ESL Fall Course Offerings
Language Skills CoursesWeekdays, 9:00–12:00 p.m. |
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Reading & Writing Enhance your grammar, reading, and writing skills. This course focuses on developing scanning skills to gather information from different parts of a text. In addition, you will practice writing connected texts by linking a series of shorter discrete elements into a more complex linear sequence. |
Listening & Speaking Enhance your English academic speaking and listening skills. This course focuses on understanding the main points and specific details of a speech or lecture and presenting a variety of topics fluently with simple reasons and explanations. |
Elective CoursesWeekdays, 1:00–4:00 p.m. |
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| Service Learning Project Do you want to make a positive impact on society? The course encourages student engagement in the local community through volunteer opportunities. Special emphasis is on promoting greater awareness of issues in the United States concerning equity, class status, race, and nationality through service-learning experiences, readings, films, and discussions. |
Intro to US Culture & History Want to gain a better understanding of US culture? In this course, you will delve into historical trends and events that influenced society and people’s perspectives in the US. Special emphasis is on producing clear, detailed text on a wide range of cultural and/or historical topics. You will have opportunities to explain viewpoints on US topical issues giving the advantages and disadvantages of various opinions. |
| Intro to World Religions What do you believe in? Self? Science? God? In our lives, we will encounter others from different traditions and belief systems. Understanding diverse faiths can enhance our relationships with others as well as ourselves. This course introduces the core beliefs, concepts, and traditions of major religions practiced widely throughout the world, including but not limited to Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam. Special emphasis is on producing well-structured writings on world religions by thinking critically, evaluating collected resources, and synthesizing information. Excursions and guest lectures at various places of worship in New York City are included in the course. |
Presentations & Public Speaking Do you ever have stage fright? Presenting is not easy, and it can be even more challenging in a second or third language. This course will prepare you for success in typical public speaking situations and provide you with principles of organization and research needed for effective speeches. Special emphasis is on giving a clear, systematically developed presentation, using appropriate vocabulary and visual aids to enhance your message, and practical techniques to lessen speaker anxiety. |
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Intro to Intercultural Communications Have you ever found yourself misinterpreting what others are saying? This course introduces basic concepts, skills, and strategies to identify and manage cultural and academic expectations in the US. Special emphasis is on exploiting students’ awareness of similarities and differences between cultures for successful intercultural communication in both the personal and professional domains. |
Comprehensive University Preparation Gain the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in a university. Special emphasis is on extracting main ideas, learning different note-taking strategies, summarizing information, and sharpening your critical thinking and comprehension skills. |
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Special Topics Grab the opportunity to enhance your communication skills on a variety of topics every week! Special emphasis is on practicing discussions and delivering speeches on topics of your interest. |
Conversation Workshop (on Wednesdays) This workshop is a multilingual space to learn and practice languages. The workshop is free to all currently enrolled IALC and Fordham students. |