General English (Levels PEP-3)

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

The Skills Enhancement Course for all first term full-time IELP students is American Culture and Academic Life (ACAL). 

American Culture and Academic Life (ACAL)

Use reading, grammar, writing, and communication skills to learn about the IELP, PSU, and Portland. Common topics include health care, safety, academic expectations, and immigration issues.

PEP LEVEL COURSES

PEP | Grammar and Writing

Learn to identify parts of speech and sentences. Study and practice the basics of capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and penmanship. Write beginning-level paragraphs using simple present tense and past tense.
 

PEP | Reading

Develop important reading, phonics, and dictionary skills using English. Practice extensive reading and learn decoding strategies to become more fluent, achieve basic comprehension, and increase vocabulary.
 

PEP | Speaking and Listening

Practice understanding and being understood in basic conversational situations. Improve skills by listening to conversations and interviews, asking and answering questions, giving information using both simple present tense and past tense, and learning word and sentence-level pronunciation.

LEVEL 1 COURSES
 

Level 1 | Grammar and Writing

Practice sentence structure and paragraph writing. Explore the form, meaning, and use of simple present, progressive, past, and future verbs.

Level 1 | Reading

Sharpen basic reading skills by building vocabulary and learning useful reading techniques. Practice reading comprehension skills such as differentiating main ideas from supporting details and examples.

Level 1 | Speaking and Listening

Develop confidence and comprehensibility in everyday social interactions. Build skills by participating in conversations, asking and responding to questions, identifying common speaking patterns, and giving presentations.

LEVEL 2 COURSES
 

Level 2 | Grammar and Writing

Discover the essentials of expanding paragraphs into longer essays by using connectors, proper organization and formatting rules. Delve deeper in grammatical structures such as perfect tenses, modals, gerunds and infinitives, and passive voice.

Level 2 | Reading

Improve reading comprehension skills, reading speed, dictionary skills, and academic vocabulary knowledge using a variety of text types.

Level 2 | Speaking and Listening

Identify information from short lectures and conversations. Practice asking and answering questions in present, past, future, and present perfect tenses. Plan and deliver short oral presentations. Continue improvement of pronunciation skills, including stress, intonation, and reductions. 

LEVEL 3 COURSES
 

Level 3 | Grammar and Writing

Enhance essay writing skills using various rhetorical styles. Strengthen grammar knowledge with practice using parallel structures, past and future perfect tenses, and clauses.

Level 3 | Reading

Develop critical reading skills with longer texts. Learn to recognize rhetorical patterns, determine the author’s purpose, and paraphrase and summarize points. Continue to expand and practice academic vocabulary.

Level 3 | Speaking and Listening

Improve understanding of academic lectures while learning efficient note-taking techniques. Advance skills needed for focused small-group discussions, impromptu speaking, and individual and group presentations.