What is the ELP?
Knowing English is necessary in order to join fully in the academic and campus life at ICU. Consequently, ICU provides every student the opportunity to become fluent in English. The English Language Program is the first step in that process.
The main goal of the English Language Program is to prepare you to be successful in university courses taught in English at ICU. Therefore, the main emphasis in the ELP is English for academic purposes, and most ELP classes focus on the important skills of accurate reading and understanding, academic writing, and listening and note-taking in lectures.
In other words, the ELP will help you develop both English language skills and basic academic critical thinking and study skills. You will learn the English needed for class discussions, to speak with your instructors, and to meet and talk with non-Japanese on campus. However, it is important to remember that the goals of the ELP are different from that of a conversation school.
Another important thing to remember is that the ELP alone cannot make you a fluent English speaker. Learning a language well enough to use in academic and professional situations requires not only opportunities for using English, but also the desire and effort to learn it. The ELP provides students with opportunities to use English, but you must provide the desire, motivation, and effort to become fluent.
The Structure of the ELP
The English Language Program at ICU has two major parts: the freshman (first year) part and the sophomore (second year) part.
The freshman part is divided into three levels of instruction:
- Program A (lower intermediate - intermediate)
- Program B (intermediate - high intermediate)
- Program C (advanced)
Some students who can show a high level of English may be excused from part of the ELP.
ELP Programs and Sections
Once you enter the ELP, you will be placed in either Program A, B, or C based on your language test results, your language background, and, if necessary, an oral interview. ELP students are divided into groups of about 23 students, called sections. Together with your section mates you will take most freshman ELP classes together.