CISL Standard English Courses in San Diego
Note: Students from visa waiver countries signing up for our 20 lessons/week Standard courses do NOT need student visas.
Note: Students from visa waiver countries signing up for our 20 lessons/week Standard courses do NOT need student visas.

Note: Students from visa waiver countries signing up for our 20 lessons/week Standard courses do NOT need student visas.
The goal of the Standard English Course is to help students use English with accuracy and confidence. Students improve their general English language skills and, just as importantly, they learn how to be better communicators, how to use English in different situations, how to interact with people from different cultures, and how to be better language learners. Average 7 students per class!
- LANGUAGE SKILLS improve skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing
- LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE AND ACCURACY learn, practice, and review English grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary
- CULTURAL AWARENESS develop cultural awareness and understanding
- INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION examine different cultures’ communication styles and be sensitive to these differences; become a better intercultural communicator
- ENGLISH IN USE learn conventional expressions, idioms, and phrases – and when to use them
- Multiple Levels: students are placed in a level based on the CISL placement exam; students can progress from one level to the next after they show a mastery of the level’s student learning outcomes (see more details in the course descriptions below).
- Student Assessment: students are frequently assessed and receive reports on their progress.
- Teacher Feedback: students receive frequent feedback from their instructors.
- Small Classes : the average class size in the Standard Course is 8 students, so students get a lot of personal attention and feel comfortable in a small group
- Practical Projects and Presentations: students apply their language skills and get practice using English by doing interesting projects and presentations.
Standard English Course
Standard English Course
Levels
A1 to C2
Average # of students per class
7
Lessons per week
Twenty 50-minute lessons
Schedule
Monday‐Friday, 9:00 a.m-12:40 p.m
Course length
Minimum length is 1 week (4 weeks for F-1 visa students)
Language focus
General English
- Conversational English (Monday‐Thursday 1:30 p.m. ‐ 3:10 p.m.)
- Business English (Monday‐Thursday 1:30 p.m. ‐ 3:10 p.m.)
- English for Academic Purposes (Monday‐Thursday 1:30 p.m. ‐ 3:10 p.m.)
- Private Lessons (flexible times)
- Study Hall (one day per week 1:30 p.m. ‐ 3:00 p.m.)
Note: Students taking any 20‐lesson per week course and who are requesting an I‐20 for a student visa will also need to take either an Afternoon Elective or attend a 1.5 hour Study Hall session each week in order to meet the 18‐hour per week minimum requirement for the student visa. One lesson = 50 minutes. For more information about U.S. visas, please read the student visa information here or contact us directly using the online booking form.
I love the way we learn English here. Teachers are very positive, and their methods are really nice. My classes are so great! When I wake up in the morning, I am happy to go to school here.
Jeanne, FRANCE
Explore

Adult Programs
The CISL Intensive English Program gives students the opportunity to improve general English skills in the morning and focus on specific content or skills in the afternoon. Students take the Standard Course in the mornings and an afternoon elective course.

Adult Programs
The International English Language Testing System is widely used for study and immigration. The CISL IELTS Preparation Course is designed for students who need to prove their English language skills to educational institutions, employers, professional registration bodies, or governments.

Adult Programs
CISL offers Business English options in San Diego for students who want to develop business communication skills. The afternoon course can be taken alone or combined with Standard English for a total of 28 lessons per week.

Adult Programs
Private lessons are based on the individual needs and goals of the student. In the first private lesson, the student and teacher develop a learning contract, then revisit it weekly to assess progress.

Adult Programs
With CISL's Career English Program, students attend six weeks of CISL English courses and then experience 6-8 weeks with an American company that matches the student's background and work experience.

Adult Programs
The CISL University Pathway Program helps students gain skills necessary to succeed in an academic setting before transferring to an American college or university to receive a degree.