ESL Program Learning Objectives

As students at Glenmore University progress through the curriculum, they will develop a broad range of skills that will serve to support them in their daily lives interacting in the English language. These skills include knowledge and use of the English language as well as technology skills and critical and creative thinking skills. Specific objectives are listed below.

Communicative Competence: Develop the ability to effectively communicate in spoken and written English across a variety of real-world and professional contexts, with a focus on fluency, accuracy, and appropriate language use.

Integrated Skills Mastery: Improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills simultaneously through activities that mirror real-life situations, enabling students to use English in both social and academic environments.

Critical Thinking in English: Cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving abilities by engaging in discussions, debates, and projects that require students to analyze information, formulate arguments, and express opinions in English.

Digital Literacy and Communication: Gain proficiency in using English for technology and social media, learning how to communicate effectively in digital spaces, write for online platforms, and engage with global audiences in professional and social media contexts.

Cultural Awareness and Global Perspectives: Develop intercultural competence by understanding global issues, cultural diversity, and social dynamics as presented in authentic texts and media from around the world.

Academic Language Skills: Build academic language proficiency, including the ability to read and understand complex texts, write essays and reports, and present information clearly in both written and oral forms, particularly in relation to technology and current events.

Collaboration and Teamwork: Enhance teamwork and collaborative skills by participating in group projects, presentations, and role-plays that foster communication, negotiation, and cooperation in English.

Adaptability in Language Use: Learn to adapt language use to different formal and informal contexts, such as professional communications, social media interactions, and everyday conversation, with a focus on adjusting tone, vocabulary, and register.

 Courses and Schedule

The ESL program is integrated skills in nature. Listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, and other core language skills are integrated into the content of each language course. In this manner, students develop well-rounded English skills that will support their diverse personal and professional learning needs.

The ESL program is comprised of six proficiency levels. At lower proficiency levels, students focus on developing general English skills appropriate to successfully communication in their everyday lives. At the highest proficiency level, the curriculum focuses on workplace and academic success. At the highest proficiency levels, students may instead choose to enroll in a series of four academically-oriented courses specifically designed for academic preparation.

The ESL program is designed in alignment with the academic semester system (three semesters of 15-16 weeks each). Students at each proficiency level must complete their integrated-skills course with a score of at least 80% to progress to the next level of study. Thus, students enrolled in full-time program of study will be in class 20 hours per week for a total of 350 hours of classroom instruction per semester.

Table A:  ESL Curriculum