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Interactive Distance Learning (Online Classes)
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Student Sponsorship
TUITION AND FEES
Classes
Group Language Class Tuition $540 (30 hours)*
Tutoring
On-Site Tutoring Cost $55/hour
Off-Site Tutoring Cost $65/hour
On-Site Group Tutoring Cost $45/hour
Offsite Group Tutoring Cost $55/hour
Skype Tutoring Cost $45/hour
*There is a $90 non-refundable registration fee included in tuition. Price does not include textbooks or other supplemental materials.
GROUP LANGUAGE CLASSES
Schedule
Group language classes for the current semester can be found here.
Minimum Age Policy
Any student wishing to attend any group language classes at The Middle East Institute must be at least be 18 years of age. If an individual between the ages of 15 to 17 wishes to participate in a group language class, they must either have signed approval from a parent or guardian or have a signed letter of approval from the school that they attend. To submit a letter of approval, please contact the Education Center at languages@mei.edu for more information.
Attendance Policy
Attendance plays a critical role in student success in all classes. Satisfactory progress is difficult without regular attendance. All students are expected to attend class and arrive on time.
1. Students can acquire up to 6 hours of absence without having their grade negatively impacted. On the 7th hour of absence, the student will have 2.5% of their final grade deducted for each hour of instruction missed.
2. If a student is absent for a total of 12 hours from the course (40% of the course), MEI reserves the right to withdraw the student from the class. A withdrawal due to poor attendance will automatically result in a failing grade.
3. Students are required to inform their teachers and the administration in cases of tardiness and absence from the class. Students are expected to be present and engaged with the material for the duration of the class session. If a student must step away from their class, either in-person or online, please limit it to 10 minutes. If a student is absent from the class for more than 20 minutes, the teacher reserves the right to mark them as absent for the class session. There are no consequences for the informed and justifiable cases.
4. Makeup classes are not offered in the event that a student is absent. Students are responsible for making up all missed classwork and for coming to class prepared following the absence. Please email the instructor for missed classwork.
5. While MEI is serious regarding student attendance, we do empathize with students who encounter emergencies that interfere with class. We ask that students email us in advance in order for us to excuse the absence. Excused absences will not affect your grade. Excused absences include: work-related travel, family emergencies, health conditions, military services and other circumstances communicated to the Center and the instructor in advance.
6. Teachers monitor attendance on an MEI attendance sheet. These are submitted to the Education Center staff to ensure attendance policies are being upheld by both students and teachers alike. A=Absent. P=Present. T=Tardy. ED=Early Departure. EA=Excused Absence. Tardiness is defined as being late by over 15 minutes to class start time. If a student is marked as tardy 4 times, it is marked as an absence. Early departure is leaving the classroom before scheduled completion time.
7. Teachers have the flexibility to cancel or reschedule classes for various reasons, including to personally observe religious holidays. In such an event, students will be notified in advance of the teacher's absence. Students are still entitled to their full 30 hours of instruction, and the teacher will reschedule class on a date & time agreed upon by students. Typically, the class is added at the end of the term, extending it by the amount of days or hours needed.
Attendance 15%
Participation 15%
Homework 20%
Quizzes and Midterm 30%
End of Course Assessment/Final Exam 20%
It is our policy to evaluate student progress through the term by taking grades. The Middle East Institute uses an A-F letter grade scale. Students must earn a final grade of C- (70%) or better to pass the course and be eligible for higher-level courses. Instructors record all student grades per term and issue a final grade at the conclusion of the class. All grades are submitted to the director before grades are issued to students.
Grade Conversion Chart:
A 93 -100 |
B- 80 - 82 |
D+ 68 - 69 |
A- 90 - 92 |
C+ 78 - 79 |
D 63 - 67 |
B+ 88 - 89 |
C 73 - 77 |
D- 60 - 62 |
B 83 - 87 |
C- 70 - 72 |
F Below 60 |
Participation
A participation rubric shall be used by instructors to measure each student’s participation in group classes by evaluating them on preparation, in-class involvement, and use of the target language per term. Each student is assessed on each of these sections in order to evaluate their engagement with the communicative approach in the classroom. This rubric ensures that students are practicing speaking, listening, reading, and writing the target language in addition to completing homework and exams.
Teachers fill this rubric out for each student once a term at the end of the term. The student’s total score out of 15 is weighted as 15% of their final grade for the course, as seen in the ‘Grades’ section. The best possible score that a student can get on the participation rubric is 15/15, or three ‘Exceeds Expectations’ scores.
Needs Improvement (1 point each) |
Meets Expectations (3 points each) |
Exceeds Expectations (5 points each) |
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Preparation |
Never has completed homework prior to the start of class, does not complete required readings, does not practice the language outside of class. | Has homework and required readings completed prior to class, does not practice the language outside of homework or class hours. | Always has homework, required readings, etc. completed prior to the start of class. Practices the language outside of class hours and required homework. |
Involvement with Group Activities |
Does not participate in group activities, class discussions, or presentations. Does not ask or answer questions about the subject. | Sometimes participates in group activities, class discussions, or presentations. Asks some questions related to the subject. | Always participates in group activities, class discussions, and presentations. Asks thoughtful questions and actively engages in lessons. |
Taking Risks |
Avoids using new vocabulary, grammar, and language concepts in class. Does not push oneself to try new material, does not accept corrections from the instructor. | Sometimes uses new vocabulary, grammar, and language concepts in class. Uses some new material, hesitantly accepts corrections from the instructor. | Always uses new vocabulary, grammar, and language concepts in class. Not afraid to make mistakes with new material, accepts corrections from the instructor. |
Total: _____/15 points |
Pass/Fail Option
Students may opt to take their class pass/fail. Students will be graded as usual, with numerical values throughout the course, but their final grade will be transcribed as PASS if above 69% or FAIL if below 69%.
Auditing a Course
MEI prohibits auditing courses as it can have a negative impact on the progression of the class.
Credit
Courses at MEI are accredited. Students will be emailed their final overall course grade after completion of the class and taking of the final. Please contact the Education Center if you would like to receive a transcript of your class history, or for a course grade report, or completion certificate to languages@mei.edu.
Student Progress Policy
In order to progress through MEI’s language curriculum, students must earn a minimum passing grade of C- for all MEI language classes.
Students must pass each prerequisite level to advance to the next course. Students must begin at the introductory level unless they demonstrate that their language skills surpass class expectations.
All student progress records are based on attendance and grades earned for each particular class in which they are enrolled. The Center for Education staff tracks each student’s progress through attendance and grade sheets completed by MEI teaching faculty.
Refunds are calculated using the last day of attendance as recorded by the teacher. Refunds are issued within 15 calendar days of verbal and/or written notice to the department. There is a $90 registration fee included in the class price; this is non-refundable after first day of the term. Please refer below to determine which amount will be received, should a refund be requested.
Full Refund + Registration Fee ($540)
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MEI cancels a class
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Student withdraws from a class before the start date of the term
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Student transfers funds to private tutoring at the recommendation of instructor
Full Refund - Registration Fee ($450)
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Student withdraws from a class during the first week of class
Prorated Refund
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Student withdraws after week one, up until 15 hours of instruction or 50% of the course
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$90 registration fee is deducted before calculating the prorated amount
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Example: paid $540, prorate calculated from refundable $450
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No Refund
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Student withdraws after 15 hours of instruction or 50% of the course is completed
Transfer Policy
If a student wishes to transfer from one MEI group language class to another MEI group language class that is being offered within the same term, they can do so free of charge. They must alert a staff member of the Education Center as soon as they wish to do so, and can only do so before the 9th hour (5th course meeting) of the course is held. No transfers are allowed after the 9th hour (5th course meeting) has begun.
INTERACTIVE DISTANCE LEARNING
Interactive Distance Learning Policy and Procedure
MEI offers Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) to students who cannot attend group classes or private tutoring sessions in person. Given that these classes are conducted virtually via Skype or Zoom, MEI has specific policies for IDL.
Registration
Any student registered for an IDL group class or an IDL private tutoring session must be the actual student who attends the IDL group class or IDL private tutoring session. If a person other than the registrant takes the class, the registration can be cancelled without refund at the discretion of the Education Center Deputy Director.
Multiple Students
Multiple students in an IDL group class or IDL private tutoring session are treated the same as in-person classes. Each student will have their camera and microphone on, and students can participate in IDL classes and IDL sessions as they would in-person classes and in-person sessions. Zoom has features to assist with bringing the student who raises their hand or asks a question to the forefront so that they can participate and have their question(s) answered.
Payment
Payment for in-person and IDL learning at MEI is processed on the Language Dashboard in the same manner as in-person language training.
Testing
Students studying with MEI via IDL are still required to successfully and honestly complete all testing for their classes or tutoring. Testing may take place as a take home exam or during the IDL session.
Feedback
Instructors are required to give positive and constructive feedback to students during IDL groups class and tutoring sessions. This includes but is not limited to: grammar, pronunciation, and writing corrections, and general language guidance and advice.
If students ask for more feedback, they can schedule a meeting with the instructor outside of class hours to discuss ways that they can improve their language skills. This meeting will occur at a mutually agreed upon time and the Education Team can assist in this process.
Student Progress for IDL Group Classes
Student progress in IDL group classes and tutoring sessions is tracked in the same way as standard in-person language instruction policies set by MEI. Progress is tracked through attendance, participation, testing, quizzes, homework, and completion.
Placement
Students in IDL group classes are placed into the appropriate class and level in the same way as in-person group classes by the instructor and the Education team. Please see the “Placement Policy and Procedure” document for more information.
Attendance & Behavior
Regular student attendance in IDL classes is vital to successful language learning for the individual and the group. If a student is frequently absent, tardy, leaving class early, or not paying attention to the session, MEI reserves the right to deduct points from the student’s final grade, remove them from the class, and/or bar them from taking additional classes at MEI. Please see the ‘Attendance Policy’ for more information.
Students are expected to behave in a professional, disciplined, and respectful manner while on MEI premises and while participating in language classes. Students must refrain from negativity, profanity, vulgarity, humiliating or threatening language, loud speech, practical jokes, noncompliance, and lack of participation in the classroom. It is at the discretion of the teacher to assess a student’s behavior in the classroom and act accordingly.
No personal cell phones may be used during class at any time. Personal cell phones and other personal technology must be turned off and put away during class. Should students need to use their phones for personal reasons, they must step away to do so.
Student Progress for IDL Private Instruction
Students will be tracked for their progress in IDL private tutoring by both instructor and with the help of the Education team. Students will complete a “Private Tutoring Goals Worksheet” with their instructor at their first private tutoring session. This sheet outlines the student’s language goals that they plan to achieve through private tutoring and has space to detail any requested material to be used in private tutoring. The instructor will also complete the table in the worksheet that lists the students starting proficiency as well as the proficiency level that student plans to attain through private tutoring. The student and instructor will both agree to the filled-out sheet to confirm mutual understanding of the private tutoring goals.
To verify and/or refocus the private tutoring session, the student and instructor have the option of completing the “Private Tutoring Progress Worksheet.” This optional worksheet, in a similar structure to the initial “Private Tutoring Goals Worksheet,” reaffirms the student’s goals and reassesses their proficiency level. The student will be able to assess their progress and if the private tutoring is helping them achieve their language goals. If the goals are being met and the progress is satisfactory, the instructor and student can continue their language curriculum. If the goals are not being met and the progress is unsatisfactory, the instructor and student can revise the programming so that the student will achieve their language goals.
Student progress will be checked at completion of the private tutoring with the “Private Tutoring Completion Worksheet.” The teacher reassesses the student’s language proficiency using this worksheet to determine the progress made with final tutoring, and the student can self-evaluate their language progress and assess their private tutoring experience.
Minimum Age
Any student wishing to attend any interactive distance learning class at The Middle East Institute must be at least 18 years of age. If an individual between the ages of 14 to 17 wishes to participate in a group language class, they must either have a signed approval from a parent or guardian or have a signed letter of approval from the school that they attend. To submit a letter of approval, please contact the Education Center at languages@mei.edu for more information.
PRIVATE TUTORING
Schedule
Private tutors are available to provide instruction from 8am-9pm, Sunday - Saturday. Students will work out a personalized tutoring schedule when they are assigned a private tutor. Students are required to schedule tutoring sessions online on the language dashboard 24 hours in advance. If students schedule sessions less than 24 hours in advance, the tutor is not obligated to attend the session. Each session length must be at least 1.5 hours.
Minimum Age Policy
The Middle East Institute offers private language tutoring to students ages 7 and older. If the student is between the ages of 7 to 17 inclusive, they must either always have a parent or guardian present or have a signed letter of approval from a parent or guardian. The letter should include the student’s full name and the responsible party for them. Including their name, email, phone number and any emergency contact information available. To submit a letter of approval, please contact the Education Center at languages@mei.edu for more information.
Cancellation & Fees
If a student wishes to cancel or reschedule a tutoring session, they must cancel at least 24 hours prior to the session. If the student does not cancel with a 24-hour notice, they will be charged a late fee equivalent to 1.5 hours of session time (ex: 1 hour of on-site canceled = $82.50 late fee).
Unused credits and prepaid classes will be forfeited after one year from last attendance.
MEI PREMISES
Student Access to MEI Facilities
Student access to classrooms is available 15 minutes prior to the official start time of the class. While waiting, please remain quiet and be respectful of other activities.
Inclement Weather Policy
In the case of inclement weather, the Middle East Institute normally closes when the Federal Government is closed. Please consult your local news or radio station to determine if the Government is closed. However, if there is a storm warning please check our website and/or your email for information, as MEI may decide not to hold classes that evening. If MEI cancels a class due to inclement weather, classes will be made up after the last scheduled week of class.
STUDENT SPONSORSHIP
The Middle Institute accepts the sponsorship of a student in order to receive language training at the Education Center.
Various forms of payments, including electronic payments and payments received by check or over the telephone are acceptable.
The Sponsor is responsible for payments on behalf of the student. The MEI finance team and/or Education staff member will provide an electronic receipt after payment has been processed.
The student or sponsor may request an invoice. MEI staff will provide an invoice showing the number of hours paid for by the sponsor or the class the sponsor has registered the student.
MEI Education Center’s staff must ensure that all payments received for sponsors are accounted for the student’s registration. Information for the student must be entered in the student’s profile on the language dashboard.
The sponsor must provide an email for the student, their full name, and the class they’d like to register for, or the number of hours they’d like to register for in private instruction.
All MEI policies apply to the sponsored student and their Sponsor.