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ESL Courses

ESL Courses

Need Help Choosing Which English as a Second Language Course to Take First?

We can help! In addition to career and technology skills courses, we offer courses in grammar, listening and speaking, and reading and writing at five proficiency levels you can mix and match to meet your needs. Learn more about the ESL levels you'll find in our placement process. 

Career and Technology Skills

We offer noncredit courses where multilingual students at any level can gain technology skills and practice English skills for employment. Noncredit classes are free to all students.

  • ESL-030NC - Beginning English and Technology Skills - Noncredit
    Practice English while developing technology skills for college and career success.

    ESL-040NC - Intermediate English for Technology - Noncredit
    Continue practicing English at the intermediate level and learn more technology skills for college and career success.

  • ESL-031NC - Beginning English for Employment - Noncredit
    Practice basic workplace English and employment skills such as job searching, resume building, and interviewing.

    ESL-041NC - Intermediate English for Employment - Noncredit
    Continue practicing basic workplace English at the intermediate level and employment skills, such as job research, networking, interviewing, and more.

  • ESL-032NC - Beginning ESL for Customer Service - Noncredit
    Practice basic customer service English and learn customer service skills, such as creating resumes, customer service, vocabulary for retail and food services, job safety practices, and more.

Level 1: Beginning

Our beginning ESL courses are perfect for those newest to learning English. You can take these courses for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit option.

  • Beginning English Grammar for Multilingual Students

    Learn the basics of English grammar. You'll practice writing and editing simple sentences and short paragraphs.

    Register for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit course (NC) option:

    • ESL-060 (2 units)
    • ESL-060NC (0 units)

  • Beginning Oral Communication Skills

    Learn basic English sounds and intonation. You'll practice listening and speaking words used in everyday communications.

    Register for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit course (NC) option:

    • ESL-065 (2 units)
    • ESL-065NC (0 units)

  • Beginning Academic Reading, Writing and Study Skills

    Learn basic reading and writing skills as you build your English vocabulary. This course begins with practice reading and writing sentences. By the end, you will write short paragraphs. You'll also learn about college resources and study skills.

    Register for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit course (NC) option:

    • ESL-067 (5 units)
    • ESL-067NC (0 units)

Level 2: Intermediate

If you've already learned English basics, consider intermediate courses. You can take these courses for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit option.

  • Intermediate English Grammar for Multilingual Students

    Learn simple tenses, word order, and sentence types in English. You’ll practice identifying and editing errors in your work.

    Register for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit course (NC) option:

    • ESL-070 (3 units)
    • ESL-070NC (0 units)

  • Intermediate Oral Communication Skills

    Practice English conversation, vocabulary and idioms in different everyday contexts. You will give short oral presentations and practice pronunciation.

    Register for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit course (NC) option:

    • ESL-075 (2 units)
    • ESL-075NC (0 units)
       

  • Intermediate Academic Reading, Writing and Study Skills

    Build your vocabulary as you learn academic reading and writing strategies. You’ll practice analyzing academic texts by summarizing and responding to class readings in writing and discussion. You’ll also learn to write short essays with a beginning, middle, and end.

    Register for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit course (NC) option:

    • ESL-077 (5 units)
    • ESL-077NC (0 units)

Level 3: High-Intermediate

High-Intermediate courses are meant for students who can read short stories and articles and communicate ideas in speaking and writing. Take these classes to review basic skills and expand to more complex writing and communication strategies. You can take these courses for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit option.

  • High-Intermediate English Grammar for Multilingual Students

    Review basic grammar concepts and learn new, complex grammar skills. You’ll experience grammar in the context of real reading and writing tasks in a variety of situations.

    Register for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit course (NC) option:

    • ESL-080 (3 units)
    • ESL-080NC (0 units)

  • High-Intermediate Oral Communication Skills

    Practice strategies for listening and speaking in academic situations. You’ll listen to lectures, have class discussions, and prepare speaking presentations.

    Register for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit course (NC) option:

    • ESL-085 (2 units)
    • ESL-085NC (0 units)

  • High-Intermediate Academic Reading, Writing and Study Skills

    Strengthen academic reading, writing, and study skills by learning new vocabulary and reading strategies. You’ll read, summarize, and respond to a variety of texts. You’ll learn the steps of the writing process and write essays with a controlled main idea.

    Register for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit course (NC) option:

    • ESL-087 (5 units)
    • ESL-087NC (0 units)

Level 4: Advanced

Advanced courses are meant to give you practice with more advanced college level skills. You can take these courses for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit option.

  • Advanced English Grammar for Multilingual Students

    Learn advanced sentence structures and word forms in English. This course will strengthen your editing skills by teaching you how to add grammatical complexity to your written and oral communication.

    Register for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit course (NC) option:

    • ESL-090 (3 units)
    • ESL-090NC (0 units)

  • Advanced Oral Communication Skills

    Practice listening and speaking strategies for communicating in academic and professional environments. This class focuses on building advanced skills to understand lectures, participate in class discussions and give oral presentations.

    Register for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit course (NC) option:

    • ESL-095 (2 units)
    • ESL-095NC (0 units)

  • Advanced Academic Reading, Writing and Study Skills

    Prepare to enter college-level classes with this course. You’ll use reading strategies and critical thinking skills to analyze college texts orally and in writing. You’ll strengthen your essay-writing skills by using advanced sentence structures and vocabulary from texts. By the end of the class, you’ll be able to write essays in which you support a main idea with well-constructed paragraphs that include quotations and evidence.

    Register for college credit or select the free and repeatable noncredit course (NC) option:

    • ESL-097 (5 units)
    • ESL-097NC (0 units)
       

Level 5: High-Advanced

High-Advanced courses are meant for students who can read and write at the college level. Take these courses to build the language and communication skills needed for success in English 122 and other transfer-level courses. These courses are offered for college credit and some units will transfer to universities as GE credits.

  • ESL-100: College Grammar for Multilingual Students (2 units)

    Review advanced grammar concepts and learn the complex grammar needed for college success. You’ll practice editing strategies and learn ways to identify and correct errors in college writing tasks.
     

  • ESL-115: College Oral Communication Skills (2 units)

    Practice listening and speaking strategies for success in transfer-level college classes. Build the skills needed to participate in lectures, class discussions, oral presentations, and debates in any college class.

  • ESL-117A: High-Advanced Academic Reading, Writing and Study Skills (5 units)

    Prepare to enter transfer-level classes with this course. Practice critical reading, writing, and thinking skills; and improve the vocabulary and study skills needed for transfer-level courses. You’ll read college-level texts, and complete both formal and informal essay assignments connected to these readings.
     

Transfer Level

We have transfer-level classes for ESL students with very advanced English fluency. In fact, all students have the right to take transfer-level English without taking other courses first. If you’re wondering about the right place to start, complete the English/ESL placement process.

  • ENGL-122AL: First Year Transfer-Level Composition for Multilingual Students (5 units*)

    We offer a transfer-level, first-year college English course specifically designed for multilingual students. Complete your first-year English requirement while getting extra help to build your language and editing skills. You’ll read full-length college texts, learn the conventions of the American-style college essay, practice research and source citations, and complete a variety of complex essay assignments.

    *3 units are UC transferable. Talk to your counselor to learn more.

  • Coming Spring 2024! English 123A (4 units*)

    In this course, you will read literary texts (stories, poems, plays) to practice critical thinking, reading, and writing - all while getting extra help to build your language and editing skills.

    *3 units are UC transferable. Talk to your counselor to learn more.

    Coming Spring 2024! English 126A (4 units*)

    In this course, you will read non-fiction texts (articles, expository and persuasive essays) to practice critical thinking, reading, and writing - all while getting extra help to build language and editing skills.

    *3 units are UC transferable. Talk to your counselor to learn more.

  • Learn about other transfer-level English courses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Learn more!

  • Start with the English placement process if:

    • You graduated from a U.S. high school
    • You speak, read, and write English at a level similar to native speakers
    • You understand 90% of what you hear in a lecture and 90% of what you read in a U.S. newspaper
    • You can research information and write a 3-page essay in English with minimal errors
       

    Start with the ESL placement process if:

    • Your last English class was for non-native speakers (in the U.S. or another country)
    • You took ESL classes in adult school or at another college
    • You want to develop skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in English
    • You want to develop writing skills by practicing with paragraphs or short essays

    Get started with the placement process!

  • The placement process is not a test. It is a process that:

    • Shows you details about all the course levels in the ESL program
    • Shows you example assignments from each level
    • Allows you to choose what level class is best for you by clicking through content to see levels that are easier or more challenging until you find the right fit
    • Expect to spend at least 20 minutes looking through the levels to make a careful choice

    Get started with the placement process!

  • If you still aren't sure which course to register for after completing the placement process, we're happy to help. You can reach out to:

  • Many ESL courses can be taken as either credit or noncredit. Both options have the same instructor and same content, but:

    • Courses with only a number (ex ESL-060) allow you to earn college credits for your transcript and cost normal tuition rates
    • Courses with a number followed by NC (ex ESL-060NC) are noncredit courses where you won't earn units - but they are free and repeatable. This provides you the opportunity to take and/or retake courses at the level that best meets your needs

  • Start the placement process and see if our beginning-level classes will work for you. If you don’t speak any English, you may want to find a class at an adult school. Reach out to our Program Coordinator, Kelvyn Moran, for help: KMoran@dvc.edu.

  • Start the placement process and see if our advanced or high-advanced levels will work for you.

    The placement process allows you to explore our ESL levels to find the right place to begin your studies at DVC. If you decide the ESL levels look to easy for you, you’ll be able to move to the transfer-level English options within the placement tool.

    If your language skills are similar to a native speaker, you may want to start with the English self-placement process and select between the three options for transfer-level English.

  • We have two courses for ESL students that offer credits that will transfer to a university:

    • ESL-117A: High-Advanced Academic Reading and Writing Skills
      • 5 units transfer as General Education credits
         
    • ENGL-122AL: First-Year College English for Multilingual Students
      • 5 units transfer as university English credits
         

    The only prerequisite is that you complete the placement process and select the course level you want to take.

  • Noncredit classes are free. If you sign up for classes to earn credits, you'll pay normal tuition rates. Don't forget, there are many ways to save, including free tuition programs and courses with low or zero-cost textbooks.

  • For the best results, it is recommended to take three classes at a time:

    • Grammar
    • Reading and Writing
    • Listening and Speaking

    But if you don’t have time, take what you can to learn as much as you can. You are not required to take all courses in your level.

  • If you have a busy schedule, you may want to consider an online class. Many ESL classes are offered online without scheduled meetings (asynchronous). This means students can do the work at any time during the week.

    If you don’t see what you need in the course schedule, you may also want to consider courses that are one level higher or lower than the one you chose during the placement process.

    If you need help finding classes in the course schedule, see a counselor or ESL specialist. They will be happy to help!

  • When you have taken all the classes of one ESL level, you're ready to move to the next level.

    Or when you find one level to be easy for you, you may move to the next level (even if you did not complete all three courses of the previous level).

    In short, it’s up to you! Move through the levels at your own pace in the way that works best for your schedule and your needs.

  • ESL classes at DVC require students to complete homework and study assignments each week. The amount of time a class takes can depend on the course level and your own skill level. However, a good idea is to study 2-3 hours for each hour of class per week. For example, if you're taking a 3-credit course, plan to study 6-9 more hours at home. For harder classes, you might need more time.