focused on learning and believe that all members of a classroom community learn from one another.
We strive for an open, supportive learning environment where students can explore individual interests, learn to make decisions, negotiate issues and take responsibility for their own learning.
Broad Faculty Ownership
We value the contributions of a professionally active faculty, and seek to integrate the multiple perspectives and collective expertise of the faculty through regular curriculum discussion.
A Cross-Cultural Perspective
Having an informed cross-cultural perspective will help our students interact with IELI classmates from diverse cultures, and all members of the university community.
Meeting Students' Needs
Students are more than language learners; they are people with preferences and individual goals.
Students at all levels of language proficiency can engage in scholarship, critical thinking, and problem solving.
Learners' abilities develop differentially in the various language skills. Therefore, in administering the curriculum we want students to be able to progress through the lELI program according to their individual needs and performances.
We can serve students well by helping them become independent, autonomous learners capable of functioning on their own in a university environment.
Therefore, we recognize students’ effort by allowing them to count credits earned in the IELI program towards graduation.
Courses Descriptions
Level I: High Beginning
IELI 1120 Writing I (4 credits): Focuses on sentence and paragraph writing at a low‐intermediate level. Students gather information from various sources, organize it, and present it in written form.
IELI 1160 Reading I (4 credits): Focuses on comprehension of expository texts at a high-beginning level. Emphasizes word knowledge, vocabulary development, knowledge of sentence structure, and general organization of text.
Level II: Low Intermediate
IELI 1220 Writing from Sources (4 credits): Focuses on sentence and paragraph writing at a low-intermediate level. Students gather information from various sources, organize it, and present it in written form.
IELI 1260 Reading II (4 credits): Focuses on comprehension of texts at the low-intermediate level, with an emphasis on distinguishing main ideas from supporting ideas, active reading, summarizing, and increasing vocabulary.
Multi-Level I & II
IELI 1230 Cross-Cultural Talk (3 credits): Multilevel course designed to improve oral communication through group work and one‐on‐one conversation with English language speakers. Emphasizes interactive language fluency at a high beginning level. Repeatable for credit for students who place in Level 1 on the IELI placement exam.
IELI 1240 Listening (3 credits): Multilevel listening course with the focus on conversational and informal sources. Students develop comprehension strategies. Repeatable for credit for students who place at Level 1.
IELI 2450 Topics for ESL (4 credits): This course is an introduction to contemporary topics in culture and language. It focuses on language development through content-based instruction.
Level III: Intermediate
IELI 2310 Comprehending Authentic Discourse (3 credits): Focuses on listening and note‐taking of authentic passages, such as interviews, news reports, lectures, and documentaries. Develops strategies for comprehension and organization of information.
IELI 2320 Writing from Authentic Texts (4 credits): Focuses on developing writing skills at the intermediate level, moving from the paragraph to the academic essay. Students learn to acknowledge sources and use the library and the Internet to inform their writing.
IELI 2330 Spoken Discourse and Cross-Cultural Communication (3 credits): Emphasizes interpersonal communication and academic tasks with English language speakers. Focuses on the dynamics of small-group interactions.
IELI 2360 Reading Authentic Texts (4 credits): Focuses on comprehension of academic and popular-media texts including articles from newspapers, magazines and web pages. Awareness of discourse organization and development of academic vocabulary are emphasized.
IELI 2450 Topics for ESL (4 credits): This course is an introduction to contemporary topics in culture and language. It focuses on language development through content-based instruction.
Level IV: High Intermediate - Advanced
IELI 2410 Comprehending Lecture Discourse (3 credits): Focuses and listening and note-taking of academic lectures. Develops strategies for comprehension and organization of information.
IELI 2420 Writing from Academic Sources (4 credits): Introduces academic writing to students for whom English is an additional language. Students write documented essays and reports supported by information gathered from sources, such as interviews, surveys, and academic texts.
IELI 2440 Academic Discourse (3 credits): Designed to assist students in developing oral competency, with emphasis on comprehensibility in academic presentations.
IELI 2460 Reading from Academic Sources (4 credits): Focuses on processes and strategies for a variety of academic and disciplinary genres with a special emphasis on the basic university textbook; strategies for learning from textbooks and other materials relevant to reading for academic purposes; and vocabulary study.
IELI 2470 Cross-Cultural Perspectives (4 credits): Designed to be taken by IELI students. Brings together students for a variety of ethnic backgrounds for the purpose of cultural exploration. Students examine the influence of culture on beliefs, behaviors, and values. Dual-listed with IELI 2475.
IELI 2475 Cross-Cultural Explorations (3 credits): Designed to be taken by undergraduate students who are native English speakers. Brings together students for a variety of ethnic backgrounds for the purpose of cultural exploration. Students examine the influence of culture on beliefs, behaviors, and values. Dual-listed with IELI 2470.
Course Objectives
Speaking
Listening
Reading
Writing
Topics