Program

Objectives 

• Prepare students to speak and interact comfortably in English without glaring deficiencies calling attention to their non-native speaker status
• Help learners improve all skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) in order to perform successfully in degree-seeking programs at U.S. universities, in short-term study programs, or for personal satisfaction
• Orient students to North American culture and society outside the classroom, on campus, and in a typical U.S. community

EELI is an Intensive English Program that prepares students for study within a university context. Graduates from the Program are admitted into Eastern Kentucky University undergraduate studies without a TOEFL score required. EELI does not train students for taking the TOEFL; however, study skills and test taking skills play an important part in the curriculum especially in the intermediate and advanced levels.

Levels of Instruction

The EKU English Language Instruction Program (EELI) offers seven levels of instruction from beginning to advanced. Students are placed in appropriate levels on the basis of placement test results. Level One is for students whose preparation falls under the recommended level for entrance into the program, a score of 400 on the old paper based TOEFL (or 97 on the CBT, 32 on the IBT, or 3.5 on the IELTS.) Levels One through Six have five daily classes which are Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing and Grammar. Level Seven also has five daily classes which are Listening, Library Skills and Research, American Literature, Academic Technology, and College Orientation Skills.

Five, seven-week sessions are available each year: Spring I (January -early March), Spring II (late March-early May), Summer (June-July), Fall I (August-early October), Fall II (late October-early December).

The EELI program requires 24 weekly hours of instruction and offers the possibility of nearly 40 hours of interactive English opportunities each week. A Tutoring Lab and cross-cultural activities are important parts of the program. EELI offers individualized instruction in small classes. Former students have noted that "EELI feels like family."