The Queen's School of English, located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, is a unit of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Queen's University. Kingston is a small, historic and safe city about two to three hours by car or train to Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal. Queen's is one of Canada's top-ranked universities. Not to be confused with the Department of English, the School of English teaches English as a Second Language. The School offers the following full-time programs: 12-Week English for Academic Purposes Program (EAP), 13-Week Business Internship Program, and short-term Summer programs. The School also offers the following part-time courses: Business English, Pronunciation and Conversation, and TESL/TEFL (Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language). In 2007, the School of English introduced a new program, the International TESL Training Program (ITESL). Over the course of four weeks, students in this program learn effective teaching strategies and enhance their language skills through cultural experience. The School of English also has a full program of extra-curricular activities for the students in each session. These events include films, sports, indoor and outdoor games, along with sightseeing, shopping and visits to Kingston’s many historic sites. In addition, the School regularly arranges trips to attractions outside of Kingston (Toronto and Niagara Falls, for example) and, occasionally, to places outside of Canada. Using the principle that a language is acquired most effectively through immersion, students must sign a pledge that, while registered, they will speak English only. The School also offers tailored programs for groups. Many educational institutions grant a credit for successful completion of the program.
