CISL Standard English Courses in San Diego

Maximum 8 Students per Class!

Note: Students from visa waiver countries signing up for our 20 lessons/week Standard courses do NOT need student visas.

Course Description

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.

Course Objectives

  • 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

Key Features

  • 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 maximum 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
LevelsA1 to C2
Maximum # of students per class8
Lessons per week20
ScheduleMonday‐Friday from 9:00 a.m. ‐ 10:40 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. ‐ 12:40 p.m.
Course lengthMinimum length is 2 weeks
Language focusGeneral English

Students who enroll in the Standard Course can also enroll in…

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 inquiry form.