ESL 100, 110, 120 and 130 Concise Course Descriptions and SLO’s
Course Description
ESL 100, Listening for Academic Purposes:
This course cultivates skills to improve academic listening performance for non-native
speakers of English enrolled in American university classes. Special attention is given to
lecture styles, note-taking, interpersonal communication skills, research projects and
presentations. This course is designed to raise students’ listening skills so they can participate
in academic settings with competencies similar to their native-speaker peers.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the completion of this course, students will be able to
1. identify and comprehend organizational patterns in advanced academic lectures
in English, from understanding spoken English to taking proficient notes and
predicting test contents
2. summarize lectures
3. paraphrase lecture key points and other speakers’ extemporaneous comments
4. critically evaluate speakers’ perspectives, techniques, and arguments in lectures,
panel discussions, debates and exam settings
5. incorporate information from academic lectures, research data, and overall
studies and apply it to group discussions and presentations
Course Description
ESL 110: Speaking for Academic Purposes
This course cultivates skills to improve academic speaking performance for non-native
speakers of English enrolled in American university classes. Special attention is given to
effective academic presentations, interpersonal communication skills, pronunciation and
accent. This course is designed to raise students’ speaking skills so they can participate in
academic settings with competencies similar to their native-speaker peers.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. present academic material with a high degree of formal accuracy, academic style
and appropriateness for cross-disciplinary settings and audiences
2. lead academic discussions using academic English speech routines and pragmatics
3. communicate interpersonally in English as demonstrated by group activities and
assignments like role-plays and discussions
4. synthesize information from academic lectures, research data and other sources
into academic presentations.
1
ESL 100, 110, 120 and 130 Concise Course Descriptions and SLO’s
Course Description
ESL 120 Reading for Academic Purposes:
This course cultivates skills to improve academic reading performance for non-native
speakers of English enrolled in American university classes. Special attention is given to
cross-disciplinary academic reading, reading rates and speeds, effective research methods,
documentation and essay exams skills. This course is designed to raise students’ reading
skills so they can participate in academic settings with competencies similar to their nativespeaker peers.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the completion of this course, students will be able to
1. comprehend academic vocabulary, academic texts, and various forms of assessment
from exams, exercises, and reports
2. synthesize, quote, summarize and paraphrase academic texts using correct
documentation style sheets
3. organize, develop, revise, and edit during essay exams
4. practice and demonstrate effective group interaction skills as they apply to written and
oral communication in academic settings.
Course Description
ESL130 Writing for Academic Purposes
This course cultivates skills to improve academic writing performance for non-native
speakers of English enrolled in American university classes. Special attention is given to
cross-disciplinary research, collaboration, the writing process, content organization and
development, editing and proofreading. This course is designed to raise students’ writing
skills so they can participate in academic settings with competencies similar to their nativespeaker peers.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. produce academic texts using the writing process and write substantial in-class
texts during essay exams and drafting sessions
2. apply UK specific resources like the writing center, Blackboard and other aids
3. revise proficiently improving style, proofreading and editing
4. write reviews, reports, proposals, persuasive essays and essay exams with similar
competencies to native speaker peers.
2