Courses

Core Courses
Level 1
ESAL 0120
Basic Grammar (4,0,0)

ESAL 0120 Basic Grammar (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

Students learn basic forms of English Grammar including simple and progressive verb tenses, parts of speech, prepositions, and an introduction to modals. Students practice these structures through communicative and functional activities.
Prerequisite: Placement according to English placement test.
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0130
Basic Integrated Language Skills (4,0,0)

ESAL 0130 Basic Integrated Language Skills (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

This course offers integrated skills with an emphasis on improving English proficiency and understanding of Canadian culture. It includes continued practice in listening, speaking, pronunciation, vocabulary building, grammar, reading, writing and learning strategies. It also includes using computer technology and university and community resources.
Prerequisite: Placement according to English Placement test
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0150
Basic Oral Communication (4,0,0)

ESAL 0150 Basic Oral Communication (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

Through listening comprehension and oral performances, students practice their communication skills. Students learn to comprehend the main ideas in short passages and listen for specific detail as well as engage in short conversations, report personal information, and express opinions.
Prerequisite: Placement according to English placement test.
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0170
Basic Reading Skills (4,0,0)

ESAL 0170 Basic Reading Skills (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

This course focuses on reading strategies. Emphasis is on vocabulary growth and comprehension and expression of the main idea. Students develop study and reading skills such as pre-reading and reading rate strategies.
Prerequisite: Placement according to English Placement test
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0180
Basic Writing Skills (4,0,0)

ESAL 0180 Basic Writing Skills (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

This course will focus on writing strategies. Emphasis will be on development of sentence structure and sentence variety to the paragraph level. Students will also be introduced to the paragraph form, including expression of the main idea in topic sentences.
Prerequisite: Placement according to English Placement test
For more information, search for this course here.

Level 2
ESAL 0220
Pre-Intermediate Grammar (4,0,0)

ESAL 0220 Pre-Intermediate Grammar (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

This course is intended to assist students in improving and practicing their spoken English and written grammar. Students study past, present and future verb tenses in the simple, progressive and perfect forms. Students also study phrasal verbs, comparatives, prepositions, modals, determiners, articles, and agreement.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0120 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0230
Pre-Intermediate Integrated Language Skills (4,0,0)

ESAL 0230 Pre-Intermediate Integrated Language Skills (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

This course integrates language skills with an emphasis on improving English proficiency and understanding of Canadian culture. It includes continued practice in listening, speaking, pronunciation, vocabulary building, grammar, reading, writing and learning strategies. Students also use computer technology, and university and community resources.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0130 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0250
Pre-Intermediate Oral Skills (4,0,0)

ESAL 0250 Pre-Intermediate Oral Skills (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

Students improve their communication skills by developing their listening and speaking skills.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0150 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test.
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0270
Pre-Intermediate Reading Skills (4,0,0)

ESAL 0270 Pre-Intermediate Reading Skills (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

This reading course continues to strengthen basic skills of vocabulary development and comprehension with a variety of written material of gradually increasing difficulty. The objective is to progress from mechanical to more meaningful reading.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0170 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test.
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0280
Pre-Intermediate Writing Skills (4,0,0)

ESAL 0280 Pre-Intermediate Writing Skills (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

This introductory composition course for second language students focuses on recognizing and practicing grammatical structures and sentence patterns, within the familiar thematic context of shared personal and cultural experience. Pre-writing and revision strategies are introduced.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0180 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test.
For more information, search for this course here.

Level 3
ESAL 0320
Intermediate Grammar 1 (4,0,0)

ESAL 0320 Intermediate Grammar 1 (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

Within the relevant academic contexts, a variety of difficult structures in English grammar are examined and practiced both orally and in written work. Structures include the tense aspect system; phrasal verbs; modal meanings, and the use of prepositions.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0220 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test.
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0330
ESAL 0350
Intermediate Oral Communication (4,0,0)

ESAL 0350 Intermediate Oral Communication (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

This course is designed to enable students to refine conversational skills for the purpose of participating in academic discussions. This course focuses on acquiring strategies for effective oral communication. Students participate in group discussions, give oral presentations and practice their listening skills.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0230 and ESAL 0250 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test.
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0370
Intermediate Reading and Study Skills (4,0,0)

ESAL 0370 Intermediate Reading and Study Skills (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

Students continue to develop their vocabulary and build comprehension with a variety of reading selections of increasing difficulty. Reading materials include those selected by students and provide the basis for discussion, writing activities, study skill practice, and testing.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0270 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0380
Intermediate Composition (4,0,0)

ESAL 0380 Intermediate Composition (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

This writing course focuses on academic paragraph writing. Various forms and purposes for paragraph writing are analyzed and practiced. Sentence skills are reviewed and essay writing is introduced.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0280 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test.
For more information, search for this course here.

Level 4
ESAL 0420
Advanced Grammar (4,0,0)

ESAL 0420 Advanced Grammar (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

The purpose of this course is to support advanced academic writing, by developing and refining the grammar and editing skills necessary to detect and remedy common ESL writing problems. While the focus is on accuracy, this course also includes logical analysis of the components of a composition, and editing for improved clarity and effectiveness.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0320 and ESAL 0340 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test.
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0430
ESAL 0450
Advanced Oral Communication (4,0,0)

ESAL 0450 Advanced Oral Communication (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

Students practice strategies for speaking clear and appropriate English in a variety of academic situations. Attention to fluency, pronunciation, and intonation is emphasized.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0350 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test.
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0470
Advanced Reading and Study Skills (4,0,0)

ESAL 0470 Advanced Reading and Study Skills (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

This course includes a wide range of fictional and nonfictional reading. Emphasis is on the analysis and evaluation of form and content as well as on pre-reading strategies and vocabulary development. Study skills include note-taking, paraphrasing, and summarizing.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0370 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test.
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0480
Advanced Composition (4,0,0)

ESAL 0480 Advanced Composition (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

This course reviews the paragraph as a component of the English essay. Emphasis is on the planning, development, and revision of multi-paragraph compositions. Students focus on specific problems with their writing and practice editing.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0380 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test.
For more information, search for this course here.

Level 5
ESAL 0570
Academic Reading Skills (4,0,0)

ESAL 0570 Academic Reading Skills (4,0,0)

Credits: 3 credits
Delivery: Campus

This course is designed to prepare students for reading university level material effectively and efficiently. Specific approaches to reading are taught for factual and fictional writing. Emphasis is on the short story.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0450 and ESAL 0470 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test.
Note: ESAL 0450 may also be taken as a corequisite.
For more information, search for this course here.

ESAL 0580
Academic Writing (6,0,0)

ESAL 0580 Academic Writing (6,0,0)

Credits: 4 credits
Delivery: Campus

This course focuses on the process of writing. However, integral to the writing process are the skills of reading and listening, actively and critically. Collaboration and teamwork are important components of this course, as well. These skills enhance writing ability and also contribute generally to success in both education and employment. Students are expected to read, research, discuss, and work co-operatively, as part of the composition process.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of ESAL 0420 and ESAL 0480 (C+ or better) or placement according to English placement test.
Corequisite: ESAL 0420
For more information, search for this course here.

Elective Courses — available at Level 3
ESAL 0820
ESAL 0860
ESAL 0880
ESAL 0920
ESAL 0950
ESAL 0960
ESAL 0980