ELI Progress

Progress Criterion

Acceptance into the ELI program is an opportunity for you to improve your English skills, expand your academic knowledge, and have fun with new friends. The program is rigorous, and it is an exciting opportunity for those up to the challenge. Academic content is designed to teach English to domestic students and international students with a solid academic language foundation in their native language and formal schooling experience. However, some students struggle and become frustrated when the content exceeds their academic foundation. These students require extensive tutoring, at the expense of assisting more qualified students. Accordingly, each student must demonstrate that he or she can make adequate progress and improvements within two semesters of enrollment. Students without demonstrated progress will be asked to withdraw from the program.

Assessments, Progress Reports, and Certification

Each student’s progress is being assessed throughout the semester. At the end of each semester, teachers provide a written report on the student’s progress and performance.

There are three types of certificates:

1. Certificate of Attendance
2. Certificate of Completion
3. Certificate of Recognition

The performance criteria for each certificate are listed below:

1. If a student has been in the program for at least one semester and then decides to leave the ELI program the following semester, he/she would get a Certificate of Attendance.
2. If a student decides to continue his/her studies at the ELI program until he/she passes the ACT or TOEFL exams and is accepted to the undergraduate school, ISSP, or the graduate school at Gallaudet University respectively, then he/she would get a Certificate of Completion. The ACT is an undergraduate and ISSP admission test at Gallaudet University. The TOEFL is a graduate admission test at Gallaudet University.
3. Students who have been accepted to an undergraduate, ISSP, or graduate program at Gallaudet University and showed exceptional performance at the ELI program also are awarded a Certificate of Recognition.