PLI - Pacific Language Institute Toronto

The core of our program is our Communication Skills class, which is offered at eight levels and incorporates useful, conversational language, designed to improve what students can say and how they say it. As students work on their accuracy, clarity and fluency, they learn and review vocabulary and grammar. Topics of casual and formal conversation are introduced in order that students develop their spontaneous speaking skill for use in situations outside the classroom. All students studying 20 or more hours per week can choose to take Specific Skills Option classes, depending on their level and language needs. These are designed for students to begin on any start date, as each module is separate. The course curriculum lengths vary; students may take only one month if they wish. (Business English, TOEFL/TOEIC and Cambridge Program courses are taken in conjunction with Communication Skills and/or Specific Skills Options.)

These intensive courses are designed for students to begin at any time, because each module is separate. Although the course may have a two, three or four month curriculum, students may take only one month if they wish. (Two week programs are available on request in Toronto). Each Business English course is 10 hours/week, and is usually taken in conjunction with 10 hours/week of Communication Skills or a Specific Skill Option such as Pronunciation & Conversation, Grammar & Writing or Reading & Vocabulary.

Learn English and practice your English skills within a Canadian business, with PLI’s English Internship Program. This program is designed for mature students aged 20 and over who wish to further their careers by improving their English skills and practicing them within a Canadian business environment. An advanced level of English is required for this program. The EIP program consists of two components: A study portion and a volunteer internship portion. You will be able to apply your skills, learn about the business culture in Canada, and gain valuable international experience, which will look great on your résumé. The program runs for a minimum of eight weeks, with equal or more time learning English in the classroom, followed by a placement with a host company. To get maximum benefit from this program, we recommend that you study for at least two months before starting the placement. The placement period may form up to a maximum of 50% of the entire program, which depends on your resources, your English language level, and the amount of time you wish to spend in Canada.

Our TOEFL courses are designed for students in PLI levels 5, 6 and 7 (high intermediate to advanced), who can manage the speed and accuracy necessary for a satisfactory score. The placement test that we give all students on their first day determines their level and whether they can join the TOEFL course or not. Students in the TOEFL program take 20 or 30 hours per week of study. One of their classes is a TOEFL preparation class, in which grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening exercises are done and test-taking strategies are taught. A second class is our regular Communication Skills class at the appropriate level. A third class (for 30hrs/week) can be chosen from among a few options, for example, Oral Production and Fluency, additional Communication Skills, Business English, etc. The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) is used for measuring English language proficiency for language useful in the workplace. It is designed specifically to test various abilities in English, as it is used in real-life situations in business and in the government. The PLI TOEIC Preparation Program is designed to help students improve their listening, reading comprehension and grammar skills and test scores. Students wishing to take the TOEIC Preparation Program, must be assessed at PLI level 3-5, as the course has been developed for intermediate level students. As with other programs, the TOEIC Preparation Program is available at each school dependent upon student requests.

The University of Cambridge Certificates are the best known certificates of British English, and are very useful in both the business and academic world as a test of English language proficiency. Because of the consistent success our students have had in passing the Cambridge examinations, we are confident that students will enjoy and benefit from our excellent preparation program. PLI Toronto offers the First Certificate Exam (FCE) preparation, and PLI Vancouver offers preparation for the First Certificate (FCE), Cambridge Advanced (CAE) and Cambridge Proficiency Exams (CPE). PLI prepares students for the Cambridge Examinations held in June and December, each year. Our regular program is 12 weeks, 24 hours per week. In Vancouver we also offer an accelerated program for eight weeks at 30 hours per week for FCE and CAE. Each course ends the week prior to the actual Cambridge examinations.