Course Offerings - NJCU :: English as a Second Language - NJCU

Proficiency Level Courses
Students may not register for any proficiency-level course and/or skills enhancement course without prior permission from the ESL Testing Administrator.

Elementary ESL, the first course of the six-level ESL sequence, is for those students who already have some oral and written skills in English. The focus is on the acquisition of basic grammar and syntax, conversation, pronunciation, academic writing, and increased reading ability in English.

Intermediate ESL is the second course in a six-level English as a Second Language sequence. Primary focus is on the basic concepts and techniques of expository writing. Secondary focus is listening comprehension and oral skills. Expository and literary readings are assigned. An ongoing review will be made of grammar relevant to course activities.

This course is designed to introduce non-native speakers of English to the fundamentals of academic writing. Students learn to structure paragraphs for greater cohesion, to write in a variety of rhetorical structures, and to develop theses. They will be assigned thematic readings, taught greater accuracy in grammar and vocabulary, and introduced to the principles of effective oral presentations.

English Composition-1: ESL is a six credit-hour course designed to develop the reading, writing and critical thinking skills for university coursework. Students develop academic writing in a variety of rhetorical styles. Readings include fiction, poetry, expository writing, editorials, newspaper articles, scientific texts, and reference material. Grammatical accuracy is emphasized. Preparation for research is included Advanced Expository Writing:

Advanced Expository Writing: ESL is the fifth course in a six-level ESL course sequence. It is designed to teach students how to produce advanced level expository essays, and a short documented research paper. It strengthens their critical thinking and note-taking skills in order to analyze university-level written and spoken materials.

English Composition-2: ESL: is an introduction to the genres of fiction, drama and poetry. This course also concentrates on the interpretation, structure and documentation of academic writing. Requiring fundamental computer skills, EC-2: ESL and its predecessor, EC-1: ESL, satisfy University requirements for English. It is designed for students who speak English as a second language.

A skills course for those ESL students who need additional focused work in advanced grammar and expository writing. In this course students prepare themselves for academic work at the college level and Fundamentals of Communication II-ESL.

A course designed for intermediate students of English as a Second Language who still need help with their oral comprehension and production skills. The focus on the class is to: review the English sound system and the stress, intonation and rhythm patterns of English; teach strategies for listening with a purpose; develop the social linguistic skills essential for the job market/work setting.

This two-credit course is designed to 1) present an overview of the personal computer; 2) familiarize students with current versions of various software applications such as Microsoft Works, Netscape Navigator, and Eudora; and 3) introduce the Internet, e-mail, and the World Wide Web (the Web). The course will also help ESL students develop their overall language skills (reading, listening, writing and speaking) in order to function in an academic environment. Wordprocessing, database, spreadsheet, e-mail and the Web will be covered.