Improve your English with the Conversation and Fluency program, a dynamic course that combines lessons in grammar and vocabulary with chances to chat and make friends. Join in lively discussions with UC San Diego Cultural Ambassadors, who are friendly locals and native English speakers. Get ready for language learning that feels like an adventure! You'll even explore new places and hear from interesting guest speakers during our special cultural field trips and presentations.
Who Will Benefit
Students who would like a cultural exchange with Americans and other international students will benefit from the Conversation and Fluency program. Because of its focus on communication and fluency-building, Conversation & Fluency is also ideal for working professionals who are looking for a short-term program that specifically targets listening and speaking skills. For those interested in a fully live-online Conversation and Fluency program, visit our Online ESL Courses page for more information.
Classes:
This course covers conversation skills and enhances student cultural awareness. The course includes various topics that are studied through discussions, presentations, role-plays, interviews, games, and music. These activities will help each student master vocabulary and idioms used for oral fluency.
Students will improve their applied communicative grammar skills through structured lessons and engaging activities directly related to the skills needed to perform well in practical situations.
In this class, students enhance their language skills through structured lessons focused on grammar and vocabulary development. The course covers speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Additionally, students improve their practical communication skills by applying grammar lessons to real-life situations through engaging activities.
Curriculum:
The focus of this program is on building English communication skills and enhancing cultural awareness with special emphasis on speaking and listening. Students practice speaking and listening throughout the program, including during interactions with American UC San Diego students (Cultural Ambassadors). Teachers prepare students to listen to, ask questions of, and interact with American culture guest speakers. Students also participate in cultural field trips. Daily homework is moderate.
Duration: 4 weeks
Levels: 1-8
Delivery method: In-person
Visa: F-1 student visa (20 hours per week) or Tourist/ESTA (15* hours per week)
Program Schedule:
- Monday - Friday
- 15* or 20 hours per week
Sample schedule:
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
8:30 - 11:45
Conversation and Culture
|
8:30 - 10:50
Integrated Skills
Part I
|
8:30 - 11:45
Conversation and Culture
|
8:30 - 10:50
Integrated Skills
Part I
|
8:30 - 11:20
Conversation and Culture
|
| |
1:00 – 3:20
Integrated Skills
Part II
|
|
1:00 – 3:20
Integrated Skills
Part II
|
|
Schedules may vary by English language level.
* The 15-hour-per-week program does not qualify for the Form I-20.
Age: 18+
Language Proficiency: High Beginner to Advanced (levels 1-8)
Placement Test: For the best learning experience, every student must take an online placement test to determine their English level before starting the Conversation & Fluency program. This test helps us understand your current English level, ensuring you start the program at just the right spot for your study abroad journey. Additionally, all enrolled students are required to complete an online pre-arrival orientation before the beginning of the program. This orientation, which includes the online placement test, is a crucial step in preparing for the Conversation & Fluency program.
Byung-Cheol Shin
Republic of Korea
I studied twice at UC San Diego. I particularly liked the “Cultural Ambassadors” who participated in the Conversation and Fluency program. The Cultural Ambassadors were really helpful. Most were American UC San Diego students around my age and because they were my age, it was easier to talk to them and become friends. I was happy that I could make a lot of friends who came from other countries. We would practice our English after class, sharing new ideas, improving our cultural literacy, and helping each other in various ways.
Advisory About Language Proficiency Level
If our online pre-arrival placement tests indicate that your English proficiency level does not permit placement in the original 4-week program class, we will place you in 4 weeks of study in a corresponding 4-week or 8-week program or provide a combination of classes and individual tutoring to ensure a program of 15 or 20 hours per week for 4 weeks. Alternatively, we may decide to place all 4-week program students in level-appropriate classes in a corresponding 4-week or 8-week program in order to provide a program of 15 or 20 hours per week for 4 weeks. When this happens, the students’ 4-week program will have the features described for the new 4- or 8-week program, not the features described for the original program. The tuition and fees for the students’ 4-week program enrollment will remain the same.
Advisory About Variable Enrollments
Enrollment numbers in our 4-week English language programs vary from month-to-month. Therefore, if we have low enrollments in the original 4-week program, we will notify you within 30-days of your program start date, so that you may cancel your enrollment or enroll into another 4-week program.