Electives

Every semester, for people who want to study English for Specific Purposes in Austin, we offer up to nine different electives.  If you would like to see which electives are currently available, contact us for the most up-to-date list.

If you would like to arrange for a special course for a group of 5 or more, taught at a special time, contact us to arrange it. One month's notice is required to create special classes not already offered in the current semester.

On-site costs of courses for special groups are listed below. Off-site costs will vary depending on location.

THE BUSINESS WORLD

Skills Development and Workforce Preparation

Designed and taught in consultation with academics and industry leaders, this specialized course will give students preparing for entry into the workforce both the skills and the confidence needed to meet this critical professional transition. The course is strategically located in the city of Austin with coursework delivered at the HOFT Institute’s campus just blocks away from the University of Texas at Austin and the business, governmental, and cultural districts of the city and state. The Workforce Prep curriculum is academically rigorous, artfully designed to enhance soft and hard skills, and fully customizable in content and duration to meet your institutional goals.

Business English

This course will explore the world of business and give students the opportunity to develop the language skills they need for professional success. Students will learn to format business letters, write a resume, and prepare for interviews, among other skills.

English for the Hospitality Industry

This course focuses on the language needs of people working in hotels, restaurants, and other industries where the “soft skills” of client-service provider are essential. Role-plays and discussion of real-life situations are dealt with, and pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar are all focused upon.

English for Computers

Learn English and computers at the same time. Students will learn typing, internet searches, and Google Apps.  Participants will learn to format personal and business letters, write using templates, and create academic essays in an independent and collaborative environment.  By the end of the course, students will have the terminology and skills needed for the 21st century.

MEDICAL FOCUS

English for Health Sciences

This elective involves speaking, listening, reading and writing activities incorporating hundreds of commonly used terms and expressions relating to the fields of medicine, nursing, pharmacy and other health sciences. The goal is to familiarize students of health sciences with key field-specific language that is not included in general ESL programs.

UNIVERSITY PREPARATION

University Lectures, Readings, and Research Writing

These classes help students planning to enter university who want more practice listening to authentic academic lectures. It will teach various note-taking methods, such as the Cornell Method, SQ3R, etc. The goal is to prepare students for the extensive listening they will experience in the university lecture hall or seminars. Based on student interests, university-level texts will be analyzed, with weekly amounts of required reading similar to what you would experience in a college or university setting. The goal is to improve reading speed, develop summarizing skills, and build Academic vocabulary.

Debate and Critical Thinking

This course will help students increase their confidence, as well as improve pronunciation and grammar, by doing regular debates on hot topics. Critical analysis of researched information will be regular features of the class, so critical reading skills and argumentative/persuasive speaking ability will be developed throughout the course. 

TEST PREPARATION

IELTS Preparation

The goal of this course is to ensure achievement of the highest possible scores for students taking the academic and general versions of the exam. The class involves diagnostic exams, development of supporting skills, and test-taking strategies for each section. Moreover, regular speaking and writing practice will be a key part of every week’s classes to prepare students for interviews and writing tasks.

TOEFL Preparation

The goal of this class is to enable each student in the class to get the highest score possible on the TOEFL exam. The class will focus on supporting skills such as note taking, paraphrasing, and summarizing, high-level grammar points, and test-taking strategies for each of the sections of the test. Students will have many chances to practice through exercises and practice tests.

SPORTS FOCUS

English for Athletes

Students taking this course will learn about anatomy, physiology, and the terminology of weight training, cardiovascular training, and whichever key sport or sports the group chooses to focus on. Vocabulary and pronunciation are the key areas of study.

CULTURAL INTEGRATION COURSES

American Accent Training

Learn the rhythm and intonation of American style English to become an effective communicator. The goal is improved pronunciation, so pronunciation does not interfere with communication.

American Popular Culture and Idioms

Students study and practice using cultural idioms. The goal of the course is to help students improve vocabulary and properly use expressions related to American life.  Students are introduced to popular cultural memes, influential TV shows, movies or online streaming video content, important American history, and famous media personalities.

English for Parenting

This class will help parents in the United States to better deal with school, hospital, and social events relating to their family lives. Vocabulary building, grammar correction and pronunciation work are all focused on in this course. With daily speaking practice and error correction as a key focus, this course will help you learn the appropriate vocabulary and expressions, as well as the cultural context for a variety of situations you may face here in the United States. You will discuss the many challenges of using English, whether it’s making a phone call, attending a social event, or talking to your kids’ teachers. This is an interactive class in which students are given a great deal of talking time. The teacher will bring in material, but students are strongly encouraged to contribute their own ideas and help choose the aspects of American life that are discussed.

US Culture through Music

This course will educate students about American history, popular culture and musical traditions. Study of lyrics will aid learners to understand a wide range of colloquialisms. Course tasks will include discussion of readings, critiques of video material, and extensive discussion and presentation activities.

English in the News 

This class works to improve knowledge and use of all communication skills in a journalistic setting. The goal is to help students develop teamwork skills and confidence when making videos, mixed-media projects, newscasts/infomercials, or a school “yearbook.” Each participant will do research, writing and editing of projects that will be shown to classmates at the Institute.  Students will examine English in news media to enhance their vocabulary and reading skills.

Short Works of English Literature

This course would involve the study of short stories, poems and short novels of famous writers. The goal is to introduce learners to the world of English literature and create an interest in reading that will benefit them long after the course has finished.

Additional electives are available. Please contact HOFT for more details if you are interested in a specific customized program!