Program Structure
There are four different levels implemented in the English Preparatory Program. Our students are placed into one of these levels based on their score in the English Placement Exam (EPL) administered at the beginning of the academic year. The levels and durations in the English Preparatory Program are as follows:
- Elementary: In this level, our students focus on learning vocabulary and grammar, as well as developing their basic reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. The duration of this level is approximately 8 weeks.
- Pre-Intermediate: Students at this level receive further education to enhance their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Progress in vocabulary and grammar is particularly emphasized. The duration of this level is approximately 8 weeks.
- Intermediate: Students at this level are considered to have a solid foundation. Therefore, they receive education not only in general English language skills but also in academic reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. This education is supported by necessary vocabulary and grammar. The duration of this level is approximately 8 weeks.
- Upper: An advanced-level English education program is implemented at this level. Students are expected to express themselves academically in both oral and written forms. The provided education is skill-focused and covers academic reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills, as well as academic vocabulary and grammar. The duration of this level ranges from approximately 8 to 16 weeks.
- Upper Success: In this program, students who have successfully completed all levels but have not achieved a sufficient score in the EPE receive education. The aim is to further develop the advanced English proficiency levels of these students to prepare them for academic life.
Except for Upper Success students, students in other levels need to complete either the Upper or Upper Extended level successfully to be eligible to take the EPE.
Goals, Objectives, and Outcomes
The achievements of the English Language School (ELS) are aligned with the 'Global Scale of English' (GSE) achievements. GSE is the first global English language scale that accurately measures students' progress. The scale contains statements ranging from 10 to 90, indicating at which level a student can acquire speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary skills (Pearson, 2019).
The scale has four different versions: academic, adult, professional, and children, respectively. Learning outcomes developed for adult and academic students are compiled to cater to the unique needs of the ELS student profile. As GSE provides a clear roadmap for all stakeholders, it has been used in designing the ELS curriculum.
Students can track their own progress using a self-assessment checklist based on the scale. Teachers are provided with a clear guide on what and how to teach, as well as how much time to allocate for each achievement. Similarly, exam center staff have their own guide on what and how to test. Thus, GSE helps organize every content of the educational program for all stakeholders. The GSE learning outcomes range from a starting level of 10 to an exit level of 70 for each level in the ELS program.
Since ELS at TED University focuses on enhancing students' levels to better prepare them for their future departmental courses, it is committed to constantly working on the program and making changes tailored to the needs of students and departments. ELS teachers, faculty staff, graduates, and students have identified deficiencies and needs in production-based skills that are particularly required in departmental courses through feedback. The GSE ecosystem is the sole platform chosen to be the basis of the new ELS curriculum. This decision was made after a careful examination of what GSE can offer.
This approach, designed to motivate students by showing their progress step by step using 'target achievement' templates, aims to give students and educators information about what level they are at, whether they are making progress, how much progress they have made, and what they need to learn next. To find answers to these questions, students and teachers should be part of a holistic English learning ecosystem that includes:
- A clear and concise definition of what it means to be at a specific level,
- English teaching and learning materials that match the level descriptions,
- An assessment tool designed to profile a student's competency in all four skills: reading, listening, writing, and speaking.