In an educational era driven by technology, brain science, and global mobility, the American English Academy stands at the forefront of English language instruction.
Founded by Leonardo Reis, a linguist and ESL educator with over 20 years of experience in Brazil and the United States, AEA fuses the analytical precision of linguistics, the emotional intelligence of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and the practical insights of neuroscience to deliver a transformative learning experience.
Backed by a master’s degree in Linguistics and English Language Teaching from the University of Leeds, Reis envisioned more than a language school—he imagined a space where students don’t just learn English; they live it.
Today, his vision thrives across four dynamic physical campuses—in Miami, Bridgeport, Boston, and Orlando—as well as through an innovative online program expanding global access to high-impact English education.
Our Method: How the Brain Learns Language
At the heart of AEA’s instruction is a four-stage framework, aligned with how the brain processes, stores, and produces language. Whether students are working on speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar, or vocabulary, they are taken on a cognitive journey that builds fluency through structure, repetition, and expression.
Stage 1: Grammar Presentation – Structuring Thought Through Language
Learning starts with clarity. Grammar is introduced visually and in context, engaging the prefrontal cortex for logical processing and pattern recognition.
Using NLP techniques like framing, chunking, and anchoring, students learn more than just grammar rules—they understand relationships between language and meaning. New vocabulary is introduced in context, promoting deeper semantic connections.
Stage 2: Checking Comprehension – Reinforcing Cognitive Imprints
Understanding is solidified through drills, elicitation, and interactive review, activating the brain’s mirror neuron system for learning through imitation and reinforcement.
This stage integrates listening comprehension, using real-life audio and immediate feedback. NLP tools like calibrating and eliciting allow instructors to confirm understanding in a personalized, emotionally aware manner.
Stage 3: Practice – Activating Procedural Memory
Language becomes active through structured practice. Students participate in guided dialogues, storytelling, and writing prompts that simulate real-world use.
Cognitive load is carefully managed, transitioning students from passive understanding to active fluency. Procedural memory is strengthened, allowing for smooth, confident language use.
Stage 4: Production – Language Mastery in Action
In the final stage, learners synthesize and express. They deliver presentations, write reflections, and engage in unscripted communication, taking full ownership of their English.
Even beginners are encouraged to produce language freely. NLP tools like visualization, belief reprogramming, and state anchoring reduce anxiety and boost self-confidence. This is where students stop translating—and start thinking in English.
