English Language Studies - Passaic County Community College

English Language Studies
Contact Information
Kathleen Kelly, ELS Chairperson
Irene Simpson, ELS Office
Phone: 973-684-5229
Phone: 973-684-5590
Office: Founder’s Hall, E209
Office: Founder’s Hall, E209A
E-mail: kkelly@pccc.edu
E-mail: isimpson@pccc.edu
Bob Salvato, ELS Accelerated Learning
Candi Rodriguez, ELS 020 Level Leader
Program Coordinator
Phone: 973-684-3872
Office: Memorial Hall, M243
E-mail: rsalvato@pccc.edu
Phone: 973-684-5616
Office: Founder’s Hall, S209
E-mail: crodriguez@pccc.edu
English Language Studies Department
The English Language Studies (formerly English as a Second Language)
program at Passaic County Community College offers English language instruction
David Wasmuth, ELS 030 Level Leader
Phone: 973-684-6321
Office: Founder’s Hall, E212
E-mail: dwasmuth@pccc.edu
Agnes Drath, ELS 040 Level Leader
Phone: 973-684-68111
to non-native speakers of English who wish to pursue a college education. The fourlevel program offers instruction in academic reading, writing and oral communication
with the objective of preparing students to transition to college-level coursework.
Office: Founder’s Hall, S210
E-mail: adrath@pccc.edu
In 2011, PCCC joined “Achieving the Dream,” a national initiative that is focused on improving student success rates among community college students,
especially low-income students and students of color. ATD provided the framework
for examining the performance of ESL students and identifying program changes
Leo Kazan, EN 107 Level Leader
Phone: 973-684-4828
Office: Founder’s Hall, S208
E-mail: cribeiro@pccc.edu
Nancy Silvestro, ELS Professor
that could improve student success. As a first step, the faculty examined data that
revealed the following challenges:
& Achieving the Dream Co-Chair
1.
Phone: 973-684-5585
Office: Founder’s Hall, E212
Emphasis: Community colleges have changed their focus from access (open
enrollment) to success (attainment of a degree or other credential).
2.
Status: While approximately 80 percent of ESL students were part-time, retention was greater for full-time students.
E-mail: nsilvestro@pccc.edu
3.
Persistence: Lower level students were typically less likely to complete the
ESL program.
Chae Sweet, Associate Dean of Developmental
Bill Morrison, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
& Achieving the Dream Co-Chair
Phone: 973-684-6911
Office: Founder’s Hall, E319
Email: wmorrison@pccc.edu
4.
Phone: 973-684–6274
Passing Rates: 75-80% passing rates in ESL reading and grammar courses;
58% in ESL writing courses; level one students were passing at a lower rate.
English and English Languages Studies
5.
Student Performance: Analysis of ESL student writing samples at all levels
indicated incorrect grammar as the primary reason for not passing writing. Yet,
Office: Founder’s Hall, E202
Email: csweet@pccc.edu
students were passing grammar courses at a disproportionately high rate.
To address these changes, the following objectives were established:
EARLY RESULTS
PREP
Pre-Fall 2013 thru
Pre-Spring 2014—
71% of participants
have passed to the
020 level.
INT Workshops
1.
Provide opportunities for students to study full-time.
2.
Improve writing skills; omit ancillary grammar instruction and focus on grammar needed for development of academic writing skills.
3.
Expand speaking and listening instruction at the lower level.
4.
Improve the skills of ESL students entering the program.
5.
Offer pathways for career and academic certificates.
Restructured PCCC English Language
Studies Academic Program
Exit ELS
Program
ELS-PREP Courses
High Advanced/College Level
(ENR/ENW-107)
Students who score within the mid to high-beginner range on the ELS
placement test are enrolled in a non-credit ELSC-PREP course. It offers inten-
Writing Skills – 3 credits
Reading – 3 credits (+ paired college-level
courses)
sive, academically focused accelerated learning sessions for students seeking
entrance into the ELS credit program,
ELS-INT Second-Chance Workshops
Advanced
(ENR/ENW-040)
Borderline writing students who receive a non-passing grade at levels 020,
Pre-Fall 2013:
34 out 48 participants (71%) passed
to the next writing
level.
Pre-Spring 2014:
46 out 63 participants (73%) passed
to the next writing
level.
Writing Skills – 7 credits
Reading – 3.5 credits (+ paired college-level
courses)
030, 040, or 107 and have a satisfactory portfolio, teacher recommendation, and
level leader approval can enroll in the ELS INT Workshops. These intensive 2
week courses run prior to each semester and provide borderline students with the
opportunity to advance to the next level.
Intermediate
(ENR/ENW-030)
ELS Paired Courses
Writing Skills – 7 credits
Reading – 3.5 credits
Listening/Speaking – 3.5 credits
Paired Courses provide opportunities for students to earn college-level credits while they are still in the ELS program. In paired courses, ELS students join
college-level students in a content course, and their work is supported in a special
Low Intermediate
(ENR/ENW-020)
ELS reading section. Currently, students may take special sections of Psychology, Sociology, Early Childhood Education and Computer Information Systems, A
pairing of an ENW107 course with Composition I is also offered.. Plans are under-
Writing Skills – 7 credits
Reading/Listening/Speaking – 7 credits
way to expand paired course offerings.
ELS Course Redesign
Degree Track
Based on best practices in community college instruction and incorporating
the latest developments in TESOL, a new English Language Studies program
was created. Implementation of the new program began in Spring 2013.
Support Services
Advisement
Orientation
High Beginner and
Beginner
ELS-PREP
ELS Academic & Career Pathways
Placement Test 1
A Child Development Certificate pathway includes and ELS bridge course ,
Low Beginner
an ELS/Early Childhood paired course and an opportunity to study for a national
credential test . Course work applies toward completion of the academic ELS
program and Early Childhood Education Certificate. Additional pathways are
currently being explored.
Continuing Education
Admissions