Once a week students work on a special writing project in the computer lab, learning to use the Internet as a research tool. They also spend an hour each week in the Language Lab, focusing on improving their pronunciation skills. L evels 4 and 5 are designed for low-advanced to advanced level students. In both levels, writing and grammar are taught as a unit because of the interrelatedness of the two components. Students are exposed to the principles of American academic written discourse, research techniques, and diverse reading and writing experiences that develop critical thinking skills.
Emphasis is placed on the writing process, including multiple revisions and editing workshops.
In both Level 4 and Level 5, the writing and grammar component also addresses ESL-related problems that occur in both written and spoken language. The reading component presents reading strategies and study skills necessary for critical reading within an academic context. Course content focuses on reading for meaning, building vocabulary, and increasing comprehension and speed, while incorporating the skills of scanning, drawing inferences, recognizing cohesive links, and summarizing. Reading also attend Computer Lab one hour per week. Occasional field trips and native speaker conversation partners are also part of the Institute's program.