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During the past 65 years, as perspectives on language learning and language teaching have changed significantly, the ELI's approach to teaching has been transformed. Having phased out its intensive course for nonuniversity students in 1987, the ELI is now an independent unit offering credit-bearing courses within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Today the ELI offers a variety of courses in English for Academic Purposes for nonnative speakers of English enrolled at, and visiting, the University of Michigan. The courses are designed to enable students to enhance their linguistic and communicative skills in order to become effective, fully participating, members of the academic community both during their time on campus and beyond.
Over 30 one-credit and two-credit courses comprise our curriculum in the fall and winter semesters, including advanced electives and discipline-specific courses. There are, on average, 500 students enrolled in our fall semester and 250 in our winter semester. Approximately 80% of our students are graduate students, with the remainder comprised of undergraduates and visiting scholars. ELI courses are taken concurrently with other courses.
In addition, the ELI features a number of special instructional programs. These include courses and workshops for graduate student instructors (GSIs) and three full-time summer intensive programs: English for Academic Purposes, English for Business Studies, and English for Legal Studies. Other special services include an ESL Speaking Clinic, ESL Writing Clinics, and ELI Conversation Circles Program. Recently, we have added to these a number of workshops focused on topics that students have identified as being of special interest. Workshops that have been conducted include: Negotiating Misunderstandings; Interview Skills; and Idioms in Academic Speech.
The ELI also offers ESL teacher education courses for students seeking a state of Michigan ESL endorsement to work with English language learners in the public schools, as well as for students interested in migrant education and for students who wish to teach English internationally.
Finally, ELI faculty members also teach courses in the Department of Linguistics, the Department of Psychology, and the School of Education, as well as serving as chairs and members of dissertation committees across the University.
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