Placement in the ESL Program
All new students are tested with several measurements in order to determine the appropriate instructional level as shown below:
- Basic Level is for those students who have had little or no exposure to English.
- Level 1 is for those students who have had some exposure to English. These students have usually studied English for less than a year.
- Levels 2 and 3 (intermediate) are for those students who in most cases have spent one to three years studying English.
- Level 4 (advanced) is for students who have had extensive experience with English and meet the necessary prerequisites.
Students who have successfully completed the 2100 level (Level 4) courses and meet the necessary requirements are admitted into the college as regular students. Elective and/or foreign language credit is given for 2100 level courses.
Placement Procedures
- After arriving, initial placement in the program is determined by the student's score on the ACT ESL Compass Test and an in-depth analysis of the student's skills through additional testing with the ESL faculty during the ESL Program orientation.
In order for students to be correctly placed in an ESL level it is imperative that they attend the ESL Program oreintation.
- At the ESL Program orientation, which occurs the first two days of each semester, students will be required to take a writing exam, a grammar exam, and will have an interview with an ESL instructor to demonstrate their English language listening and speaking proficiency.
- The ESL faculty then determines the level placement of the student. The ESL Program reserves the right to advance the students to a higher level or return the students to a lower level.
