Lincoln English Center (LEC) is an English language school in Machala, in the El Oro province of southern Ecuador. It was founded in 2005 by Penélope Sánchez Valdiviezo, who had spent a year as an exchange student in Minnesota. It began as a small school for children called Through Bridges, later became Metropolitan English Center when it added teenagers and adults, and has had its current name since 2006. A second location opened in 2016, so the school now works from two sites in the city. It is a Cambridge Exam Preparation Centre and is registered with SETEC, Ecuador’s national technical body for professional training, and it is affiliated with the Universidad Metropolitana (UMET).

LEC offers English courses for children (ages 5–12), teenagers and adults, using a communicative approach. Children learn through stories, songs and activities, while adult courses focus on speaking and listening in everyday social situations. Courses for all age groups cover the curriculum needed for Cambridge exams, and students can work towards Cambridge certificates in line with the CEFR levels. Regular courses run from May to February, three days a week, and adult programmes run all year. A blended (part in-person, part independent) format is available for people who can’t attend regular classes, and vacation programmes combine English with drawing, painting, robotics, maths and swimming.

The school’s founder wanted English to reach as many social groups as possible, and its students are children, teenagers and adults, mostly from Machala and the surrounding area. Its courses are designed for school-age learners preparing for international exams, for adults with social or professional goals, and for people with busy schedules.

Beyond its English courses, LEC offers teacher training and professional development, pedagogical consulting for educational institutions, and personalised programmes for individual educational or professional needs. It also publishes an online magazine, LEC Magazine, and offers tutorials.