ESL PROGRAMS

At CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE great emphasis is placed on finding the right placement level for each individual. On the first day of registration each student is given an English test ( TOEFL, Test of English as a Foreign Language) designed to measure the student's English language ability. The test result will determine the student's preliminary placement.

Placement into English as a Second Language ( ESL ) classes, according to TOEFL score:

One TOEFL test is not the only method of placement at Cambridge International College. During the first week of classes students will be retested by their teachers in class. The second test results combined with the first test and with the teacher's advice will help determine the final placement of the student. Students cannot request to participate in a course not appropriate for their level. Students can be moved up any time during the course by a teacher's recommendation.

At Cambridge International College four levels of study are provided for students who wish to master the English language.

What Do Students Learn In the Different Levels?

In all of the following levels students periodically write TOEFL tests, a standard used by most universities and colleges in North America, to assess each student's abilities and to monitor their progress.  All of the courses are designed in such a way that a marked improvements in TOEFL scores result after the completion of each level. The aim of Cambridge International College is that a student should be able to achieve a TOEFL score of 580. This is the minimum requirement for entrance into universities and colleges, and students reach this after successfully completing the Advanced Level.

Level 1:

Students placed at this level have very little knowledge of the English language.  The objective at this level is to help students gain sufficient proficiency in order to study in an English speaking environment.  In small-sized classes they learn how to express themselves in everyday situations.  Basic verbal and reading comprehension skills are established, in part through academic exercises and drills, and in part through various outside activities such as visiting the Metro Toronto Zoo, Pioneer Village, Royal Ontario Museum and the Science Centre. In class students are also taught about Canadian culture and life so that they are better prepared to understand their new environment. Many students, having completed one term of basic level are able to advance to higher levels of English study.

Level 2:

This course is designed for those students whose oral skills and knowledge may be higher than a beginner's, but, due to the lack of a strong foundation in English, they require rather intensive guidance. The class average s in size between 10 and 15 students. Besides continuing with different skills of language acquisition, students are also introduced to different academic courses by visiting such classes as Economics, Geography and Physics.

Level 3 or High Intermediate:

This course is designed to improve upon the basic language skills developed in Levels 1 and 2. Once a student reaches this level, he/she should feel comfortable with other areas of study, such as English Literature, Accounting, or Biology. The emphasis is on grammar and the development of more elaborate structures in oral and written English. The class size ranges between 20 and 25 students.  At this level students learn how to prepare oral presentations and written assignments. Students completing this course successfully would reach a TOEFL score of 500; approximately.

Level 4 or Advanced Level :

This course is designed for those students who already have a strong background in the English language, but still need extra help in achieving the level of English expected by higher academic courses and institutions. The emphasis is on helping students overcome traditional grammatical mistakes through the use of essay writing, oral debates, and through reading and analyzing a wide variety of newspaper and magazine articles, textbook materials and other media sources.