ESL - English as a Second Language Courses - Chicago - Illinois - Columbia College Chicago - I1701

 The Academic ESL Program offers support courses in reading and writing for Columbia College students who need to improve their English communication skills while studying other subjects at the College. Students are advised to take ESL courses based on their TOEFL scores and/or results from the New Student Assessment COMPASS test.

In addition to support courses, the ESL Program offers sheltered sections of English Writing and Rhetoric I, English Writing and Rhetoric II, and Oral Expression for non-native speakers of English.  These courses meet the college-wide general education requirements in English Writing and Rhetoric and oral expressions. Students who have home/heritage langauges other than English and who have been in the United States for less that 8-10 years should enroll in these ESL sections. All of the courses share goals, objectives, and course design with non-ESL sections, but they are designed to specifically address the needs of ESL students in the following ways:

    * ESL sections are taught by faculty who specialize in working the ESL students.
    * ESL sections limit enrollment to 12 students so that teachers are able to spend more time with individual students.
    * ESL sections focus directly on ESL issues, for example, pronunciation, vocabulary development, differences in cultural assumptions and background knowledge, etc.

ESL sections of Writing and Rhetoric and Oral Expression require weekly, one-hour tutoring sessions with ESL specialists in the Columbia College Writing Center.


Application and Tuition

The Academic ESL Program is part of the college-level, academic program at Columbia College, and does not have a separate application for admissions. Visit Columbia Admissions for more information.

All ESL courses receive college credit towards graduation, and students pay Columbia College tuition. Additionally, ESL English Writing & Rhetoric I, ESL English Writing & Rhetoric II, and Oral Expressions (ESL) meet college-wide general education requirements in English Composition and Oral Communications.

Schedule for Courses

ESL courses are offered following the Columbia College academic calendar, with two 15-week semesters (Fall and Spring), and one 8-week semester (summer).