Special Programs: Designed to Meet Your Needs

people in quad

In addition to the Intensive English Program designed for individuals, the IEI also designs customized programs for groups of students, teachers, scholars, and professionals with specific needs.

Courses may be of any length, from 3 or 4 weeks to a full academic semester (16 weeks), with 10-20 hours/week of classroom instruction.

Here is a brief description of some of our special programs : Conversation and Culture, Intensive Business English, English for Professionals, and ESL Teacher Training .

Conversation & Culture

American English Conversation and Culture is one of our most popular programs for groups of undergraduate students. Features of the program include the following:

  • English conversation skills necessary for everyday life in the U.S.
  • Cultural topics of interest
  • Other curricular topics designed to meet your group's specific needs
  • Institutional TOEFL available
  • Extra-curricular activities and field trips
  • Housing in on-campus residence halls or homestay
  • Host program matching students with local families that meet them 2-3 times/week
  • Conversation partner program

Intensive Business English Program.

people in quad2

The Intensive Business English program focuses on the language skills business professionals need to excel in today's marketplace. The IBE curriculum has a number of modules that can be put together in various ways. The IBE modules include:

  • Human resource skills
  • Social and Communication skills for business
  • Effective letters and memo-writing
  • Promotional writing and public relations
  • Professional PowerPoint presentations through case studies
  • Short report and proposal writing
  • Meetings, teamwork and negotiations
  • Language of customer service encounters
These modules can be combined with courses in areas such as business administration, public administration, planning etc.

English for Professionals

The IEI offers courses especially designed for international students, scholars, and professionals whose work requires them to use English. Instruction focuses on English language improvement for general communication and for the specific disciplinary needs of the group. Programs typically focus on:
  • Learning to express ideas in English in a field of expertise
  • Experience giving presentations and demonstrations in this field
  • An integrated focus on various major language skill areas: speaking, writing, listening, reading, pronunciation
  • Experiences outside of English class, such as field trips or observing classes in particular academic fields
  • Topics related to functioning in US culture
  • Focus on developing oral communication skills for real-world encounters.

ESL Teacher Training

The IEI offers programs for English teachers that combine English language improvement with the development of teaching skills in the field of English as a second language. Features of the program typically include:

  • Topics of professional interest to ESL educators
  • Experience giving presentations, demonstrations and/or lessons
  • An integrated and task-oriented focus on various major skill areas: speaking, writing, listening, reading, pronunciation (in proportion to the needs of the group)
  • Experiences outside of English class, such as field trips or observing classes
  • Focus on understanding American culture
  • Development of oral communication skills for real-world encounters

Design Your Own Program

You can design your own program to fit your needs. Some of the basic features of our programs include:

  • Minimum of 2 weeks
  • Minimum of 10 hours a week
  • Curricular topics designed for your group's particular needs
  • Institutional TOEFL or TOEIC available
  • Extra-curricular activities and field trips
  • Housing in on-campus residence halls or home-stay families
  • Conversation partner program

To discuss designing a special program that is right for your group or to learn more about how the Intensive English Institute might be able to serve your organization's needs, please contact the director:

Dr. Susan Gonzo, Director
Intensive English Institute
1205 W. Nevada St.
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217) 333-6598
Fax: (217) 265-0158
Email: