Albright Center for English as a Second Language (ESL) Alumni Hall, 610-921-7841

The Albright College Center for English as a Second Language (ESL) provides intensive, personalized instruction for non-native speakers who wish to improve their proficiency and prepare for academic course work.

At the ESL Center, we are dedicated to creating a friendly, supportive and challenging environment to help our students achieve their academic goals.

The ESL program consists of 20 instructor-facilitated hours of class per week. Student-to-teacher ratio is 12-1 or less. The program operates year round.

ESL students are considered full-time students, and can make full use of Albright’s facilities and services, including campus housing, food service, sports and recreation, the infirmary, the library, and student services

Who do we serve?

The ESL Center can help individuals with intermediate or higher level English language proficiency. A learner with an intermediate level English proficiency:

• has limited vocabulary, but can participate in social and some academic conversations
• has a command of sentence structure
• has fair mastery of pronunciation
• understands conversations spoken slowly and distinctly
• is able to write simple essays

Curriculum and Services

• Interactive and task-based activities fit each student’s individual learning style.
• An individual tutorial program (staffed by Albright education majors) and winter interim courses allow fast-track students to accelerate their progress.
• Textbooks and materials draw on contemporary day-to-day experience, and help students to gain the understanding of American culture, geography and history essential for success in regular academic courses.
• State-of-the art language lab is available for all students.

Enrollment in Regular Academic Programs

On successful completion of the ESL program (one to four semesters, depending on an individual student’s pace), a student can enroll into Albright’s regular academic program without having to take the TOEFL. Students who wish to transfer to another educational institution will have to comply with that institution’s TOEFL and other requirements.

For more information, contact Lana Bird at 610-921-7841, or email lanab@alb.edu at the Center for English as a Second Language.