English as a Second Language (ESL)

The English as a Second Language (ESL) Program offers English classes for all levels of learners—beginning, intermediate and advanced.  The ESL Program helps students to prepare for a degree at Leeward Community College or to transfer to a four-year college or university. All students will also have the opportunity to improve their language skills (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening) for personal or professional purposes.

In the ESL Program, students who are primarily resident immigrants are placed in the ESL Program according to their language abilities as determined by the ESL COMPASS test.  Students usually take a minimum of two ESL courses each semester.  Each three-credit course meets two or three times per week for sixteen weeks. 

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Course Descriptions

ESL 2A Beginning Reading for Speakers of Other Languages (3)
This course is designed to build the reading skills of beginning level non-native speakers of English. The focus is on reading comprehension, vocabulary development, reading rate, and study skills. Open only to non-native speakers of English and may be repeated
Prerequisite: Placement into ESL 2A. Corequisite: ESL 3A.

ESL 3A Beginning Writing for Speakers of Other Languages (3)
This course is designed as an intensive writing program for beginning level non-native speakers of English. It emphasizes sentence structure, paragraph organization, and usage of formal English grammar. Open only to non-native speakers of English and may be repeated.
Prerequisite: Placement into ESL 3A. Corequisite: ESL 2A.

ESL 8B Intermediate Reading for Speakers of Other Languages (3)
This course is designed to improve the reading skills of intermediate level non-native speakers of English. The focus is on reading comprehension, vocabulary development, reading rate, and study skills. Open only to non-native speakers of English and may be repeated.
Prerequisite: Completion of ESL 2A and 3A with a grade of C or better; or placement into ESL 8B;or approval from the Language Arts Division. Corequisite: ESL 9B.

ESL 9B Intermediate Writing for Speakers of Other Languages (3)
This course is designed to give the intermediate level non-native speakers of English the skills necessary to write a good paragraph and short essay. Open only to non-native speakers of English and may be repeated.
Prerequisite: Completion of ESL 2A and 3A with a grade of C or better; or placement into ESL 9B; or approval from the Language Arts Division.
Corequisite: ESL 8B.

ESL 17 Listening and Speaking for Speakers of Other Languages (3)
This course is designed to give non-native speakers of English at the intermediate or higher level practice in communicating and understanding English in an academic setting. It includes practice in pronunciation, group interactions, public speaking, and social skills. Only open to non-native speakers of English and may be repeated.
Prerequisite: Completion of ESL 1A, 2A, and 3A with a grade of C or better; or placement into ESL 8B and 9b or higher; or approval from the Language Arts Division.

ESL 18 High Intermediate Reading for Speakers of Other Languages (3)
This course is designed to improve the academic reading skills of high intermediate level non-native speakers of English. The focus is on reading comprehension, vocabulary development, reading rate, and study skills. Open only to non-native speakers of English and may be repeated.
Prerequisite: Completion of ESL 8B and 9B with a grade of C or better; or placement into ESL 18; or approval from the Language Arts Division. Corequisite: ESL 19.

ESL 19 High Intermediate Writing for Speakers of Other Languages (3)
This course is designed to improve the academic writing skills of high intermediate level non-native speakers of English. The focus is on sentence structure, paragraph organization and essay construction. Open only to non-native speakers of English and may be repeated.
Prerequisite: Completion of ESL 8B and 9B with a grade of C or better; or placement into ESL 19; or approval from the Language Arts Division. Corequisite: ESL 18.

ESL 20 Intermediate to High Intermediate Grammar for Speakers of Other Languages (3)
This course is designed to build the grammar skills of intermediate and high intermediate level non-native speakers of English. It broadens the students knowledge of grammar as it is used in complex sentence structures. Open only to non-native speakers of English and
may be repeated.
Prerequisite: Completion of ESL 1A, 2A, and 3A with a grade of C or better; or Placement into ESL 8b and ESL 9b or ESL 18 and ESL 19; or approval from the Language Arts Division.

ESL 21 Advanced Reading for Speakers of Other Languages (3)
This is an advanced level ESL course in reading comprehension and vocabulary development for the non-native speaker. Open only to non-native speakers of English and may be repeated. Students who pass this course and ESL 22 with grades of C or better may enroll in
ENG 100E.
Prerequisite: Completion of ESL 18 and 19 with a grade of C or better; or
placement into ESL 21; or approval from the Language Arts Division.
Corequisite: ESL 22.

ESL 22 Advanced Writing for Speakers of Other Languages (3)
Advanced ESL course in composition and grammar study for the non-native speaker. Open only to non-native speakers of English and may be repeated. Students who pass this course and ESL 21 with grades of C or better may enroll in ENG 100E.
Prerequisite: Completion of ESL 18 and ESL 19 with a grade of C or better; or placement into ESL 22; or approval from the Language Arts Division. Corequisite: ESL 21.

ESL 23 Advanced Grammar (3)
This course is designed to build the grammar editing skills of Advanced level non-native speakers of English. It broadens the students knowledge of grammar as it is used in complex sentence structures. Open only to non-native speakers of English and may be
repeated.
Prerequisite: Completion of ESL 18 and ESL 19 with a grade of C or better;
or placement into ESL 23; or approval from the Language Arts Division.

ENG 100E Composition I (3)
For non-native speakers of English only. Practice in writing clear, effective university-level prose. Attention to all stages of the writing process—generating ideas, drafting, revising, and editing. (FW)
Prerequisite: Placement into ENG 100E; or a grade of C or better in ESL 21 and 22, or approval from the Language Arts Division. Rec Preparation: Typing or computer experience. 

Contact Information

Michael Sagliano, ESL Discipline Coodinator
Phone: (808) 455-0429
Fax: (808) 455-0640
Email: sagliano [at] hawaii [dot] edu