Programs

English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs

Click here for the 2025 Program Calendar

GROUP ENGLISH (ESL) LESSONS:

Learn English in Southern California at Campus English Academy! Improve your English language skills and build confidence in speaking, listening, reading and writing in lessons taught by TESOL certified instructors (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.) Campus English Academy is committed to offering education of the highest quality. Each program is a minimum of 1 month and a maximum of 8 months. Students study 18 hours per week Monday to Friday.

The first program requires a $75 non-refundable Application Fee. Textbooks not included.

 

 

 

Beginner English (ESL) Courses

Beginner Speaking

The Beginner English Speaking course builds students’ general language proficiency with real-life communication practice that is student-centered, interactive, and fun, focuses on all four skills, contains humorous and playful activities that enhance motivation, and has intensive practice that leads to mastery. The goal of this course is to provide introductory instruction and extensive practical exercises and activities in speaking and communicating in English in real-life situations. Students are to gain practice in both working with pronunciation and intonation in English, and appreciate the benefit of the writing process in developing their acquisition of communicative English. By the end of the course, students will be able to recognize and apply the correct use of verb tenses and articles, and be able to utilize adjectives, adverbs and intonation to make their speaking more interesting to the listener. Students will also be able to perform in real-life situations more effectively as this course aims to develop usable vocabulary covering many topics. Students will be able to create functional complex sentences for a large variety of situations.

Beginner Listening

The goal of this course is to provide introductory instruction and extensive practical exercises and activities in listening at the beginner level. Students listen to authentic, native speaker-level language of  TED Talks. The comprehensive authentic listening skills syllabus, with a focus on key words from the TED Talk and background information, allows students to understand the listening material. In addition to TED Talks, there is listening material, using a wide variety of listening comprehension task types.

Beginner Reading

The goal of this course is to provide introductory instruction and extensive practical exercises and activities in reading through many varied and interesting written texts. Students are to gain practice in both working with different styles of reading processes and developing a better understanding of complex sentences and paragraphs. The course will give exposure to other forms of written text such as graphs and charts. By the end of the course, students will more fully appreciate verb tenses and the parts of speech, and become familiar with the use of adjectives and adverbs in written text. Students will also be exposed to and be able to demonstrate an expanded usable vocabulary covering many topics.

Beginner Writing

The Beginner English Writing course helps students write better sentences, paragraphs, and essays through clear explanations, student writing models, and meaningful practice opportunities. The textbook’s impactful images open every unit and help to stimulate student writing. “Grammar for Writing” sections help students apply target structures to the writing goals. “Building Better Vocabulary” activities highlight words from the Academic Word List and encourage students to use new words in their writing.

 

Intermediate English (ESL) courses

Intermediate Speaking

The goal of the course is to help students learn to use the English language grammatically, through meaningful conversation. Students will also be exposed to and be able to demonstrate an expanded usable vocabulary covering many topics. Students will also be exposed to and be able to demonstrate an expanded usable vocabulary covering many topics. By the end of the course students will have gained experience in implementing different grammatical forms in conversations in a variety of practical situations.

Intermediate Listening

The goal of this course is to provide intermediate-level instruction and extensive practical exercises and activities in listening at the intermediate level. Students listen to authentic, native speaker-level language of  TED Talks. The comprehensive authentic listening skills syllabus, with a focus on key words from the TED Talk and background information, allows students to understand the listening material. In addition to TED Talks, there is listening material, using a wide variety of listening comprehension task types.

Intermediate Reading

The goal of this course is to provide instruction and extensive practical exercises and activities in reading through scaffolded reading and vocabulary tasks. Students are to gain practice in both working with different styles of reading processes and developing a better understanding of key ideas and language. Students will also be exposed to and be able to demonstrate an expanded usable vocabulary covering many topics. By the end of the course, students will more fully appreciate critical and creative thinking skills through analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing, reflecting, inferring and problem-solving. Students will have integrated concepts in projects inspired by their readings.

Intermediate Writing

The goal of this course is to provide instruction and extensive practical exercises and activities in writing paragraphs and essays at the intermediate level. Students are to gain practice in both working with the writing process and developing a final written product through the modeling of and guidance with paragraphs and essays. Through a scaffolded approach, students will progress through the writing process from improving their sentence structure, to writing better paragraphs to improving their essay writing. Students will also be exposed to and be able to demonstrate an expanded usable vocabulary covering many topics and have a better grasp of the use of correct punctuation. By the end of the course students will have gained experience in writing on set topics, as well as topics of their own choice.

Advanced English (ESL) courses

Advanced Speaking

It is the goal of the course to allow students to progress toward greater autonomy in improving their speaking skills, while reflecting critically on the learning content. Students will also be exposed to and be able to demonstrate an expanded usable vocabulary covering many topics, and assimilate new words by using them in context. Students will gain specific speaking skills, such as referencing speeches, practicing brainstorming techniques, and preparing presentations. Students will use varied language, analogies and persuasive language, and integrate these skills in speaking activities such as speeches and presentations. Students will research theme-related topics, apply strategies learned and create short presentations.

Advanced Listening

The goal of this course is to provide advanced-level instruction and extensive practical exercises and activities in listening at the advanced level. Students listen to authentic, native speaker-level language of  TED Talks. The comprehensive authentic listening skills syllabus, with a focus on key words from the TED Talk and background information, allows students to understand the listening material. In addition to TED Talks, there is listening material, using a wide variety of listening comprehension task types.

Advanced Reading

The Advanced Reading course provides a forum for advanced learners of English to make connections with topics ranging from science to business to global issues. Using TED Talks as a forum for sharing ideas, this course teaches learners how to understand and respond to ideas and content in English. The course highlights extraordinary stories presented by inspiring thinkers and doers, stimulating curiosity and introducing learners to ideas that can change the world. The course uses authentic language, delivered by experts in their field, providing learners with models of English that are real and relevant to their academic studies. The course helps to develop critical and creative thinking skills – including analysis, evaluation, synthesis, reflection, inference, and problem-solving to help learners develop academic skills. Scaffolded reading and vocabulary tasks guide learners to a better understanding of the key ideas, skills, and language.

Advanced Writing

The goal of this course is to provide advanced instruction and extensive practical exercises and activities in essay writing at the advanced level. Students will also be exposed to and be able to demonstrate an expanded usable vocabulary covering many topics. Students are to gain practice in both working with the writing process and developing a final written product through the modeling of and guidance with essays and research.

 

Campus English Academy Achievement Scale and Interpretation Table

This document provides descriptions of the three levels of courses offered at Campus English Academy and what students will be able to do in English after completing each level. The interpretation table cross-references the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) scale for comparability across programs. 

Achievement Scale

This table shows how program levels correspond to language ability and CEFR proficiency scales.

Program Level	Course Group / Name	General Proficiency Description	CEFR Equivalent
Beginner	Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking	Beginning. Upon completion of this level, students can read and understand short texts with some complex sentences, write coherent paragraphs using basic grammar and punctuation, comprehend main ideas in spoken English, and communicate in simple real-life situations using appropriate vocabulary, verb tenses, and pronunciation.	CEFR A1-A2
Intermediate	Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking	Intermediate. Upon completion of this level, students can read and analyze a variety of texts to identify key ideas and inferences, write organized paragraphs and short essays with appropriate grammar and punctuation, understand spoken English in different contexts, and communicate effectively using a broad range of vocabulary and grammatical structures.	CEFR B1-B2
Advanced	Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking	Advanced. Upon completion of this level, students can comprehend and analyze complex texts, write well-organized essays and short research papers, understand extended spoken English on diverse topics, and express ideas fluently and persuasively in academic and professional contexts using advanced vocabulary and structures.	CEFR C1-C2

 

Interpretation of the Achievement Scale

The tables below define the observable and measurable outcomes for each level across four language skill areas.

Beginner Level

Course	Outcomes
Listening	Students can understand the main idea and key details in short, simple listening texts presented at a slow to moderate pace. They can recognize basic vocabulary, common verb tenses, and sentence patterns, and identify information related to familiar topics or daily activities. Progress is shown through accurate responses to comprehension tasks and oral summaries of listening passages.
Speaking	Students can participate in short conversations on familiar topics using simple, grammatically correct sentences. They demonstrate basic control of pronunciation, intonation, verb tenses, and articles. Students can ask and answer questions, express simple opinions, and perform in short role-plays or real-life communication tasks with growing confidence and accuracy.
Reading	Students can identify the main idea and key details in short, simple texts on familiar topics. They demonstrate understanding of basic sentence and paragraph structures, recognize vocabulary in context, and interpret simple visual information such as charts and graphs. Students show progress by accurately answering comprehension questions and summarizing short passages in their own words.
Writing	Students can write complete sentences and short paragraphs on familiar topics using basic grammar and punctuation. They follow models to produce clear, meaningful paragraphs with logical sequencing and limited errors in spelling or verb tense. Students demonstrate achievement by producing short written tasks that show control of basic structures and vocabulary.
Grammar / Vocabulary	Students demonstrate understanding and controlled use of basic grammar forms such as simple present and past tenses, articles, adjectives, and adverbs. They use an expanding range of high-frequency vocabulary to discuss everyday topics. Progress is shown through accurate use of target forms in speaking and writing tasks and appropriate vocabulary in context.

 

Intermediate Level

Course	Outcomes
Listening	Students can understand spoken English in a variety of familiar and academic contexts, identifying main ideas, key details, and implied meaning. They use listening strategies to distinguish gist from detail and to infer speaker intent. Achievement is demonstrated through successful completion of comprehension and note-taking tasks, as well as oral or written responses that accurately reflect the content of authentic listening materials.
Speaking	Students can engage in extended conversations and discussions on familiar and academic topics using appropriate grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary. They demonstrate control of verb tenses, sentence structure, and intonation, and can express opinions, explain ideas, and ask for clarification. Achievement is demonstrated through interactive tasks and short presentations that show fluency, accuracy, and the ability to adapt language for different social or academic situations.
Reading	Students can comprehend and analyze a variety of texts on academic and real-world topics. They identify main ideas, supporting details, and inferences, and demonstrate understanding of complex sentence structures and topic-specific vocabulary. Students apply reading strategies such as skimming, scanning, and inferring meaning from context. Achievement is shown through accurate summaries, critical responses, and integration of ideas from readings into projects or discussions.
Writing	Students can write well-organized paragraphs and short essays using clear topic sentences, supporting details, and transitions. They apply the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing) and use appropriate grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary for different topics. Achievement is demonstrated by producing multi-paragraph essays that show control of structure, clarity of ideas, and appropriate use of varied sentence forms and vocabulary.
Grammar / Vocabulary	Students demonstrate accurate and consistent use of common grammatical structures such as compound and complex sentences, verb tenses, articles, and modifiers. They apply a broad range of vocabulary to discuss and write about varied topics. Achievement is demonstrated through accurate use of target grammar and vocabulary in both written and spoken tasks, showing growing precision and flexibility of language use.

 

Advanced Level

Course	Outcomes
Listening	Students can comprehend extended spoken English in academic and professional contexts, including lectures, discussions, and presentations. They identify main ideas, supporting details, and speaker intent, and make accurate inferences about meaning and tone. Achievement is demonstrated by note-taking accuracy, oral or written responses, and analysis of authentic audio or video materials showing higher-level comprehension and critical thinking.
Speaking	Students can express complex ideas fluently and accurately in academic and professional settings. They organize and deliver well-developed oral presentations using appropriate vocabulary, tone, and rhetorical strategies. Students demonstrate clear pronunciation and intonation and integrate persuasive language and analogies to support arguments. Achievement is shown through presentations, debates, and discussions that reflect confident, purposeful, and effective communication.
Reading	Students can read and analyze complex academic and authentic texts on a range of global and academic topics. They identify key ideas, supporting evidence, and implied meanings, and evaluate arguments using critical and creative thinking skills. Students synthesize information across multiple sources and demonstrate understanding through written responses, discussions, and project work that reflect advanced comprehension and analysis.
Writing	Students can produce clear, well-organized essays and short research papers that demonstrate logical development, coherence, and control of tone and register. They use the writing process to plan, draft, revise, and edit effectively. Students employ advanced grammar structures, appropriate academic vocabulary, and cohesive devices to express and support complex ideas accurately and persuasively in writing.
Grammar / Vocabulary	Students demonstrate mastery of advanced grammatical structures, including complex clauses, passive forms, and varied sentence patterns. They use topic-specific and academic vocabulary appropriately and flexibly across tasks. Achievement is shown through precise, accurate language use in extended spoken and written production, reflecting a high degree of fluency, accuracy, and stylistic control.