About Us
Our Mission
The Philadelphia School of Languages is a private and independent language school.
We welcome students of any nationality and encourage them to learn English and other languages as a means for them to become better citizens.
We teach languages as a means to expand our students understanding of the world.
Our services go beyond the classroom. We provide professional translation services, tutoring and guidance.
All our clients have many different needs and we accommodate to their needs in a nurturing and professional environment.
Our goal is that all our clients become more integrated into the society they live in.
Our staff have contact with people of different cultures and speak many languages. In this environment they embrace diversity.
We seek to expand and reach more people who need our services.
Course. and School Information
Designed to help you communicate better in English.
Practice and improve your speaking, listening, reading and writing, grammar and vocabulary. Learn to communicate, in English, in a stress-free environment. We offer morning, evening and night classes that include six (6) levels from beginner to intermediate and four (4) levels 7 to 10 intermediate, upper intermediate, advanced and mastery level.
What time are the classes?
Mandatory English Language Classes are twice (2) a week.
Mondays and Wednesdays 9:00-10:30am, 6:30-8:00pm and 8:00-9:30pm.
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:00-10:30am, 6:30-8:00pm an 8:00-9:30pm.
Weekend mandatory English Classes are once (1) a week.
Saturdays 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Sundays 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
*Students may participate in multiple groups according to class level availability and after taking a placement test.
**All English language course students will be placed in level appropriate groups.
Does PSOL offer Student Visas/ issue I-20s?
No, we are currently going through the accreditation process to offer Student Visas and I-20s in 2019. We are and independent post-secondary language education school.
FAQ PART 2
When do classes start? Are there semesters?
Class start dates are available upon completion of the placement test. generally a new Level 1 group starts every month. Enrollment for levels 2 and above are every two and four months. Check start dates with a member of staff. Extra practice classes (Electives) are available all year and new students may begin these classes upon registration. Semesters are a little longer than three months. Each level consists of 32 classes that are spread out during four months. Start and end dates may vary.
What if I need to stop my course?
If you need to stop your English course, you must inform the school in writing. Please visit the office and fill out the indefinite termination form. English as a Second Language students are bound by contract to make four (4) payments. If a student wishes to stop they must make any outstanding payments and pay a drop-out fee. Please refer to the contract. The termination fee in 2018 is of $50 plus 20% of any remaining payments. For example: A student studied for two (2) months and needs to stop. That student must pay a $50 termination fee plus $20 for each remaining month. resulting in a total of $90 to terminate classes.
What do I need to enroll?
New students must fill out the application form in the school office and have a state issued valid photo ID, a driver's license or a passport as well as payment for classes.
A placement test is required of all new students and reenrolled students.
There is no need to schedule the placement test. Please visit the school during our regular office hours and speak with a representative.
Even if you speak very little English, the test is required. It consists of three parts and takes about thirty minutes. Reading, Listening and Speaking.
How much is the registration fee?
The registration fee is $35 dollars, non-refundable and must be renewed at the beginning of each new course.
Placement Test and Proficiency Exams.
During our student registration process, all students must take an initial PSOL entrance exam to determine what level class they will be placed in. This helps ensure that students will be placed into the correct level at our school. Placing students into the appropriate level of English is an important priority for our staff to ensure that the learner is content in their class. The PSOL exam consists of a multiple-choice grammar section as well as a listening and speaking section administered by school staff.
iTEP Academic
The Philadelphia School of Languages (PSOL) is an approved testing site of the iTEP Academic. It is the preferred English proficiency assessment tool of PSOL and the school uses the iTEP Academic to assess the l language proficiency level and progress of our students.
The iTEP Academic is also a valued tool that helps the student and our school determine the learner’s proficiency and progress. All students of any level are welcomed and encouraged to take the iTEP Academic. However, our school has recently implemented that all Level 7 students or higher are required to take the iTEP Academic in order to receive their certificate of completion at the end of the course.
The structure of the iTEP Academic comprises of five areas: grammar, listening, reading, writing and speaking. The test takes 90 minutes to complete.
The test gives students an in-depth analysis of students’ English language abilities. The test scores range from 0.0 (Beginner) to 6.0 (Mastery). The grammar, listening and reading sections are multiple-choice and graded automatically by iTEP software. The writing and speaking sections are evaluated by native English speaking or ESL-trained professionals using a standardized scoring rubric.
Students will receive an overall assessment score as well as be able to see their results in each category. It breaks down results and identifies the student’s ability level from beginner to mastery. Students will receive descriptions of their abilities and it will display the examinee’s strengths and weaknesses. This allows the student and our school to measure progress and identify areas where improvement is needed. The iTEP also has a chart to compare how an iTEP score translates to other language assessments such as the TOEFL iBT and IELTS.
The iTEP Academic is also used by many universities and colleges as a tool to assess incoming students and monitor existing students for continued progress. Such academic partners include: Arcadia University, California University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro University, Millersville University and SUNY. It is also used by international governments of various countries including Colombia, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
The cost of the iTEP Academic is $65.
What is the refund policy?
A student who has not begun studying may ask for a refund. The student must fill out a refund form at the school office. We do not refund the registration fee of $35 and we do not refund the $90 administrative fee for the Intensive English Course. Refunds are given in form of check thirty (30) days after filling out the refund form. We do not issue refunds if a student has started his or her classes.
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