At Approach, we teach, embrace, guide and support our students from day one. Our programs are designed to help you achieve your academic and professional goals as fast and inexpensively as possible. We teach over 900 students each month and we have highly specialized teachers. We offer a broad range of student support services to help you succeed including housing placement into host families, airport transfer, translations, interpreters, university placement, immigration advising and career counseling.
Prior to starting classes at Approach, you will take a placement test and undergo an interview to determine program eligibility. You might be placed into one of the 8 levels of our English Language program or qualify for the TOEFL, GMAT, GRE, SAT, and Advanced programs like Business Program or Advanced Academic Preparation program. Our university placement program helps you make a smooth transition from our school to the University of your choice. No matter what you aim to achieve, we are here to help you by providing individualized advising to help you meet your academic and professional goals.
Our teachers prepare and organize monthly extracurricular activities to ensure you can apply what you are learning outside of the classroom. The school also offers a calendar full of extracurricular activities including sightseeing around Boston, the international Lunch, the monthly writing contest, the annual Summer barbecue, the Thanksgiving dinner in November and the end of the year Holiday party. Students are encouraged to consult with the Activities Coordinator for guidance in forming a new club. Current clubs include theater groups, chorales, sports teams, book clubs, and music groups, among others.
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When you first join classes at APPROACH, you will be interviewed by our Academic and Career Counselor to help you plan and decide on deadlines to successfully achieve your academic goals. Some of the reasons a student may stop by to visit with their counselor are to ask questions about joining one of our partner universities, inquire about scholarships for international students, ask questions about school policies and procedures, discuss academic and career goals, clarify a student's academic status and the requirements to be in good academic standing, discuss possibilities of applying for H1B sponsored jobs or inquire about transferring credits to prospective universities.
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APPROACH’s student success workshops are offered every month and signup sheets are available on the activities board. The success of our students represents our success and the workshops offered aim to help you be as successful as you can possibly be. Workshops are offered at no extra cost and participation is optional. Among the monthly offerings are: Return to Learning workshop for adult students; Effective Study Strategies; Test-taking Strategies, Exploring Careers & Choosing a Pathway Program; Writing an Effective Resume and Cover Letter; Applying to Colleges and Universities, and Dynamic interviews.
Read MoreI'm From Santos, São Paulo and I'd studied At approach 17 years ago for 6 months and it was the most incredible experience in my life! I've so thankful for great and so "rich" times!
Great value, perfect location, awesome instructors. Their test preparation and Business English programs are the best. I highly recommend it!
Approach International Student Center helped me to achieve some of my personal goals. The staff is extremely professional, capable and helpful. They answered all my questions, always with a nice smile and sympathy. I highly recommend this school.
Brian, a native Bostonian, began his teaching career in Japan where he taught English for many years at both major corporations and local businesses. He taught writing at a community college for many years and has proofread a number of screenplays and novels. He currently runs his own language and citizenship night-school program for immigrants. Brian is an experienced traveler and has visited numerous countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. He is also the proud owner of many cows and bulls in Brazil. A graduate of Northeastern University, he is a TCA-certified TOEFL administrator and proctor and is TESOL…
ESL Faculty
John Ziemba holds a Masters’ of Arts degree in Asian studies from University of Pittsburgh and has over 15 years of formal test preparation teaching experience. He lived and taught in Japan preparing students for the TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, GTEC, GMAT and LSAT. John joined our team in 2015 and is the coordinator of the TOEFL program. He also teaches Business English and helps students preparing university admissions essays.
TOEFL Faculty
Jonathan was born and raised in Vermont, but has spent much of his adult life abroad. After completing a Bachelor's in Linguistics at The Ohio State University in 2005, he traveled to Spain for TEFL training. Since then he has taught in South Korea, Taiwan and Bolivia and has traveled extensively throughout Asia and South America. In 2018, he completed his Masters' in Teaching English as a Second Language and Applied Linguistics from the University of Leicester, and he continues looking for ways to learn and grow in the field of English language teaching.
Academic Coordinator
Actively sought out by students for all kinds of academic questions, Michael has an enviable educational background, having completed his BA in Comparative Literature at Brown University and his MA in TESOL at Columbia University. Michael has lived in various countries such as Japan, Korea, Turkey, Syria, Egypt, France and Italy throughout his career. He joined Approach’s faculty in 2006.
ESL Faculty
