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Beginner English (ESL) Immersion (Rockland, ME. USA)

Penobscot Bay Language School
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Course description

Penobscot Bay Language School’s Monthly English Immersion program is a three-week intensive program for adult beginner & intermediate level English learners. Set in Rockland, Maine, program participants are immersed in the language through morning classroom lessons, conversation, entertainment, cultural activities, numerous excursions throughout breathtaking Midcoast Maine, and, of course, the home-stay experience–living with a local person or family for the duration of the program! Real life experience and quality instruction combined make this program very successful! Join us this year!

The 2022-23 program includes:
New Session Starts each 1st Monday of the Month (Beginner/Intermediate)
Classroom learning/conversation, tutoring, and materials
Small class sizes (7-15 students per 3 week session)
Experienced language instructors
Lodging with a local host family including meals (cultural home-stay)
Meaningful interaction with our welcoming coastal Maine community
Numerous excursions and outings with PBLS staff and volunteers, including the world-famous Maine Lobster Festival
The experience of a lifetime on the beautiful Midcoast of Maine!

Course topics

Listening, Speaking, Pronunciation, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Grammar and Activities

Class schedule

Course duration
3-45 weeks
Start dates
Every first Monday of the month
Classes per week
15 lessons per week (each lesson lasts 60 min)
Class days
Monday - Friday

Class times

Morning session
09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Break
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Morning session
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Lunch
11:30 AM - 01:30 PM
Afternoon session
01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
Activity
02:30 PM - 05:00 PM
Other session
02:30 PM - 03:30 PM

Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.

Class level

Absolute beginner
Elementary
Pre-intermediate
You will take a placement test on your first day to determine your class level.

Class size

Average 7 students
Maximum 15 students

Student age

Age range 18 years old and older
Average 35 years old
(25 in the summer)

Certificate

A certificate of completion will be issued at the end of the course.
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school

School description

Founded in 1986 as a non-profit language school and center for cultural exchange, Penobscot Bay Language School has served over 6,000 locals and over 500 international students of all ages through language classes and cultural programming. Over three decades later we continue to promote our mission: To develop and provide opportunities for the people of Midcoast Maine and around the World to explore our shared experience on Earth through the study and celebration of language and culture.

Penobscot Language School is a nonprofit, 501 (c) 3. We offer language courses primarily instructed by native speakers. When registering for a course, please contact [email protected] or (207) 594-1084 (toll-free at 1.855.344.0414) with questions.

Year opened
1986
Number of classrooms
2

Facilities

  • Library
  • Social Activities
  • Cultural Trips
  • TV Room
  • Wheelchair access
  • Eating Area
  • Free Internet
  • Wireless Internet
  • Computers
  • After-Class Seminars
  • Studying Area
  • Audio Learning
  • Sports Activities

Teacher qualifications

Native English speakers
Over 50%
Teachers with English teaching certification
Over 50%
Teachers with college degrees
Over 50%

University partners

PBLS has partnerships with the following universities and colleges in USA. You can gain full or conditional acceptance into one of these institutions.

University of Maine, Orono

Nationality and age mix

The nationality and age mix at Penobscot Bay Language School varies over different time periods, courses and levels. Throughout the year, the average age is 35. In the summer, the average age is 25.

PBLS teaches students from all over the world, including:

USA
79%
Brazil
4%
Mexico
3%
Afghanistan
2%
Colombia
2%
Iraq
2%
Syria
2%
Argentina
1%
Japan
1%
Morocco
1%
Spain
1%
Switzerland
1%
Ukraine
1%

School holidays

Open dates
Year round
School holidays
None

School location

Penobscot Bay Language School is located in Rockland, Maine, at the center of Maine's beautiful MIdcoast Region. The school is located just a few blocks away from Rockland's Main Street where you will find boutique shops, world class restaurants and a vibrant entertainment scene. Rockland is a working waterfront city, with Maine Lobster at the center of the catch--and home to the World Famous Lobster Festival (included in the Summer English Immersion program).
The school is situated on a quite street, close to downtown. There is a commercial kitchen, classroom, small library and a dining area. The grounds of the school are beautifully landscaped with native plants, shade trees and a sunny patio for relaxing between lessons.

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photos

Photos

  • World Class Kitchen! 1/4
  • Building of Penobscot Bay Language School 2/4
  • Beautiful Gardens 3/4
  • Beautiful Gardens 4/4
reviews

Reviews

100% recommend

based on 2 reviews
5 stars
2
4 stars
0
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0
Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing

"Billy’s enthusiasm for language is contagious."

carolyn foley

I have taken classes with Billy for intermediate Spanish for over six months. His knowledge of Language including the Spanish language is amazing. He has provided us with the nuances of the Spanish language and given us the tools to improve our skills.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
32 weeks
Date of study
15 Oct 2021 - 31 May 2022
Would you recommend this school?
Yes

"Fun way to learn or improve language skills!"

Dorie Klein

Zoom makes life so much easier. Silvia is an excellent teacher and has a good sense for what we need to learn and interesting topics to know about. Have attended various classes for the last 20 years or so.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
8 weeks
Date of study
1 Jan 2022 - 1 Mar 2022
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
housing

Housing

PBLS offers the following housing types:
homestay

Homestay - Single-person room - Breakfast and dinner on weekdays, 3 meals on weekends

N/A
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Location: Outside the city center of Rockland
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner on weekdays, 3 meals on weekends (16 meals per week)
Facilities: Private bathroom, kitchen, laundry, telephone, computers, wireless internet, free internet, tV room, carpet, hardwood, air conditioning, heating, and garden
Distance to school: 10 - 30 minutes by other
Availability: 17 Jul 2022 - 06 Aug 2022
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
N/A
Set in Rockland, Maine, program participants are immersed in the language through morning classroom lessons, conversation, entertainment, cultural activities, numerous excursions throughout breathtaking Midcoast Maine, and, of course, the homestay experience–living with a local person or family for the duration of the program! Real life experience and quality instruction combined make this program so successful! Join us this summer!
visa

Visa support

We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. The school is also not authorized to issue an I-20 to support an F-1 student visa application. If you need a visa, you have to apply for a Visitor Visa (B1/B2) on your own.

Flights and airport transfer

Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Rockland based on your budget, schedule and preferences.

Travel insurance

Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.

Learn more about our insurance plan »

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questions

Questions and answers

Have questions? Get answers from Penobscot Bay Language School staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.

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