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Teaching Methods

ELC has been using the most up-to-date English teaching methods and providing high quality English courses since 1978. Our approach to English language learning utilizes the Communicative English Teaching Method, a way of teaching that employs a number of holistic techniques to English grammar, English vocabulary, spoken English, English listening, and English reading and writing. Our holistic techniques prioritize the ability to use these English skills in real-world situations.

Our Teachers

All ELC teachers are native speakers of American English and have a university degree and specialized training in Teaching English as a Second Language.
The Communicative Teaching Method

Our communicative teaching method is focused on improving communicative competence in English
English Grammar

While our teaching method utilizes resources such as grammar texts and other material to learn basic grammar, we feel that enacting real-life scenarios is the most effective way to teach and reinforce English grammar.
English Vocabulary

Teachers can reinforce new vocabulary through a number of comprehension exercises of any unfamiliar words.
Spoken English

ELC’s spoken English teaching techniques stress real-world communication and English conversation versus rote memorization.
English Listening

ELC’s English listening teaching techniques include class participation, demonstration, and collaboration.

Experienced Teachers and Methods of Teaching English at ELC

All ELC teachers are native speakers of American English and have a university degree and specialized training in Teaching English as a Second Language. Teachers create highly-structured lesson plans that provide warm-up exercises, an explanation of the lesson objectives, some form of student production, and a listing of the activities used to reach the objective. Teachers allow ELC students to “discover” the objective, to give them ample opportunity to practice the objective, and then provide an assessment in order to ascertain that the objective has been understood and met. All ELC teachers have had experience studying a second language and many have spent time living abroad. In addition to being highly qualified academically, ELC teachers are warm, friendly, and supportive to all students. Learn more about our teaching methods: take a TEFL Certification Course for Non-native Speakers of English at ELC

ELC’s Teaching Methods

Our communicative teaching method is focused on improving communicative competence in English by using techniques where the teacher acts as a facilitator in the classroom, while encouraging students to use the English language as often as possible.

English Grammar

We recognize that English grammar is often a challenge for English language learners. Verb tenses, such as simple present, present continuous, simple past, past continuous, simple future, future continuous, and future perfect continuous can be difficult for English language learners to comprehend and to effectively use in real-world situations. Grammar concepts that are introduced through the techniques of discovery tend to be more effective than English grammar concepts that are introduced through more traditional teaching techniques.While our teaching method utilizes resources such as grammar texts and other material to learn basic grammar, we feel that enacting real-life scenarios is the most effective way to teach and reinforce English grammar. ELC’s English grammar teaching techniques also use grammar exercises that mimic uses of the English language in real-world situations. Our techniques differentiate between formal and informal English so that students feel comfortable switching between the two uses with ease. We focus on refining a student’s structural English skills, and over time increasing his/her confidence using English in social situations. ELC prefers teaching techniques that are consistent with our method, whereby lessons teach and reinforce English grammar rules by enacting real-life scenarios.

English Vocabulary

English vocabulary is an important part of learning and understanding the English language. English language learners are inundated with English vocabulary every day in the real world through movies, media, and daily life. A student’s vocabulary grows over time and compiling vocabulary lists from resources like books or other texts and materials is a great way to strengthen vocabulary. It is a teacher’s job to make sure that students learn and understand this vocabulary. Teachers can reinforce new vocabulary through a number of comprehension exercises of any unfamiliar words. These exercises may also assist students with the learning and retention of these new words, by using teaching techniques such as vocabulary exercises, word searches, quizzes, and games.

Spoken English

ELC’s spoken English teaching techniques stress real-world communication and English conversation versus rote memorization. Because our communicative method is a student-centered approach, the teacher must work as a facilitator in an effort to help students develop English speaking skills for a range of purposes. Our teaching techniques are focused on increasing speaking English in classroom, as well as the pronunciation of words, and utilizing new vocabulary as much as possible. The ELC classroom maximizes dialogue through a variety of techniques, including class discussions, presentations, small group discussions, pair work, group work, special projects, and task-oriented assignments.

English-only Policy

ELC has an English-only policy so that students are be encouraged to speak English throughout the day. Because of the importance of spoken English in real-world situations, it is important that English learners feel comfortable speaking English. Our conversation lessons have elements of all English skills, but our main goal is for the student to learn to express him/her self in spoken English with proper grammar, an accurate vocabulary and superior pronunciation. A good lesson uses teaching techniques that provide many opportunities for classroom dialogue.

English Listening Comprehension

ELC’s English listening teaching techniques include class participation, demonstration, and collaboration. It is important for English learners to be able to speak with confidence and use the correct grammar structures so that they are understood correctly, but it’s also crucial that they understand what they are hearing so that they are able to respond appropriately. ELC uses a wide variety of techniques and exercises that can help students improve and perfect English listening skills. These techniques include listening to audio in English, listening to native English speakers in person, watching videos with native English speakers, reviewing English vocabulary from previous lessons, watching and/or listening to news programs in English, responding to questions in English, and reviewing English grammar concepts.

English Courses at ELC

ELC offers a variety of electives including American Culture, American Slang, Business English, Academic Skills, Film and Media, Accent Reduction, and Creative Writing. These courses allow students to practice English in areas of special interest.

GENERAL ENGLISH COURSES

Learn English and improve your English skills such as grammar, vocabulary, conversation, listening comprehension, pronunciation, reading and writing in our most popular English courses. Start your course any Monday.

TEST PREPARATION

Prepare for the TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge Exams and learn advanced test-taking techniques in one of our test preparation courses. All three ELC schools are authorized open Cambridge Exam centers. ELC Los Angeles and ELC Boston are official IELTS Test Centers.

SUMMER JUNIOR PROGRAMS

Live and learn English on campus at MIT, UCLA, UCSB or Wheelock College during July and August. The all-inclusive program includes English classes on campus, activities, and full-board residential accommodation and is for young learners ages 11-13 and 14-17.

CANCELLATION POLICY​

A $50 change fee will be applied for all confirmed course and accommodation changes. No fee will be charged for course cancellations, upgrades, extensions or pre-arrival changes for non-I-20 students.

Full payment is due on or before the first day of your course subject to the ELC Refund Policy

Refund Through Representatives

For students who enroll at ELC through a representative, all refunds subject to the policies of the representative and will be issued by the representative.

 

Pre-Arrival Refund Policy (Cancellations/No Show, Excluding Accommodations)

For any cancellation ELC receives by the first day of the program, most fees are fully refundable. The exceptions are:

  • The $150 application fee and the $75 express mail fee are nonrefundable.
  • Airport transfers are refundable with cancellation at least one business day before the service date requested.

If a student’s request for a visa is rejected a refund will be made in full for all program fees.

 

Post-Arrival Refund Policy on Tuition (Withdrawal/Termination, Excluding Accommodations)

Los Angeles & Santa Barbara

ELC will refund 100% of the amount paid for institutional charges, less the nonrefundable $150 application fee if notice of cancellation is made through attendance at the first class session, or the seventh day after enrollment, whichever is later.

  • There will be a pro rata refund for students who have completed 60% or less of their course.
  • There will be no refund issued for students who have completed more than 60% of their course (includes scheduled vacations).

Boston

  • For students whose last day of attendance occurs at any point in the first four weeks of their course, there will be no refund issued.
  • For students whose last date of attendance occurs after the first four weeks but before or at the midpoint of their course, there will be a pro rata refund of tuition, minus any non-refundable charges.
  • For students whose last date of attendance occurs after the midpoint of their course, there will be no refund issued.

All Centers

  • ELC reserves the right to expel any student whose conduct is not in compliance with government rules or laws and/or regulations of ELC.
  • All refunds will be issued at the weekly rate, which will be calculated based on the total number of weeks completed.

Junior Program Refund Policy

A nonrefundable $500 deposit is due at the time of booking.

Summer Junior Program Refund Policy
  • A 50% refund is possible for cancellations, downgrades and/or changes in program received before May 31.
  • Cancellations received June 1 and after will receive no refund.
  • Full payment is due by June 1 for all campuses.
Winter Junior Program Refund Policy
  • A 50% refund is possible for cancellations, downgrades and/or changes in program received before November 30.
  • Cancellations received December 1 and after will receive no refund.
  • Full payment is due December 1.

Accommodations Refund Policy

For any accommodation cancellation with less than 4 weeks’ notice, the first 4 weeks of the accommodation fees will be due. International Guest House, ESL Townhouse, and dormitory accommodations have their own refund policies.

For any accommodation cancellation, ELC will issue a full refund of accommodation fees with at least four full weeks’ advance notice of cancellation. International Guest House, ESL Townhouse, and dormitory accommodations have their own refund policies.

 

ESL Townhouse

ESL Townhouse Pre-Arrival Cancellation Policy:

  • Move-in fee is charged with less than 30 days’ notice of cancellation.
  • No weekly fees are due with at least 15 days’ notice of cancellation.
  • With less than 15 days’ notice, the first two weeks are charged.

ESL Townhouse Post-Arrival Cancellation Policy:

  • Move-in Fee is nonrefundable.
  • Reservations of one to four weeks: No refunds are possible.
  • Reservations of five weeks or longer: Refunds are possible with four weeks’ advance notice from the Saturday after notice is given in writing

 

International Guest House

  • For cancellation requests received one to seven days prior to the students’ scheduled check-in date, the first week is charged.
  • For cancellation requests received on or after the students’ scheduled check-in date, no refund will be given.

 

UCLA dormitory

  • A refund of 50% will be given for dormitory accommodations if cancellation is received prior to June 1.
  • After June 1, no refund will be given.

Accommodation Deposit Requirements

Accommodation deposits are refundable only according to the conditions listed in the above Refund Policy on Accommodations section.

Homestay, Claremont Hotel & Extended Stay Hotel
In order to confirm Homestay, Claremont Hotel & Extended Stay Hotel, an accommodation deposit of $150 must be prepaid.

Los Angeles apartments, ESL Townhouse, International Guest House & La Brezza Apartments
In order to confirm the Los Angeles apartments, ESL Townhouse, International Guest House & La Brezza Apartments, an accommodation deposit of the first two weeks must be prepaid.

UCLA dormitory
In order to confirm dormitory accommodation, all dormitory fees must be prepaid.