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What is LEAP?

LEAP (Learning English for Academic Purposes) is a program conducted by Toyo University for students in all departments. It is designed to raise students’ TOEFL® scores and give them the skills needed to study abroad. Instructors who are TESOL-qualified give lessons that help students acquire the level of English they will need to study at universities in English-speaking countries. LEAP is currently managed by Toyo University’s Center for Global Education and Exchange under the supervision of a governing board comprised of representatives from the university’s eleven faculties.

LEAP courses

The LEAP program’s main courses are the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses. Students take an EAP course for one or two terms and can concentrate on either listening/speaking (EAP IA and EAP IIA) or reading/writing (EAP IB and EAP IIB) or both. Taught twice weekly, EAP courses push students to improve their English skills both inside and outside the classroom. EAP’s main objective is to have students acquire a level of English that will allow them to participate in overseas study programs. The courses achieve this objective by helping students raise their TOEFL® scores and overall English skills and, simultaneously, by providing outside learning opportunities.

EAP IA and EAP IIA(listening/speaking)

The focus of these courses, which are conducted continuously over two terms, is on developing a strategy and practicing for the TOEFL® listening comprehension test and improving overall listening and speaking skills. Students who take the EAP IA or EAP IIA course jointly execute group projects, engage in academic discussions in English, and practice listening to English in a broad range of situations both inside and outside the classroom.

EAP IB and EAP IIB(reading/writing)

Students in these courses gain skills that are essential for passing TOEFL®’s reading and writing tests, and polish their academic reading and writing skills. They read literature on a broad range of topics, discuss them, and then write academic papers to improve their paper-writing ability. Additionally, students hone their TOEFL® test-taking skills by engaging in extensive preparatory work to accustom themselves to the test and practicing reading and writing problems.

PSA courses

More advanced students can elect to take a LEAP PSA (Pre-Study Abroad) course on College Study Skills (CSS), Basic Academic Writing (BAW), or Academic Essay Writing (AEW). Held once weekly, each of these courses is specially designed to help students who plan to study abroad handle the difficult study problems that are typically encountered overseas. The LEAP PSA program provides the optimum study preparation courses to students who are seriously considering studying abroad. The courses may be taken individually or following completion of an EAP course.

Other courses

LEAP also organizes intensive courses for TOEFL® preparation during spring and summer breaks. It also holds intensive courses during spring breaks for students who have been admitted to a study-abroad program to begin the following autumn. Moreover, each spring break, it organizes a three-night, four-day English camp at Toyo University’s Kamogawa Seminar House in Chiba Prefecture. The camp provides an excellent opportunity for students to study English in a fun, casual, and lively environment.