ENGLISH FOR LIFE IN AMERICA

Belong in America.

A complete English education built on 20 years of hosting international students. Students learn English by planning and running real events. Classes meet both in-person and online.

Start here Explore the programs
20+ years hosting international students
Leadership & project management built in
★ Grounded in research-based learning design
A1–B1 CEFR mapped proficiency levels

The programs

Two ways to learn the English that matters.

Two immersion programs teach English by having students plan and run events together: one for a longer stay, one for a short visit. Both include our online course.

🎬

Immersion & Leadership · Main program

International students build conversational and work-related English skills by planning and running events. They work in teams, lead projects, and build the confidence to immerse themselves in American culture. One session in person each week, with online work in between.

See the main program →

🎉

Short-Stay Immersion · Short program

The same model, built for a short visit. Students plan and run one event together. They start online before arrival, work in person during the visit, and finish online after they return home.

See the short program →

The main program

Learn English by leading.

Students do not just study English. They build conversational and work-related English by planning and running events together. The event is the classroom, and every student takes a turn leading.

🗣️

English you use

Every task puts a student in front of an American: booking a venue, emailing a partner, ordering the food, presenting to the group. The language sticks because it is real.

Five teams, one event.

Every student joins one team for the year and takes a turn leading it.

01

Operations & Logistics

The schedule, transport, venue confirmation, and permissions.

Scheduling
02

Communications & Media

The flyer, the posts, the photos, and the recap.

Communication
03

Hospitality & Culture

Food and drinks, the welcome, and the culture notes.

Hosting
04

Program & Activities

The games, the content, and the run-of-show.

Leadership
05

Finance & Partnerships

The budget, the partner emails, and the thank-you notes.

Cost management

What students gain

What students leave with.

  • 1Real experience. Seven events from plan to finish, with a portfolio to show for it.
  • 2Stronger English. Used all day, in real situations, mapped to CEFR A1 to B1.
  • 3Confidence and culture. American social habits, teamwork, and the confidence to speak up.
  • 4Resume-ready proof. Work they can show a school or their parents back home.
  • 5American English for real daily life.
  • 6Social skills, with a focus on understanding U.S. culture.
  • 7The confidence to speak up and give input on projects.
  • 8Teamwork and leadership.
  • 9Problem-solving and working toward goals and deadlines.
  • 10Preparation for a real American workplace.
  • 11Graphic design, marketing, and social media management.
  • 12Friendship and the room to find what they enjoy doing.
✦

American English Immersion Certificate

Earned on demonstrated skill across English, leadership, and project management. The language gains map to recognized proficiency levels.

A1A2B1

The short program

The same program, built for a short visit.

A short version of the main program for students on a shorter stay of a few weeks. Seven classes, one event the students plan and run themselves. They leave with real experience, stronger English, and a certificate.

🛫

Before arrival · online

Two classes. Learn the culture and the basics, meet the goal, and start the plan, all in our online course before the student lands.

🤝

In America · in person

Four classes. Define the event, build it, rehearse, and run it. Real bookings, real guests, real English.

🎓

Back home · online

One class. Reflect, turn the work into a resume and portfolio, and receive the certificate.

One event, five roles.

Each student takes a role and a turn leading. In a small group, students pair up and one student coordinates.

01

Operations & Logistics

The venue, the schedule, and who brings what.

Scheduling
02

Communications & Media

The invitations, the flyer, and the social media.

Communication
03

Hospitality & Culture

The food, the drinks, and the welcome.

Hosting
04

Program & Activities

The music, the games, and the run-of-show.

Leadership
05

Finance

The budget and the receipts.

Cost management

What students gain

A finished event, and the English to run it.

  • 1Real experience. One full event from plan to finish, with a portfolio to show for it.
  • 2Stronger English. Used all day, in real situations, mapped to CEFR A1 to B1.
  • 3Confidence and culture. American social habits, teamwork, and the confidence to speak up.
  • 4Resume-ready proof. Work they can show a school or their parents back home.
  • 5American English for real daily life.
  • 6Social skills, with a focus on understanding U.S. culture.
  • 7The confidence to speak up and give input on projects.
  • 8Teamwork and leadership.
  • 9Problem-solving and working toward goals and deadlines.
  • 10Preparation for a real American workplace.
  • 11Graphic design, marketing, and social media management.
  • 12Friendship and the room to find what they enjoy doing.
✦

Certificate of Completion

States the CEFR level the student reached, based on our assessment of the event they ran. The student also leaves with a portfolio.

A1A2B1
Email us about the short program

What you're getting

Three things that set this apart.

Not every English program is built around real life. This one is.

🗣️

First-language support

For Japanese, Mandarin, and Korean speakers: built-in notes on the exact sounds and patterns that are tricky when learning from your home language. You'll know what to focus on and why.

🌎

A cultural bridge

Guidance on American daily life and social norms, matched to where you come from. Not just English—the knowledge you need to actually live here.

📈

Any starting level

A placement test sets your level at the start, so beginners and stronger speakers both have room to grow. Mixed-level lessons are built in.

The arc

Nine months, each one a real part of life here.

Every month centers on a real, everyday American setting. Students rehearse the situation before they ever face it, then prove it in a monthly checkpoint that earns a badge.

01

Arrival & First Contact

Greetings, introductions, and the first meeting with the host family.

First Words
02

At Home with the Host Family

House rules, routines, and asking for help with the comfort of getting it right.

At Home
03

Food & Eating Out

Ordering, preferences, dietary needs, and paying, from a quick counter to a sit-down restaurant.

Ordering Up
04

Getting Around

Directions, getting around, and what to do when you are lost in a new place.

On the Move
05

Shopping & Money

Prices, sizes, returns, US currency, and the small math of daily spending.

Smart Shopper
06

School & Learning

Classroom language, asking questions, group work, and American classroom norms.

In Class
07

Health & Safety

Describing symptoms, the pharmacy, appointments, and what to do in an emergency.

Safe & Well
08

Friends & Social Life

Small talk, invitations, hobbies, and reading the social cues that build friendships.

Making Friends
09

The American Experience

Day trips, landmarks, a capstone presentation, and a proper goodbye.

Graduate

How it works

A clear path from first word to first day.

  • 1Placement first. A short assessment finds your level, so no one is lost and no one is bored.
  • 2Three levels in every lesson. The same situation is taught at A1, A2, and B1, so a mixed class still works.
  • 3Measured progress. Monthly checkpoints track real gain against your own starting point.
  • 4A real credential. The certificate rests on a scoring rubric, not on attendance.
✦

American English Immersion Certificate

Awarded on demonstrated skill and mapped to recognized proficiency levels, so families and agencies know exactly what it means.

A1A2B1

How we measure progress

A level you can recognize.

We track each student's English on the CEFR scale, the international standard that describes what a learner can actually do, from A1 to C2. Our students work in the A1 to B1 range. Because many families know the TOEFL, we also give the matching TOEFL band from ETS's published comparison, so the level is easy to recognize. The TOEFL band is a reference point, not an official TOEFL score.

📊

Measured on CEFR

Each student is assessed against CEFR can-do statements, A1 to B1, through the work they actually do.

🔁

Translated to TOEFL

We read the matching TOEFL band from ETS's published CEFR comparison, so families who think in TOEFL numbers can see the level. It is a reference, not an official score.

📜

A certificate of completion

At the end, each student receives a certificate of completion that states the CEFR level they reached, based on our assessment, plus a portfolio of their work.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS. TOEFL is a trademark of Educational Testing Service.

Who's behind it

Twenty years of hosting, behind every lesson.

The program comes from two places at once. A host who has welcomed students from around the world for two decades, and a curriculum built on research-based learning design.

For more than twenty years, Yesenia Washington has opened her home to international students. Families across the world have trusted her with their children, and those students have left the United States speaking real English and carrying a second family.

She built this program out of that experience. As a Marine Corps spouse, she has made a home in new places again and again. She lived abroad for six years and has traveled widely. She taught English as a second language in Japan for six years. She raised three daughters and earned a degree in management. She knows what it takes to feel at home in a country that is not yet your own, and she knows how to prepare a young person for it.

Yesenia Washington
Founder & Host
  • More than 20 years hosting international students
  • Six years teaching English as a second language in Japan
  • Marine Corps spouse and mother of three
  • BA in Management
  • Six years living abroad, extensive international travel
Dr. Jerry W. Washington, Ed.D.
Curriculum Lead
  • Doctorate in Organizational Change & Leadership, USC Rossier
  • Instructor, UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education
  • Curriculum developer and researcher in learning design
  • 23-year Marine Corps veteran

Questions

Answers to what you're wondering.

What is the difference between the programs?+
We run two immersion programs. The main program is the longer immersion: students meet weekly, run real events, and build English along with leadership and project management. The short program is the same model for a shorter visit, built around one event. Both programs include our online learning for everyday American life.
Can I start if my English is very basic?+
Yes. We place you by level with a placement test, and every lesson is taught in three tiers (A1, A2, B1), so you'll always be at the right challenge level. The program is designed for complete beginners and up.
Is this program delivered live or self-paced?+
The core curriculum is designed for flexibility. We deliver it as self-paced online modules with interactive activities, plus optional live group sessions depending on your needs. We work with your schedule.
What if I don't want to do the host family stay?+
The 9-month program is complete on its own. The optional immersion stay with a host family is separate and comes after the program ends. You get the certificate whether or not you do that next step.
How much does this cost?+
We price based on region, cohort size, and delivery format. Contact us for a detailed quote for your situation. We also work with agencies and have partner pricing available.
What languages are supported for first-language help?+
We currently provide first-language support for Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin. If your language is different and you're interested, contact us—we're planning to expand.
What does the certificate say?+
It is a certificate of completion that states the CEFR level the student reached, based on our assessment of the work they did. We also give the matching TOEFL band from ETS's published comparison, as a reference. It is earned by demonstrated skill, not attendance. It is our certificate, not an external qualification, and we are not affiliated with ETS.

Bringing students to the United States? Let's talk.

We work with agencies, recruiters, and families placing international students. Email us for the full program overview, sample lessons, and partner terms.

Email us

americanenglish.aeii@gmail.com