English as a Second Language (ESL)

Learn English as a Second Language (ESL) with the Learning Languages Institute, one of Canada’s leading language schools.

• You can study in person in Canada at our schools in London and Mississauga in Ontario.
• You can learn online from the comfort of your own home with LLI’s easy to use interactive Virtual Learning Platform.

LLI offers 7 levels of ESL and academic preparation programs, so you can join a class that is the right level for you.

Why choose the full time ESL program from LLI?

• 23 hours of in-class teaching per week with Certified English teachers.
• Maximum of 15 students per class.
• Receive one-on-one attention from your teachers in an engaging and interactive learning environment.
• New courses starting every month.
• Learn online or in-person – the curriculum is exactly the same.
• LLI has hosted students from more than 75 different countries around the world. Cultural diversity is a key factor in our students’ success, so we make sure that every class is made of up students with a mixture of cultural backgrounds and native languages.

Start studying ESL at the right level

LLI offer a world-class 7-level curriculum, so you can start as a beginner or join an advanced level class based on your English ability and LLI assessment test.

• You can join our general English program. This program includes 23 hours of in-person or virtual classes per week which focus on speaking, grammar, and writing.
• You can join our academic English program. This program includes 29 hours of in-person or virtual classes per week. These classes focus on speaking and writing at a higher level of English. They are primarily intended for students who want to go on to college/university or want to develop their advanced level English skills.

English Placement Test

When you enroll with LLI, you are required to take an LLI English Placement Test. The results from your Placement Test are then used to place you in a class with other students at the same level of English ability. 

How we teach ESL

With LLI, you learn by being immersed in English rather than just memorizing words and phrases in a textbook. Therefore, you will be asked to participate in whole class and group activities to complete exercises that develop your speaking and writing skills.

We prefer to focus on developing your language skills through interactive, task-based learning, so that you can improve your communication skills and English comprehension. At LLI, we believe that a student’s confidence in their English abilities is more important than their test results.

Our ESL curriculum is delivered in 4-week blocks, and it takes 8 weeks to complete one level. Class hours are between 23-30 hours per week, so you have time for home study and practice too. As a full-time student, you can complete our entire program in as little as 12 months.

ESL online or in-person?

Our full-time ESL program curriculum is exactly the same whether you join us online or in-person.

• In-person students attend classes at our modern institutions in downtown London, and Mississauga Ontario.
• Online students join their classes virtually via their computer. Online students have the same opportunity to interact with their classmates and teachers, as if they were sitting in the room with them. You can see and hear exactly what in-person students see and can participate by asking and answering questions via your computer microphone. It works just like a Zoom call!

Our full-time ESL courses are all LIVE classes, so online students need to be able to join the class in the EST timezone. All online students benefit from our cutting-edge LLI Virtual Learning Platform. 

Beginner and advanced ESL options 

LLI offers a Foundation Program (Pre-Beginner) if you need help before starting the Level 1 ESL class. Our General ESL English Program is from level 1-5. 

We also offer an Advanced Academic Program (AP1 and AP2) for students who need to meet university entrance standards of English. This is available for students who have already completed our General ESL Program.