Course Outline for English As A Second Language 230
Preparation for Academic ESL Listening and Speaking

Effective: Fall 2025
SLO Rev:
Catalog Description:

ESL 230 - Preparation for Academic ESL Listening and Speaking

54.00 Hours

May be repeated 99 time(s)
This noncredit course in Academic ESL Listening and Speaking is part of a 3-course noncredit Certificate of Competency in Preparation for College ESL, which serves as preparation for ESL 110A, the first course in our credit sequence. Students who take this course may not have the necessary language proficiency in English or be ready for the academic rigor of our college credit ESL program. Students will gain listening comprehension skills, oral fluency, study skills, computer literacy, and become familiar with U.S. college classroom culture. This course is free and may be repeated until mastery in the skill is met. Recommendation to take the course will be through ESL placement process. May be taken concurrently with ESL 210 and ESL 220.
4930.86 - English as a Second Language - Speaking/Listening
Pass/No Pass/Satisfactory Progress
Type Hours
Lecture 54.00
Total 54.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Engage in short conversations by making relevant comments, asking questions, and/or expressing a lack of comprehension;
  2. Demonstrate knowledge and use of American cultural conventions in oral communication, including in pair work and small groups (e.g. soliciting and offering opinions, agreeing and disagreeing);
  3. Ask for clarification during lectures, conversations, or presentations;
  4. Express ideas accurately and appropriately for a high-beginning level in pairs and small groups using English;
  5. Deliver a short oral presentation with appropriate organization, delivery, and development of topic;
  6. Demonstrate pronunciation that is intelligible at a high-beginning level;
  7. Follow basic oral instructions to complete a task;
  8. Identify the main idea and supporting details in monologues and dialogues on various academic topics;
  9. Use a variety of listening strategies to comprehend new listening material;
  10. Participate in an academic discussion about a given topic;
  11. Ask for information and assistance over the telephone with an instructor, a counselor, etc.;
  12. Participate in typical meetings necessary for students on a college campus, including speaking with an instructor during office hours, a counselor, and a tutor;
  13. Ask for help from both classmates and instructor during class time.
Course Content:
  1. Listening / Speaking (70%)
    1. Pre-, While-, and Post- listening techniques, including activating background knowledge, previewing new vocabulary, using visuals to predict content, taking notes, and using charts to organize information.
    2. Listening for main ideas, details, and reasons, and synthesizing information from the listening.
    3. Listening and speaking tasks focused on specific pronunciation skills such as: syllable, word and sentence stress, intonation in questions, and simple past endings. 
    4. Role Plays and skits including:
      1. Introducing and starting a conversation.
      2. Asking for and giving opinions and reasons.
      3. Agreeing and disagreeing with someone.
      4. Asking for help from an instructor during office hours.
      5. Asking a tutor for help at the Learning Connection.
      6. Having a conversation with a college counselor.
    5. Giving a presentation on a given topic.
    6. Participating in an online listening / speaking forum.
  2. Computer Literacy (15%)
    1. Navigating Canvas LMS to check homework and grades, watch videos, and send/receive messages from an instructor
    2. Using Voicethread to listen / respond orally to forum posts on a given topic.
  3. Classroom Culture / Study Skills (15%)
    1. Organizing course materials and handouts for a college class.
    2. Following oral instructions from instructor.
    3. Actively participating in class and small group discussions.
    4. Asking and answering questions from classmates and instructor without an interpreter.
       
Methods of Instruction:
  1. Group Activities
  2. Lecture/Discussion
  3. Class and group discussions
  4. Presentation
  5. Online Assignments
  6. Distance Education
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. Listen to the report. Write the missing information in the "main ideas" column of the notes.
  2. Listen to the interviews. Write T (True) or F (False) next to each statement. If the statement is False, fix it so that it is true.
  3. Work with a partner to review your notes from the two interviews we listened to. Discuss which festival that we learned about is most interesting in your opinion and explain why. Then, share out your ideas to the class.
  4. Discuss the following questions in pairs or small groups: - Would you like to do any of the jobs in Listening One or Listening Two? Why or why not? - What is your dream job? - What do you have to do to get this job? - In the U.S., students often start college, but don't know what they want to be. Sometimes they start to study to be a doctor, for example, but then decide to change. In your culture, do college students do this often? Why or why not?
  5. Role play a telephone conversation between a student and an instructor. Student: You call your instructor's office phone because you want to set up an appointment to meet your instructor. Tell your instructor why you want to meet him/her. Then, ask your instructor when you can meet. Keep suggesting days/times until you find one that works well for you both. Finally, confirm the meeting time and thank the instructor. Instructor: Your student calls you to set up an appointment to meet you for help. Listen to what your student needs help with. Then, suggest a day and time that you can meet the student. Keep suggesting days/times until you find one that works well for you both. Finally, confirm the meeting time and thank the student.
  6. Present a report about a technological device. Explain both the advantages and disadvantages, and give details to support your main idea.
  1. Attendance
  2. Demonstration of practice and skills
  3. Homework
  4. Quizzes
  5. Online Assignments
  6. Oral Presentation
  7. Final Examination or Project
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Listening: Comprehend nonfiction reports and interviews and respond appropriately in quizzes and small group activities.
  2. Speaking: Express ideas fluently, accurately, and appropriately at a high-beginning level of English during role plays, group discussions and short presentations.
  3. Computer Literacy: Navigate Canvas to watch videos and listen to audio recordings, as well as to complete and submit homework online.
  4. Classroom Culture/Study Skills: Understand basic oral instructions during class time, ask for clarification during lectures and conversations, and ask for information and assistance from classmates, instructors, tutors, and other college staff.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. White, N.M., Peterson, S. (2017). Prism Listening and Speaking (Intro) Cambridge University Press.
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
This FREE, non-credit, academic ESL listening and speaking course is part of a three course noncredit Certificate of Competency in Preparation for College ESL. Upon completing this course, students will have the listening comprehension skills and oral fluency appropriate for ESL 110A, the first course in our ESL credit courses. Students will be placed into noncredit courses by the ESL placement process. Students may take ESL 230 concurrently with ESL 210 and ESL 220 to earn their Certificate of Competency and to be fully prepared for ESL 110A.
Discipline:
English as a Second Language (ESL)*, or English as a Second Language (ESL): Noncredit