Intensive English Courses in Baltimore, Maryland

The English Language Institute at Notre Dame of Maryland University:
Study English at a top university campus in the United States! Join one of our eight-week sessions at the English Language Institute at Notre Dame of Maryland University to greatly improve your English language skills. Located just 15 minutes north of Downtown Baltimore (on the beautiful East Coast), we provide 8-week, full-time & part-time intensive English programs for non-native English speakers and international students. Students at all levels take classes in speaking, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, listening, reading, writing, and TOEFL preparation. The ELI offers multiple sessions year-round including Fall, Spring and Summer. Through campus events, fun social activities, and shared experiences, the ELI offers opportunities to enrich your English language learning within a truly global community.

Intensive English Language (IEP) Program:
Duration: 8 weeks, High Beginner to Advanced Levels, with Full-time & Part-time options.

• Full-time students study 20 hours a week. Part-time English students may take up to 3 courses depending on their visa type (U.S. residents may study full or part-time). 

• Classes are small to ensure an optimal learning environment (The average size is 8-14 students per class, and English is used at all times).

• Students are placed into their correct level based on placement test results taken at the beginning of the study session.

Modules / Units include:
• Listening & Speaking
• Vocabulary
• Pronunciation
• Grammar
• Writing
• Reading & Discussion

Writing & Grammar:
Students learn the fundamentals of English structure with a focus on practical application in writing at the sentence, paragraph, and essay level.

Through the various levels, students learn to write following Western academic styles. A focus on editing and self-correction is used at the higher Writing & Grammar levels.

Reading & Discussion:
Students learn skills and strategies that improve accuracy and speed in reading comprehension and build vocabulary. Reading sources come from fiction and non-fiction sources such as magazines, newspapers, essays, short stories, and novels. 

Authentic materials as well as materials designed for ESL (English as a Second Language) are used. Critical thinking skills are emphasized to discuss readings.

Discussion and writing are used as means of assessing and responding to the reading assignments.

Listening & Speaking:
Students build confidence in speaking through fluency in speech and accuracy in both listening and speaking. Speaking skills that focus on being able to communicate clearly and effectively are refined. 

Because classes are multicultural, students are able to build their skills quickly and accurately.

Discussions range around a variety of high-interest topics, and both formal and informal speech is emphasized. In addition, idiomatic language is taught as a key component to understanding native speech.

Vocabulary:
Students build vocabulary with a focus on using words in context both in writing and speaking. Higher-level classes emphasize learning structures of English vocabulary and skills to be able decode and learn new words independently.

Pronunciation:
Students become more intelligible to other English speakers by focusing on specific sounds and patterns of Standard American English. Assignments in the Language Learning Center are a part of this course.


When you attend classes:
• Full-time students attend English class Monday through Thursday. After class, students often work on their homework and projects with classmates before returning to their places of residence. Fridays are reserved for campus events, field trips, conversation partner activities, student advising, and more. 

• Each study session, the ELI organizes a field trip to a nearby city such as Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Annapolis (Maryland), New York City, and others.


TOEFL Preparation Course:
The TOEFL iBT test is the most widely accepted English language proficiency exam in the world, and is a key requirement for international students applying to enter academic programs at universities and colleges in the USA and Canada. 

Our intensive, 5-week TOEFL course in Baltimore, Maryland will prepare you to take the exam with confidence. Students who qualify may take our TOEFL preparation class designed to assist them in preparing for and improving their score in the TOEFL Test.

This class is limited to students who score well on a TOEFL placement test given during the initial orientation. This limited class size to 10 students also means more individual attention!

Further English Courses:
• Summer English classes (Full-time & part-time study options)


Student Reviews / Testimonials:

•  "After learning English at ELI, I have made big progress in English listening, speaking, reading and writing. My TOEFL score progressed from 490 to 567.

The teachers here are very nice. They organize lots of activities which help us to understand American culture.."
Yaoping, China

•  "To study in the English Language Institute is a wonderful opportunity in my life! I am learning a second language and interacting with many people from different cultures.

I just want to say “thank you” to the Congregation of School Sisters of Notre Dame and to all teachers and staff at ELI."
Sister Mirian, Brazil

•  "This university gave me an opportunity in life. They not only taught me the knowledge of English, but they encouraged me how to be good mannered and learned about american culture. Classes and activities were very interesting which I was always happy to join. I will never forget this lovely place." 
Netiya, Thailand

•  "The experience I had at the ELI helped me to learn many new things, to become independent... I learned what happens in other cultures and in the United States. For me, the ELI is a big family because we share our knowledge, our cultures, our feelings.

The six months I spent here helped me to improve my English, to learn many others things... I had an excellent experience at the ELI with the support of my teachers, my classmates and all the community. Thank you for your assistance and your help."
Milene, Cameroon

•  "O instituto de ingles (ELI) da Universidade de Notre Dame localizada em Baltimore (U.S), foi uma das experiencias mais fantasticas da minha vida. Me senti em casa, as pessoas da Universidade foram como uma familia para mim e me receberam muito bem, assim como recebem a todos. Vim pra estudar ingles e acabei aprendendo um pouco de cada cultura, afinal tem pessoas de varios lugares do mundo estudando no ELI.

O grupo de profissionais e professores sao excelentes, gracas a todos e a mim mesma aprendi minha segunda lingua, o Ingles. Eu sei que a qualquer momento que eu voltar pra America, eu vou ter sempre a minha "familia" me esperando de bracos abertos, e espero sempre voltar. Foi incrivel, Obrigada!"
Andrielli, Brazil