a) Core Courses ( 20 hours per week) 

• These courses are offered at five different levels of proficiency in nine-week sessions; they study Communication Skills (CS) and Reading/Writing (RW), each a 10 hour block per week.

• At the elementary levels, an integrated skills approach is used in each class. In these levels the students receive a strong foundation in four language skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Instructors work together to provide learning experiences which integrate these four language skills in every class.

• In the intermediate level courses of Communication Skills and Reading/Writing, students build on the strong foundation achieved in the integrated skills classes. At these levels students develop strong reading skills to increase reading speed, comprehension, and vocabulary. In writing, students learn how to compose essays in different rhetorical modes. Communication skills are refined to the point that students are able to discuss topics and make oral presentations.