English Language Learning

Attending Bement is an opportunity for international students to improve their English skills and prepare for secondary school. All international students take mainstream classes with their American peers, which naturally raises their speaking and listening skills and helps them quickly assimilate to life abroad. Bement’s English Language Learning (ELL) program complements our offerings to international students, helping them improve their written and oral English language skills.

Our curriculum gives ELL students daily opportunities to refine their reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities. Students learn new vocabulary, participate in literature-discussion circles, make research presentations, and write essays related to their classroom texts. Classes are small, allowing ELL students to receive instruction based on their particular needs—such as practicing adverb clauses or writing a strong thesis statement.

Along with language learning, we focus on teaching cultural understanding so international students can keep pace inside and outside the classroom. Students learn this cultural understanding in every interaction on campus—in ELL classes, on the athletic fields, in their dorms, and during weekend activities. We believe that students will fully master English when they have a deep understanding of the cultural contexts around them. When international students graduate from Bement, they are strong English speakers who recognize nuanced cultural norms, lead discussions in class, and write papers that reflect their critical thinking.