Institute for English Language Studies

The mission of the Institute for English Language Studies (IELS) at Taylor University is to prepare English language learners for success in American higher education through meaningful four-skill language instruction and practice, practical academic skill building, immersive cultural orientation, and community-based spiritual enrichment.

Depending on their academic English proficiency, previous English study and personal language learning goals, students will either be placed in the Advanced Track or Academic Track of the IESL program:

Advanced Track: Students who enter the IELS with a TOEFL iBT (or equivalent) score of 55 + and who wish to matriculate into a degree seeking Taylor program will take one semester of ESL courses, achieving the necessary TOEFL score, teacher recommendations, and GPA by time for registration for the following semester.

Academic Track: Students who enter the program with a TOEFL iBT (or equivalent) score of 54 or below, or who enter with no standardized English proficiency score at all, but wish to eventually matriculate into the degree seeking Taylor program will take a minimum of twelve credit hours of courses.

The specific goals of the Institute for English Language Studies are:

To prepare students for academic study at an American university. This includes instruction and practice in:

• Academic listening and speaking
• Academic reading and writing
• American classroom culture
• American culture

To facilitate students’ incorporation into the Taylor community through:
Sharing in residence hall life

• Involvement in clubs and campus activities
• Spiritual enrichment through chapel attendance and local church communities
• Experiencing cultures from all around the world through interactions with other Taylor students
• Observation of and participation in university courses

To provide a nurturing and enriching spiritual environment through:

• The hospitality of the Taylor community
• Fellowship with hall-mates, faculty, staff, and each other
• Regular chapel attendance
• Classes taught from a Biblical world view
• Curriculum aimed to train and grow students both spiritually and academically