English as a Second Language Program
This program serves English language learners who need to increase their English language proficiency in preparation for future academic studies. The program’s non-credit classes, offered at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels, strengthen students’ English writing, reading, grammar, and listening & speaking skills. All new students take a placement test to determine their English language level and which classes they should enroll in. No TOEFL or IELTS test scores are required for admission. International ESL (F-1) students must take at least 18 contact hours per week.
Mission
The English as a Second Language Program enables students to achieve English language proficiency and realize their academic, economic, and social goals. This program will:
- Provide students with instruction in general and academic English;
- Help students gain an understanding of the English language and American culture, while also honoring their own cultures, values, and traditions;
- Provide opportunities for students to experience college life, academically and socially;
- Guide students toward actively contributing to their learning process, both inside and outside the classroom;
- Serve as a program that satisfies the English language proficiency requirement of academic departments at Kentucky State University, thus providing a pathway to the University’s degree programs.
Classes
ESL 111: Beginning ESL Writing
This course introduces the writing process to English learners. It teaches basic writing
skills, such as sentence and paragraph development, organization, and editing. By
cycling through the writing process steps, students will engage with the essential
tools required to construct academic paragraphs.
ESL 121: Intermediate ESL Writing
This course, designed for English learners with basic writing skills, focuses on complex
sentence structures, paragraph organization, and grammar. It teaches the development
of strong thesis statements and the creation of introductory, body, and concluding
paragraphs – a fundamental skill set for essay writing. Students will collaborate
with their peers to proofread and edit their writings for errors in grammar, syntax,
and usage.
ESL 131: Advanced ESL Writing
This course is designed for English language learners with a strong foundation in writing and grammar. It focuses on writing academic essays, creative writing, and research-based projects to prepare students for college-level writing. Students completing this class will be able to effectively utilize college-specific resources like the Writing Center, Canvas, and other writing aids.
ESL 112: Beginning ESL Reading
This course is designed for English learners at a beginner level in reading. It introduces students to reading comprehension strategies, decoding words, and recognizing sentence structures. Students will learn to distinguish between main ideas and supporting details, use appropriate strategies to handle unfamiliar academic vocabulary, and take notes from a lecture or text.
ESL 122: Intermediate ESL Reading
This course further develops the basic reading skills of English learners. The course
focuses on comprehension, vocabulary expansion, and reading rate and accuracy. Students
will engage with fiction, non-fiction, and informational texts to enhance their reading
proficiency.
ESL 132: Advanced ESL Reading
This course is designed for English learners with intermediate reading skills. It focuses on advanced comprehension strategies, expanding academic vocabulary, examining author’s purpose and point of view, and drawing inferences. Literature, academic texts, and contemporary articles are used to deepen students’ critical literacy and analytical abilities in English.
ESL 113: Beginning ESL Listening and Speaking
This course is designed for English learners at a beginning level in listening and
speaking. It aims to develop students’ listening and speaking skills through a variety
of interactive activities and exercises. By practicing note-taking, summarizing main
ideas and supporting details, giving individual and group presentations, pronunciation,
and small group discussions, students will develop their ability to understand spoken
English and express themselves effectively in most settings.
ESL 123: Intermediate ESL Listening and Speaking
This course is designed for English learners with basic listening and speaking skills.
With an emphasis on lectures, interpersonal communication, and presentations, it improves
academic listening, speaking, and critical thinking skills. Students will learn to
summarize and paraphrase lectures efficiently, evaluate speaker’s perspectives, and
give individual and group presentations.
ESL 133: Advanced ESL Listening and Speaking
This course strengthens the intermediate-level listening and speaking skills of English learners. It provides practice in understanding extended academic lectures, note-taking, participation in in-depth discussions, and delivering formal persuasive and informative presentations. Interactive exercises and activities will improve students’ listening comprehension and oral fluency and equip them to participate successfully in college-level courses.
ESL 114: Beginning ESL Grammar
This course develops the basic grammar skills necessary for English learners to correctly communicate orally and in writing. Students will engage in interactive lessons, activities, and practical exercises that teach essential grammatical structures and rules crucial to academic writing. Students will be able to understand basic grammar concepts and apply their knowledge in everyday situations.
ESL 124: Intermediate ESL Grammar
This course strengthens the foundational knowledge of English grammar for English
learners. It focuses on complex grammatical structures and rules and enables students
to better express themselves in spoken and written English. Students will improve
their accuracy in sentence construction when writing in academic contexts.
ESL 134: Advanced ESL Grammar
This course is designed for English learners who have a solid foundation in English
grammar and are prepared to refine their understanding of complex grammatical structures.
Through practical applications and targeted exercises, students will learn to communicate
nuanced grammatical concepts essential to high-level communication and academic writing.
Developing the grammatical skills to write advanced academic essays is the aim of
this course.
Contact
Ollie Rashid
ESL and International Pathway Coordinator
Phone:
(502) 597-5769
Email:
Ollie.Rashid@kysu.edu