Structure of the Preparatory English Program
Structure – Modular System
The MEF English Language Preparatory Program uses a modular system which consists of four 38-day modules and one summer module. After 38 days of instruction, students have a short break before the next module starts.
There are five levels: Level 1 – Pre-Faculty Level. If a student starts from Level 1, for example, that student has the opportunity to finish all five levels by the end of Summer School, although it is more likely that they will need to return to the ELPP in their second year to complete the Levels. In the 2018-2019 academic year 40% of students who started at Level 1 completed all ELPP Levels in one year.
This is to be expected, as progressing from A1, or in some cases pre-A1, to a B2 level in ten months is not easy for the majority of learners, and is why it is possible to have up to two years in a university English preparatory program in Turkey.
Students who start the ELPP at Level 1 and pass all levels successively to reach Pre-Faculty Level at the start of Summer School are entitled to free Summer School. All other students must pay forSummer School should they choose to attend.
Description of Levels
Students are placed in one of the five levels based on their results from the Placement Testing at the beginning of the academic year. In order for a student to complete the English Language Preparatory Program and begin their faculty studies, that student must successfully complete Pre- Faculty Level. Any student that completes Pre-Faculty Level mid-semester (at the end of Module 1 or the end of Module 3) has the opportunity to take an elective course in the second half of the semester (Module 2 and Module 4). Students who successfully complete Pre-Faculty in Module 1 or Module 2 can start their faculty programme at the start of the second semester.
Level 1 – Students who do not have any or have very little knowledge of English (CEFR pre-A1 and A1) are placed in this level at the beginning of the academic year. Students who start the ELPP at this level must pass Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4, and Pre-Faculty Level successively to complete the program.
Upon successful completion of Level 1, students will be expected to be able to:
• Understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type.
• Introduce him/herself and others, and ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has.
• Interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
Level 2 – Students who have a basic knowledge of English (CEFR A2) are placed at this level. Students who start the ELPP at this level must pass Level 2, Level 3, Level 4, and Pre-Faculty Level successively to complete the program.
Upon successful completion of Level 2, students will be expected to be able to:
• Understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediaterelevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).
• Communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.
• Describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
Level 3 – Students whose English level is at Intermediate (CEFR B1) are placed at this level. Students who start the ELPP at this level must pass Level 3, Level 4, and Pre-Faculty Level successively to complete the program.
Upon successful completion of Level 3, students will be expected to be able to:
• Understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar topics regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.
• Deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the English language is spoken.
• Produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest.
• Describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions, and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
Level 4 – Students whose English level is at low Upper-Intermediate (CEFR B2-) are placed at this level. Students who start the ELPP at this level must pass Level 4 and Pre-Faculty Level successively to complete the program.
Upon successful completion of Level 4, students will be expected to be able to:
• Understand the main ideas of complex texts and identify particular viewpoints of the writers.
• Communicate comfortably and expressively in general social situations.
• Display a developing competence in the expression of opinions, views and ideas, both written and spoken.
Pre-Faculty Level – Students whose English level is at Upper-Intermediate (CEFR mid-B2) are placed at this level. Students who start the ELPP at this level must pass Pre-Faculty Level to complete the program.
Upon successful completion of Pre-Faculty Level, students will be expected to be able to:
• Listen to and understand a live or recorded lecture or presentation and take effective notes
• Construct a basic academic argument, and use strategies to manage a conversation
• Give an academic presentation using an outline or notecards
• Understand academic texts written for a general audience
• Write a variety of academic-style paragraphs and summaries