English Language School in Honolulu Renews and Revamps for Continued Growth

Intercultural Communications College, and established English as a Second Language (ESL) school in Honolulu Hawaii, rises to the challenge of encouraging language study travel despite uncertain world economies and travel restrictions. Curricular innovation and renewal are key to ongoing success.

(PRWEB) February 28, 2004--Intercultural Communications College has long been known as the preeminent provider of English as a Second Language (ESL) training for foreign students in Honolulu. As the school begins its fourteenth year in Honolulu, it has reemphasized its core values of excellence in language education while reaching out to new markets through curricular innovation.

In 2003, ICC brought over 1100 students into Hawaii for short-term English and culture experiences. Although we are a small school focusing on Intensive English training and despite the overall downturn in leisure travel", says ICC Director Joel Weaver, we served more international students last year than in any year in our history. In 2003, only two institutions--HPU and UH-Manoa--served more international students than ICC!" The economic impact of these students was considerable. Through fees and living expenses, our students brought more than $5 million into the local economy", says Director Weaver.

ICC offers the largest range of Intensive English programs of any ESL school in the state", says Laura Sprowls, ICC Registrar, and we are pleased to be able to provide training in conversational English, English for Business, English for Academics, as well as to be an official test center for the TOEFL, TOEIC, and Cambridge examinations."

The school has recently revised its English for Communication curriculum to better serve the needs of the students in this very popular program. We had a strong curriculum before", says Assistant Director Christine Guro, but now we feel that we have balanced the needs of our students for both structural instruction and theme-based conversational practice more effectively."

Under the direction of College Studies Coordinator Dr. Daniel Janik, ICC has successfully trained and helped students gain admittance to institutions of higher education both here in Hawaii and on the mainland. Dr. Janik expresses justifiable pride in the accomplishments of those who have been through his program: I regularly receive email from our former students who have gone on to study at first-tier universities on the mainland. They invariably say that it was the preparation they received at ICC that has made the difference in their ability to successfully compete with native-speakers at those institutions."

This April, the school is preparing to take another step forward. We are pleased to announce that we will begin offering the Cambridge English Language Teaching for Adults certificate in association with Saxoncourt, a leading provider of training and job placement for language teachers", says Director Weaver. The CELTA is the most widely recognized certification for English teachers in the world and is offered only after a rigorous approval process by Cambridge University. Although I recommend a graduate degree in ESL for those considering a career in the language teaching field", says Director Weaver, ICCs intensive 4-week CELTA program will provide an option for those interested in teaching English overseas immediately, and we will guarantee job placement upon successful completion of the program."

To celebrate these new initiatives and to offer interested parties the chance to visit our newly renovated facilities, ICC is holding an Open House Celebration on Thursday, February 26 from 5:30-7pm.

For information and for directions on how to attend, please call Bella at 946-2445.