English as a Second Language
Program
(Division of Communication)
Brad Van Den Elzen, Director
Room 020, Student Services Center
Phone: 715-346-3849
E-mail: esl@uwsp.edu
Web: www.uwsp.edu/esl
The English as a Second Language Program provides intensive
English instruction for (a) international students who
wish to improve their English skills and (b) those who want to attend an American university but
whose English skills are not yet ready to compete in an academic setting.
As a full-time
student, you will attend 20 class hours per week at levels that are appropriate for
your skills.
The classes emphasize the development of academic English skills in the areas of reading,
writing, listening/notetaking, and speaking. As a conditionally accepted student,
you will complete
upper-level ESL courses, and you may begin to enroll in university courses.
After completing the entire ESL program,
you may enroll full time in
university courses.
Courses in
English as a Second Language
PLEASE NOTE: The following non-credit courses are for foreign students. Course requirements
for the ESL minors are listed under Teaching
English as a Second Language (TESL).
ESL 062.
Listening/Notetaking. Develop ability to
follow short spoken exchanges, directions, and presentations found in daily
life, gain basic skills in notetaking, and gain experience in talking and
writing about spoken material. Prereq: Placement.
ESL 063.
Listening/Notetaking. Develop ability to
gather information from longer spoken sources such as news programs, educational
shows, interviews, and radio commentaries, improve notetaking strategies, and
develop ability to discuss and write clearly about spoken information. Prereq:
062 or placement.
ESL 064.
Listening/Notetaking. Develop ability to
follow live lectures and taped presentations of academic topics and current
events, refine notetaking strategies, discuss and synthesize written and spoken
information, and write well-developed essays about the information. Prereq: 063
or placement.
ESL 072. Oral Communication.
Learn English conversational strategies, functions, and vocabulary applicable to
basic life skills, develop ability to carry on casual conversations, and
practice American pronunciation. Prereq: Placement.
ESL 073. Oral
Communication. Learn formal and informal
conversational strategies and functions applicable to a variety of interpersonal
situations, develop ability to carry on in-depth conversations on challenging
topics, and learn strategies for small group interaction. Prereq: 072 or
placement.
ESL 074. Oral
Communication. Refine ability to interact
in formal and large-group situations, develop ability to discuss current events
and academic topics. Learn and practice strategies to give formal presentations
in front of a group. Prereq: 073 or placement.
ESL 082. Reading.
Learn basic reading strategies, develop skills in writing about and discussing
short informative and general interest readings, and learn basic strategies for
understanding and learning new vocabulary. Prereq: Placement.
ESL 083. Reading.
Learn reading strategies for comprehending longer and more academic readings
from texts and magazines, increase ability to write in response to readings and
to discuss information in texts, gain greater exposure to academic vocabulary,
and develop ability to incorporate new vocabulary in writing and discussions.
Prereq: 082 or placement.
ESL 084.
Reading. Learn advanced
reading strategies for textbook selections and academic articles, use discussion
and writing skills to fully comprehend and analyze readings, demonstrate
comprehension both verbally and in writing, and expand active academic
vocabulary. Prereq: 083 or placement.
ESL 092.
Writing. Develop ability to write a paragraph on personal or subjective
topics, learn editing strategies, and develop control of basic grammar and
mechanics. Prereq: Placement.
ESL 093.
Writing. Move from personal to objective writing in response to a
source, expand editing strategies. Move from the paragraph level to being able
to write short essays. Improve accuracy over a wider range of grammatical
structures. Prereq: 092 or placement.
ESL 094.
Writing. Develop ability to draw information from and write about
multiple sources, learn basic library skills, and develop independent editing
strategies and effective use of grammar to write longer, source-based essays.
Prereq: 093 or placement.
