The ELS program is a regular academic program and is open only to matriculated MIT students.
Our grade- and credit-bearing classes meet according to the MIT academic calendar and involve homework and exams. Our curriculum is designed for non-native English speakers to foster effective communication in a variety of academic and professional contexts. Any bilingual/ESL undergraduate or graduate student earning a degree at MIT can register for an ELS subject.
Current Semester Language Brochure containing advisor, staff, subject schedule and upcoming schedule information.(Print at 85% scale)
Information on the English Evaluation Test for accepted, incoming international graduate students.
Students from outside the MIT community are NOT accepted in the ELS program.
See the links below for resources at MIT for language study and for ESL programs in the metro-Boston area:
English Language Studies (ELS)
Undergraduate Subjects
21G.218 Workshop in Strategies for Effective Teaching (ELS)
(
)
Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: None
Units: 1-0-2
Credit cannot also be received for 21G.217
A mini-module for international teaching assistants. Covers special problems in teaching when English is a second language and the US a second culture. Videotaping of practice sessions for feedback. Individualized programs to meet different needs. Limited to 18.
A. C. Kemp
21G.220 Foundations of Academic and Professional Writing (ELS)
(
, 
) 
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Credit cannot also be received for 21G.219
Lecture: MW EVE (7-8.30 PM) (16-668)
Writing module for high intermediate ELS students who wish to review and practice accurate grammar, effective sentence and paragraph structure, punctuation, and word choice. Short weekly writing assignments with extensive editing required. Limited to 18.
K. Silverman
Textbooks (Fall 2018)
21G.221 Communicating in American Culture (ELS)
() 
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Designed for international students who wish to refine their academic communication skills through the study of mainstream American culture. Using a variety of materials in different media, students explore how the country's history, geography, institutions, traditions and values have shaped contemporary communication styles and responses to critical events in the world. Students examine and practice principles of effective communication in genres common to the humanities and social sciences. Explores how discourse practices vary within and across cultures. Assignments include an educational memoir, project proposal, annotated bibliography, research-based cultural analysis of a current event of choice, and presentation. Limited to 18.
J. Dunphy
21G.222 Expository Writing for Bilingual Students
(, ) 
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: MW1-2.30 (1-375) or TR2-3.30 (1-379) or TR3.30-5 (1-375)
Formulating, organizing, and presenting ideas clearly in writing. Reviews basic principles of rhetoric. Focuses on development of a topic, thesis, choice of appropriate vocabulary, and sentence structure to achieve purpose. Develops idiomatic prose style. Gives attention to grammar and vocabulary usage. Special focus on strengthening skills of bilingual students. Intended to be taken during the student's first year at MIT. Limited to 18; undergraduates only.
E. Grunwald
Textbooks (Fall 2018)
21G.223 Listening, Speaking and Pronunciation (ELS)
(, )
(Subject meets with 21G.224)
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: TR12.30-2 (5-217)
Designed for high intermediate ELS students who need to develop better listening comprehension and oral skills. Involves short speaking and listening assignments with extensive exercises in accurate comprehension, pronunciation, stress and intonation, and expression of ideas. Includes frequent video- and audio-recording for analysis and feedback. Limited to 18 per section.
A. Kemp
Textbooks (Fall 2018)
21G.226 Advanced Workshop in Writing for Science and Engineering (ELS)
(, )
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: TR12-1.30 (14N-313)
Analysis and practice of various forms of scientific and technical writing, from memos to journal articles. Strategies for conveying technical information to specialist and non-specialist audiences. Comparable to 21W.780, but methods designed to deal with special problems of advanced ELS or bilingual students. The goal of the workshop is to develop effective writing skills for academic and professional contexts. Models, materials, topics and assignments vary from term to term. Limited to 18 per section.
J. Dunphy
Textbooks (Fall 2018)
21G.228 Advanced Workshop in Writing for Social Sciences and Architecture (ELS)
()
(Subject meets with 21G.227)
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Focuses on techniques, format, and prose used in academic and professional life. Emphasis on writing required in fields such as economics, political science, and architecture. Short assignments include business letters, memos, and proposals that lead toward a written term project. Methods designed to accommodate those whose first language is not English. Develops effective writing skills for academic and professional contexts. Models, materials, topics and assignments vary from term to term. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Limited to 18.
Staff
21G.233 Advanced Speaking and Critical Listening Skills (ELS)
(, )
(Subject meets with 21G.232)
Prereq: None
Units: 3-3-6
Lecture: TR3.30-5 (14E-310)
For advanced students who wish to build confidence and skills in spoken English. Focuses on the appropriate oral presentation of material in a variety of professional contexts: group discussions, classroom explanations and interactions, and theses/research proposals. Valuable for those who intend to teach or lecture in English. Includes frequent video- and audio-recording for analysis and feedback. Develops effective speaking and listening skills for academic and professional contexts. Models, materials, topics and assignments vary from term to term. May be repeated for credit with permission of the instructor. Limited to 15 per section.
J. Dunphy
No required or recommended textbooks
Graduate Subjects
21G.217 Workshop in Strategies for Effective Teaching (ELS)
(); partial term
Prereq: None
Units: 1-0-2
Credit cannot also be received for 21G.218
A mini-module for international teaching assistants. Covers special problems in teaching when English is a second language and the USA a second culture. Videotaping of practice sessions for feedback. Individualized programs to meet different needs. Graduate TA's have priority. Limited to 18.
Staff
21G.219 Foundations of Academic and Professional Writing (ELS)
(, )
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Credit cannot also be received for 21G.220
Lecture: MW EVE (5-6.30 PM) (16-668) or MW EVE (7-8.30 PM) (16-668)
Writing module for high- intermediate ELS students who wish to review and practice accurate grammar, effective sentence and paragraph structure, punctuation and word choice. Short weekly writing assignments with extensive editing required. Limited to 18.
K. Silverman
Textbooks (Fall 2018)
21G.224 Listening, Speaking, and Pronunciation (ELS)
(, )
(Subject meets with 21G.223)
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: MW2-3.30 (14N-225) or TR4-5.30 (1-379) or TR12.30-2 (5-217)
Designed for high intermediate ELS students who need to develop better listening comprehension and oral skills. Involves short speaking and listening assignments with extensive exercises in accurate comprehension, pronunciation, stress and intonation, and expression of ideas. Includes frequent video- and audio-recording for analysis and feedback. Limited to 18 per section.
Staff
Textbooks (Fall 2018)
21G.225 Advanced Workshop in Writing for Science and Engineering (ELS)
(, )
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Lecture: TR12-1.30 (14N-313)
Analysis and practice of various forms of scientific and technical writing, from memos to journal articles. Strategies for conveying technical information to specialist and non-specialist audiences. Comparable to 21W.780 but methods designed to deal with special problems of advanced ELS or bilingual students. The goal of the workshop is to develop effective writing skills for academic and professional contexts. Models, materials, topics and assignments vary from term to term. Limited to 18 per section.
Staff
Textbooks (Fall 2018)
21G.227 Advanced Workshop in Writing for Social Sciences and Architecture (ELS)
()
(Subject meets with 21G.228)
Prereq: None
Units: 3-0-9
Focuses on techniques, format, and prose used in academic and professional life. Emphasis on writing required in fields such as economics, political science, and architecture. Short assignments include business letters, memos, and proposals that lead toward a written term project. Methods designed to accommodate those whose first language is not English. Develops effective writing skills for academic and professional contexts. Models, materials, topics and assignments vary from term to term. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Limited to 18 per section.
Staff
21G.232 Advanced Speaking and Critical Listening Skills (ELS)
(, )
(Subject meets with 21G.233)
Prereq: None
Units: 3-3-6
Lecture: TR3.30-5 (14E-310) Recitation: TR EVE (5-6.30 PM) (14E-310)
For advanced students who wish to build confidence and skills in spoken English. Focuses on the appropriate oral presentation of material in a variety of professional contexts: group discussions, classroom explanations and interactions, and theses/research proposals. Valuable for those who intend to teach or lecture in English. Includes frequent video- and audio-recording for analysis and feedback. Develops effective speaking and listening skills for academic and professional contexts. Models, materials, topics and assignments vary from term to term. May be repeated for credit with permission of the instructor. Limited to 15 per section.
Staff
No required or recommended textbooks
