Frequently Asked Questions
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New Students: You must complete the college application and ESOL assessment BEFORE registration.
Can credit ESOL courses be used for other college requirements?
Yes. Some ESOL course credits can be applied toward some degree programs as humanities/foreign language electives.
Is there a certificate in ESOL at CT State Norwalk?
Yes. There is the ESOL Advanced English Proficiency Certificate.
Can students take other courses besides ESOL?
Yes. Students can take other college courses besides ESOL, depending on their ESOL level. The Advising Grid will tell you which classes you can take at your ESOL level. For example, in ESOL 0902 (Integrated Skills I) you can also take math.
What are blended classes?
All credit ESOL courses can be taken as non-credit for reduced tuition. Students must be eligible to take the credit level courses and get a “C” letter grade or higher to pass to the next higher credit ESOL level.
Students planning to get a degree and/or the ESOL Advanced English Proficiency Certificate or take other college courses may need to take credit-level ESOL courses to succeed in English Composition.
What happens in credit ESOL courses?
- Core courses are based on reading and writing
- Regular attendance is required
- Students keep writing portfolios
- Course work is completed in labs and online
- At least a “C” is required to pass to the next ESOL level
- Group work and presentations
What is a portfolio?
A portfolio is a collection of student writing assignments, mostly essays. At the end of the semester, teachers evaluate all work to decide if the student passes to the next level.
Is homework important?
Yes! Students should expect to do 6 hours of work per week outside of class. Not doing assignments could result in repeating a course.
Can a student skip an ESOL level?
Yes. If the student’s writing is strong enough. The professor at the higher level and the ESOL director will evaluate the student’s portfolio to see if the student is ready for the higher level.
What if a student needs help outside of class?
The credit ESOL program has a tutoring program for students who need extra help with their writing or grammar. Please see the tutoring center.
Is there a language lab?
ESOL 0902, 1202, and 1302 courses require weekly lab practice. Lab lessons are on campus or online.
Activities include grammar, listening comprehension, and group projects and discussions.
All students can use the lab as a study space.
What happens when a student finishes the ESOL program?
After completing ESOL 1502/1512, a student is usually ready to take ENG 1010 Composition (required of all CT State students).
Most college courses require eligibility for ENG 1010. Some require the completion of ENG 1010 first.
I want to study English. What do I do?
First, come to our office, room E206 on East Campus. You need to complete the college application and the ESOL assessment.
Placement tests: Does everyone need an ESOL assessment?
Yes. All new students who want to take ESOL classes or regular college credit classes must take the ESOL Assessment to determine their level. After you complete the application, you will receive a student number.
Registration: What do I do after I receive my English placement?
After the assessment, we will email you the English placement result. Come to the ESOL office, room 206. We will help you choose classes. ESOL Registration must be IN-PERSON; there is no online registration, no mail, no fax.
Cost: How much are the classes?
ESOL Non-credit classes (Basic Levels) are usually $399-$420 (58 hours) in the Fall and Spring. In the Summer, the ESOL Non-credit classes are usually $189-$420. Books cost about $50 – $80 per class. You can pay with credit card (Master Card or Visa), check, cash or money order. ESOL Credit classes (Intermediate and Advanced Levels) cost about $500 – $1,200.
Classes: Are the classes still available?
The ESOL classes are very popular, so please complete the application and take the ESOL assessment as soon as possible.
Schedule: What is the class schedule?
ESOL Non-credit courses usually meet two times per week for 14-15 weeks. The classes meet in the morning, noon, afternoon, evening, or Saturdays in Norwalk. ESOL Non-credit Summer classes usually meet three times per week in the morning or evening for seven weeks (end of May through July. Some classes are shorter and cheaper). The ESOL Credit Courses also have more advanced classes at other days and times.