George Fox University | Academics | English as a Second Language

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

The purpose of the English Language Institute is to develop the language and academic skills of students whose native language is not English and to raise their level of cultural and spiritual awareness in order to prepare them for academic and social success at George Fox University.

English as a second language (ESL), taught in the English Language Institute at George Fox University, prepares international students to meet the challenges of academic study in English.

International students who score less than 500 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), less than 173 on the computer-based TOEFL, or less than four on the Test of Written English will study intensive English approximately 14 hours per week while they also are enrolled in one or two regular University courses.

To prepare international students to enter into academic life at George Fox University as full and successful participants, ESL courses develop the students' general English proficiency, academic skills, and cultural, spiritual, and social awareness. Lower-level courses stress basic language skills, while higher-level courses concentrate increasingly on academic skills.

The core courses at each level develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, as well as vocabulary and grammar. Cultural orientation, interaction with native speakers in the University community, and attendance at campus functions and academic lectures are incorporated into ESL learning activities.

At the highest level, students enroll for credit in one regular academic course together with ESL courses that are designed to help develop the language and academic skills necessary for success. ESL students may take up to 20 hours a semester, with a maximum of four credits of non-ESL course work.

Upon successful completion of the program, students are admitted to George Fox University and awarded up to 15 semester hours of credit toward their degree.