LADO International Course Information
and Method
At LADO International Institute we offer a variety of courses and tiered pricing to suit the needs and schedules of all students.
Depending on the level of immersion and course hours desired by you, we also offer intensive and semi-intensive options.
Besides our intensive morning program, which is our most comprehensive and immersive foreign language education with the shortest time frame of 17 days (4 weeks), we also offer options of longer 8 week courses that spread instruction hours into shorter class times.
Choose from a variety of programs
We care about your schedule and budget
Registration Information
There is a one-time non-refundable registration fee ($100) and books are not included.
* Morning Semi-Intensive only Online
** Afternoon Semi-Intensive only in Arlington Center
Please note that students enrolling in online classes must have a device (e.g., a cell phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer) to access the Internet.
View the calendar here
For holidays, please check your center here
Class Structure and Course Levels
Levels and structure
LADO International Institute has established a comprehensive curriculum to help students of all levels achieve high degrees of proficiency as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Level 1
Learn how to
- Use grammar (nouns, simple present and progressive verb tense, sentence types, etc.)
- Identify people and things
- Introduce and greet people
- Make informal phone calls
Topics include
- Colors
- Day of the week
- Jobs
- Numbers
- Parts of the body
- Shopping for food
Skills learned include
- Write a description of your family, a friend, and classmate
- Practice pronunciation
- Read fiction stories
- Listen to and practice saying vowel and other sounds
Level 2
Learn how to
- Use grammar (simple past and past progressive verb tenses, adverbs of time, etc.)
- Ask and talk about time
- Give your opinion
- Talk about plans, the weather, and travel
Topics include
- Free time activities
- Meals and food
- Months of the year
- Parts of the day
- Sports
- Time and time expressions
Skills learned include
- Write about your daily schedule, future plans, and past activities
- Practice pronunciation
- Read fiction and non-fiction stories
- Listen to and practice saying vowel and other sounds
Level 3
Learn how to
- Use grammar (modal verbs, comparatives, prepositions of place, etc.)
- Ask for and give advice, information, and reasons
- Make comparisons and suggestions
- Talk about location, the future, and past activities
Topics include
- Birthday and surprise gifts
- Exercise, health and fitness
- Going to a restaurant, a grocery store, and on a train
- Occupations and hobbies
Skills learned include
- Write about a trip, food in your country, and an important celebration
- Practice pronunciation
- Read fiction and non-fiction stories
- Listen to and practice saying vowel and other sounds
Level 4
Learn how to
- Use grammar (present perfect verb tense, adverbs of frequency, prepositions of place and time, etc.)
- Ask for and identify people, things, places and instructions
- Make comparisons and generalizations
- Talk about recent experience, frequency and duration
Topics include
- City life
- Countries
- How-To Books
- Music
- Locations and addresses
- The United States
Skills learned include
- Write a description of a country’s customs, an email giving directions, and a letter of complaint to a business
- Compare two vacation places
- Practice pronunciation of consonants and diphthongs
- Read non-fiction stories
Level 5
Learn how to
- Use grammar (infinitives, gerunds after adjectives, the passive voice, adjectives ending in –ing and –ed, etc.)
- Summarizing
- Give an example, a logical explanation
- Complain and express disagreement
Topics include
- A healthy lifestyle
- A stolen item
- Describing your day and routine
- Meeting new people
- Planning a party
- The Fourth of July
Skills learned include
- Write a description of an accident, a crime newspaper article and a 3-paragraph essay
- Describe your favorite activities and how to do or make something
- Listen to and practice saying consonant clusters and unstressed vowels
- Read non-fiction and fiction stories
Level 6
Learn how to
- Use grammar (conditionals with if, past perfect verb tense, reflexive pronouns, etc.)
- Counter arguments
- Emphasize ideas and words
- Express intention, opinions, regrets and surprise
- Report someone else’s speech
- Tell jokes
Topics include
- Cultural differences
- Jazz
- Job interview
- Punctuation
- Gender equality
- Regrets
- Shopping
Skills learned include
- Write an outline for a 3-paragraph essay
- Write essays describing your favorite animal, giving your opinion, and summarizing your past experiences
- Listen to and practice patterns in intonation, word stress, thought groups, and tag questions
- Read non-fiction stories
Level 7
Learn how to
- Connect themes between two different texts
- Classify information and identify salient features
- Infer word meaning from context and implied meaning through intonation
- Use idiomatic expressions
- Differentiate between main ideas and details
Topics include
- Advertising
- Gender and language use
- Extreme Sports
- Ecotourism
Skills learned include
- Speaking more fluently and naturally by highlighting words and using stress in compound words
- Reviewing grammar (simple verb tenses, modals of advice, etc.)
- Write different composition styles (compare and contrast, factual report, opinion)
Level 8
Learn how to
- Use more advanced vocabulary and identify variations in word meaning in context
- Infer an author’s position
- Use synonyms and antonyms
- Make predictions and conclusions
- Apply new information to new contexts
- Evaluate effectiveness of arguments
Topics include
- Amish Culture
- Marriage in different cultures
- Crime and punishment
- Climate change
Skills learned include
- Write different composition styles (descriptive, summary, cause-and-effect, etc.)
- Practicing word stress, contrastive stress and intonation
- Reviewing grammar (definite and indefinite articles, infinitives of purpose, etc.)
Level 9
Learn how to
- Read and interpret graphs
- Analyze narrative techniques
- Propose solutions to problems
- Hypothesize another’s point of view
- Use passive voice and unreal conditionals
- Scan for supporting details
Topics include
- Intelligence in animals
- Journalism and truth
- Medicine
- Sleep
- Overcoming obstacles
Skills learned include
- Use pre-writing devices (lists, charts, idea webs, etc.)
- Practice thought groups, reducing and contracting auxiliary verbs
- Review grammar (gerunds, infinitives, adjective clauses, etc.)
- Develop a classroom survey
Level 10
Learn how to
- Identify motivations of characters
- Relate specific situations to broad themes
- Paraphrase main ideas
- Identify personal assumptions
- Listen to and evaluate students’ presentations
- Take notes while listening
Topics include
- Importance of education
- Living in another country and immigration
- Technology use
- Volunteering and donations
- Food relating to traditions and culture
Skills learned include
- Use pre-writing devices (T-charts, flow charts, etc.), parallel structure and punctuation
- Practice word blends with you, intonation in lists
- Review grammar (tag questions, direct and indirect speech, etc.)
Upper Level Electives
Students may take electives after successfully completing Level 10 or by placing into the class based on LADO International Institute Placement Test scores
- American Cinema
- American Culture
- Advanced Grammar
- American History
- American Literature
- Business English
- Critical Thinking and Writing skills
- English through The Washington Post
- TOEFL test preparation
- IELTS test preparation
The LADO International Institute Approach
At LADO International Institute, our students learn using a unique methodology developed by Dr. Robert Lado. The Total Approach for teaching and learning English appeals to different learning styles and takes into consideration the native language, culture, and education of each student.
The Total Approach philosophy is divided into three phases which the students experience during their lesson:
Learning
During this phase, the students are introduced to the language and learn words and expressions naturally.
Assimilation
Following the Learning Phase, the students assimilate the target language through a variety of activities, experiences, and explanations.
Facilitation
In the final phase, the students develop facility with the language. During this phase, students are given the opportunity to practice and produce the language in a real-life context.
Accreditation
Educational programs offered by LADO International Institute based in the United States are validated by the Accrediting Commission of the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET), a national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.
ACCET is the only recognized accrediting agency to be certified in the USA as an ISO 9001-Quality Management System under the international standards established by the International Organization for Standardization.
For more information about ACCET accreditation, please visit http://accet.org/.
Certification/CEUs
Upon completion of your program at LADO, you will receive a Certification of Completion that will include the hours of study and your CEUs.
The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is a nationally recognized unit of measurement for participation in non-credit, continuing education programs. Click here to learn more about CEUs.
Note: To receive your certificate, you must take the Michigan Test. You will receive both the LADO and Michigan Certificates!
