Key Features:
- Preparation for college (reading, writing, listening, speaking. study skills)
- Intensive program: 20 hours a week in Fall and Spring, 25 in the Winter and 16 in the Summer semesters
- Experienced, qualified ESL college teachers give you individual attention
- Small classes: fewer than 15 students in a class
- Daily computer lab for working on assignments and research
- Field trips to NYC museums and other sites to practice English
All BLIIS students retake the CUNY tests in writing (CATW) and reading at the end of each semester.
Why do I need to take BLIIS when I can take regular ESL courses?
Here are some differences between regular ESL courses and BLIIS:
- BLIIS meets for 20 hours a week; remedial courses meet for 12 hours a week
- BLIIS costs $2,200 a semester; remedial courses cost $3,600.
- BLIIS students write their essays in class and in the computer lab
- BLIIS students get individual attention from their teachers (not tutors) to help with writing in class; regular ESL students go to the writing center for tutoring
- BLIIS classes include skills that will prepare you for college
Want to learn more about BLIIS? Watch our director explain the program in this video.
