Tennessee Foreign Language Institute

School Introduction

The mission of the ESL program at TFLI is to provide quality and affordable English education, helping students become lifelong learners and productive members of their families, workplaces, and communities.

Our institute has trained hundreds of teachers worldwide through our 135-hour Teaching English as a Second Language Certification. With new theories, practices, and resources being developed worldwide on a regular basis, the field of teaching English is a very dynamic one. By combining their respective strengths in past and current teaching methodologies and years of experience, our language teachers create effective lessons and learning environments for students at any level of English proficiency.

ESL Program Introduction

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT): This method is different from traditional teaching methods in that the classroom environment is student-centered versus teacher-centered. Conventionally, teachers are in charge and in control of learning.

In the communicative classroom, students are in charge of their own learning and teachers are facilitators. The teachers still set up presentations, exercises, and directions, but students are active participants—doing the majority of the communication and interactions.

Not only does CLT help increase students’ fluency, but also lead students to an increased sense of confidence in using the language and sparks learners to reach their fullest potential. In this setting, students practice real-life situations (e.g., giving directions, making requests, giving advice, etc.) and complete meaningful tasks.


Language Immersion: In order to prepare students for real world situations, our classrooms have an “English only” policy.

This immersion strategy creates a genuine learning situation for students to practice and produce language in English. Our teachers are trained professionals and have their students’ best interests at heart. Moreover, our teachers are trained to set up situations that convey the meaning of the lesson through visual clues, props, gestures, pictures or contexts. Though students are not expected to understand 100%, or even 80% in an immersion situation, with repetition, practice, and doing authentic tasks, students will start to learn, begin to feel confident, and eventually start to communicate.

Our immersion method creates a situation in which students are forced to find ways to ask questions or express themselves in the target language—it creates a more realistic situation for students so that when they are truly faced with a situation in which there is not an interpreter available to them, they are able to handle the transaction.

Although many of our teachers can speak other languages, we strongly enforce English-only in the classroom. With language immersion, students become culturally aware of their surroundings. Thus, when students are confronted with social, cultural, or situational contexts outside the classroom, they have the tools to generate unrehearsed language.

Background Data

• Number of ESL Students: 100-200
• Average Class Size: 7
• Hours per Week: 3.25
• Minimum Age: 18
• Issue I-20: No
• Housing Options: Homestay 
• School Setting:  Urban 
• Accreditation: Tennesse Board of Regents

Schedule & Fees

The registration process...

STEP 1: Take the placement test. First, a student must request an appointment to take the placement test: Please call (615) 741-7579.

The days available to take the test vary. Appointments are made on a first-come, first-served basis (with no exceptions). Appointment slots are filled quickly, so please prepare to make arrangements at least 5 days in advance.

The test costs $15.The test and grading takes about 1.5 hours. Immediately after the test, the student will know into which level s/he is placed.


STEP 2: Register for class.
After a student has been tested and knows the appropriate level, the student must complete a registration form (or register on-line with a credit card) and pay for the level and the textbooks that accompany that course.


The classes are divided into 5 different courses and subdivided into 5 levels. For example, a student may test into “Intermediate 3”. This means the student is in the Intermediate Course, and in the 3rd level of that course.

The student may join the classes at anytime. The ESL Department has a “rolling registration” period, meaning that students may enroll in our ESL classes at anytime during the year. If the level has already begun, as a first-time student, the tuition may be pro-rated.


Levels: The duration of the levels are generally 5 weeks, with classes meeting 3.25 hours for one day of the week for a total of 16 hours. The classes may meet in the mornings or evenings during the week OR on Saturday mornings. Each class maintains a different schedule.


Costs: The first level costs $150. Then, after a student has taken one level, s/he will obtain a status as a “returning student”. The student will receive a discount for every level thereafter. The succeeding levels cost $125.


Books: The books last for the duration of one course, i.e., the Intermediate books are valid for all Intermediate levels: Intermediate 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The books cost $40-$60 (depending on the level). Students are required to buy books.


It is very important the student pay the fees before the start of the class. In the case that the class is cancelled (because of the lack of enrollment or student payment), the student will be reimbursed. Credit card reimbursements can be done immediately. For students paying by check or cash, the reimbursement process may take 2-6 weeks. The level requires a minimum of four (4) students.


STEP 3: Start the class.
Once the student’s level has been determined, and the student has registered and paid for the class, s/he may begin attending the class.


TEXTBOOKS
You should get your textbooks when you register and pay for your class. Each course requires a different textbook, but the same textbook is used for the duration of the course. For example, you will use Interchange 1, 3rd ed. for the Beginning Course, levels 1 – 5.

If you are a new student coming in at the last level of a course, for example, Advanced 5, then we encourage you to buy the textbook, but we can make copies upon request.


STUDENT PAYMENTS
Students MUST pay IN FULL before attending class.
Minimum enrollment: 4 students
$15 Placement test
$150 NEW student
$125 RETURNING student
($75 PRACTICE TEACHING CLASSES)
Your class may have a “practice teacher” 2-3 times per year.


Required text for Intro to Advanced:
$40 Interchange 3rd Edition (includes student book, workbook, and CD)


Required text for Superior 1-5:
$40 Passages 1 (student book and workbook)
$40 Passages 2 (student book and workbook)

Required text for American Pronunciation Skills:
$40 Realistically Speaking
$10 (optional) Realistically Speaking DVD
Recommended Text:
$35 Grammar Express BASIC (Beginning–Intermediate)
$35 Grammar Express (Advanced-Superior)

Special Courses & Features

• English for Business
• Accent Reduction Courses
• TOEFL Preparation Courses
• Teacher Training Courses
• One-to-One Instruction / Private Lessons

Housing/Accommodation Info

Students may arrange on their own. We provide some recomendations for them.

Contact Info

ESL Department
Tennessee Foreign Language Institute
Metro Center, Heritage Place Building
227 French Landing Drive, Suite 100
Nashville, TN 37228


Tel 615-741-7579
Fax 615-741-7331
Website