

The Intensive English Program at the Portland English Language Academy (PELA) features English speaking courses designed for you to reach a high level of English in a short amount of time. Our program features 20 hours per a week of intensive English courses including listening & speaking, writing, grammar, reading, vocabulary, pronunciation, and integrated skills. In addition, you will have 2 hours of conversation groups or tutoring every day to practice your spoken English with native English speakers and to get the help you need to perfect your English ability.

The best English programs combine spoken English classes and English conversation courses with classes that develop all the language skills. PELA does this using its unique, custom-made, accredited curriculum that will prepare you to use English in a work or university environment. At PELA, you will master English speaking skills, English listening skills, English grammar, and English vocabulary and pronunciation in an intensive English language program that is fun, effective and affordable.

Benefits of the Intensive English Program

Quickly improve your English communication and conversation skills.

Obtain a high level of English in a short amount of time.

Prepare yourself to use English in a work or university environment.

20 Class hours per week

10 Hours of Focused English Skills Classes Reading, Vocabulary & Pronunciation Writing Listening & Speaking

10 Hours of Communication Skills Classes Integrated Skills Grammar for Communication



Optional Weekly Activities

Intensive English Program Schedule

Day of Week Focused English Skills Classes Communication Skills Classes Monday Listening & Speaking

50 minutes

Writing & Grammar

50 minutes Integrated Skills

Communication Skills Focus

110 minutes Tuesday Reading, Vocabulary, & Pronunciation

100 minutes

Grammar for Communication

110 minutes Wednesday Listening & Speaking

50 minutes Writing & Grammar

50 minutes Integrated Skills

Communication Skills Focus

110 minutes Thursday Reading, Vocabulary, & Pronunciation

100 minutes Grammar for Communication

110 minutes Friday Listening & Speaking

50 minutes Writing & Grammar

50 minutes Integrated Skills

Communication Skills Focus

110 minutes

Each Program session is 4-weeks in length.

Intensive English classes are held in the morning (9:00 AM – 12:50 PM).

Intensive English Language Course

PELA’s Intensive English Program Speaking & Listening Classes focus on English speaking skills and English conversation skills used in everyday life. At the lower levels, we provide students with survival skills for the classroom and beyond. At the higher levels, we prepare students who want to transition into using spoken English in a university or professional setting.

The writing classes in our intensive English language program move students from sentence-level writing at the lower levels to multi-paragraph essays that would be appropriate in an academic or business setting at the highest levels. We teach students a wide range of sentence patterns and skills to help them organize their thoughts and express themselves.

PELA’s reading, vocabulary, and pronunciation intensive English classes make use of real-world reading texts including fiction and non-fiction in both short and long form. Students are taught vocabulary, parts of speech, and reading for speed and comprehension. The pronunciation component of the reading class uses the vocabulary in each book to focus on teaching students to speak clearly and fluently. Students also work on casual spoken English that students hear outside of the classroom, in songs, TV shows and movies, and at social gatherings.

PELA’s intensive English course features Integrated Skills classes that combine grammar, vocabulary, writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills studying a variety of realworld situations and topics to give students the ability to use English fluently and confidently.

PELA’s Intensive English grammar classes are taught with a focus on grammar in real-world use. Grammar classes focus on using the correct grammar in conversations and in writing in a way that makes communicating in English easy and comfortable for the student. A variety of grammar activities help keep the mood light and the classes entertaining.

Whether you are a student of ESL learning English for the first time or if you are ready to study in an American university, PELA’s intensive English classes will help you reach goals. We offer 6 levels of ESL for beginners up to high-advance students. The Intensive English Program is our most popular program. It is for students on F-1 student visas or other students looking for full-time English study. Our terms are 4 weeks long. Students study at PELA for as many terms as they want and have a chance to move up a level every 4 weeks. For students looking for part-time study in an Intensive English Program please visit our Semi-Intensive English page here. The Semi-Intensive Program offers 17 hours of intensive English courses for students who are not in America on an F-1 student visa.

Learn English in America in Portland, Oregon, USA: a safe, clean and affordable city. We are located in central Portland, Oregon. It is easy to reach our school by bus, train, streetcar, bicycle, walking, or car. We have free parking if you drive, but it is easy to live in Portland without a car. Our school is surrounded by shops, restaurants and apartments in the heart of Portland’s Lloyd District. PELA organizes activities and events giving you the chance to use what you learn in your English speaking classes to talk with native speakers inside and outside of our school. PELA gives you the chance to use your English in the real world by participating in local activities such as festivals, sporting events, or charity work. Work side-by-side with Americans and experience Portland culture.

Intensive English Classes

PELA features 14 large classrooms with audio systems and projectors in each. In addition, students visit our study lab for individual tutoring or meet in one of our small meeting rooms for conversation group sessions. When relaxing or eating lunch, PELA students enjoy our student lounge which features sofas, coffee house style seating, a kitchenette, and a foosball table. Our glass wall computer lab features 15 computes and a printer. Our front desk is staffed with student service team members who are ready to help you in whatever way we can.

PELA’s Intensive English Program prepares students to master every-day English for daily life, English for the workplace, and academic English for university. In our intensive English courses, you will master both specific English language skills and your overall English communication ability. Students find our teachers to be passionate and expert at making sure that students make progress everyday. The conversation groups, tutoring, and school activities and excursions get students to immediately use what they learn in class. As students journey toward English perfection, they become friends with students from around the world. Students from over 25 countries study at PELA every year. Our class-sizes are small ensuring that students get a chance to know the classmates they are studying with. Our warm and supportive school atmosphere ensures that these classmates will become friends for life.

We look forward to welcoming you into the intensive English language program at the Portland English Language Academy.