Noncredit ESL Self-Placement Information for ESL 601-604
Welcome to the noncredit ESL self-placement modules!
Here at San Bernardino Valley College, we offer English as a second language classes to students who are interested in developing their language skills for a variety of goals, such as communicating with family, friends and co-workers to preparing for college level writing. Students can best decide on the pathway that they would like to take to accomplish their language learning goals by either beginning in our entry noncredit ESL classes (ESL 601, 602, 603, or 604) or our higher-level credit/noncredit ESL composition classes (ESL 930/630, 931/631, 940/640 or 941/641).
If you are a beginning English language learner, or you have taken some English classes in the past but wish to strengthen your foundational skills in listening, reading, speaking, and basic writing, we invite you to look through the description of our ESL 601-604 classes below to see if they suit your needs and interests. The modules below will give you a general idea of what each course is like to help you decide the best course for you. After you have completed the modules and if you feel that you would like to focus more on composition (i.e., sentence, paragraph and essay writing), then you may take our ESL assessment test at the Assessment Center. More information will be provided in the modules below.
Important reminder: You will need to enroll as a student at San Bernardino Valley College before taking the ESL Self-Placement Modules! Before you access each module, you will be required to enter your SBVC username and password. This is the same information that you use to enter SelfService. |
How to use the self-guided placement modules
Step 1: Read through each of the skills that are covered in each of the courses. Keep in mind that our lowest level ESL course is ESL 601, and that each course builds upon the skills that were learned in the previous course(s). Each course offers lessons and practice in using the English skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Step 2: Once you have selected a course that you believe fits your skill levels in English, click on the View Course button below each course description. This will take you to the module for you to see if the course fits your skill level.
Step 3: When you have completed a module, you can decide whether it is a level you feel comfortable in taking or if it is too easy or difficult for you.
Step 4: Once you have decided on a course that fits your skill level (i.e., one that is not too easy or too difficult), you may contact one of our ESL counselors to help you to enroll into the course.
ESL Course Descriptions
ESL 601
This noncredit course is designed to introduce low-beginning English language learners to basic English letter-sound correspondence, vocabulary, and sentence patterns. Students will start using English to speak about themselves, their families, and their community. In addition, students will learn to read and complete simple forms. This course is taught through total English immersion while acknowledging students' cultural experiences.
- Speaking Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their speaking skills.
- Verbally identifying and naming classroom items, numbers, time and dates, parts of the human body, names of people, and family members;
- Saying simple sentences and questions with the verbs be and do;
- Pronouncing the intonation for Yes/No questions and Wh-questions;
- Saying basic greetings in conversations;
- Naming cardinal and ordinal numbers from 1 to 25;
- Understanding letter-sound correspondence of letters in the English alphabet.
- Listening Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their listening skills.
- Understanding basic greetings in conversations;
- Understanding how to differentiate the intonation of Yes/No and Wh-questions;
- Recognizing the sounds of letters in the English alphabet.
- Reading Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their reading skills.
- Reading articles and simple documents such as forms and envelopes;
- Identifying and reading phone numbers and addresses;
- Reading simple bills and completing checks;
- Reading simple sentences;
- Understand the differences between consonant and vowel letters.
- Writing Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their writing skills.
- Build vocabulary and spelling skills of words such as items in a classroom, family members; names of people and parts of the human body;
- Completing simple documents such as forms;
- Write simple sentences and questions with the auxiliary verbs be and do;
- Understanding how to write all letters of the alphabet;
- Understand the differences between and how to write capital and lowercase letters.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ESL 601 SELF-PLACEMENT MODULE
HAGA CLIC AQUÍ PARA VER EL MÓDULO DE AUTOUBICACIÓN ESL 601 CON SOPORTE EN ESPAÑOL
ESL 602
This noncredit course is designed to prepare low-beginning English language learners with vocabulary and sentence structure to communicate in social and academic settings. Students will learn to give and respond to directions, as well as to speak about home, classroom routines, and community life by using a variety of sentence patterns. In addition, students will learn basic note-taking skills. This course is taught through total English immersion while acknowledging students' cultural experiences.
- Speaking Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their speaking skills.
- Identifying and describing items in home and school settings;
- Talking about situations and asking questions in the simple and progressive tenses;
- Asking and answering questions about personal information and stating personal goals;
- Giving and responding to classroom directions and commands;
- Naming cardinal and ordinal numbers from 1 to 50;
- Pronouncing contractions and word endings.
- Listening Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their listening skills.
- Listening to and answering questions about personal information and stating personal goals;
- Listening to and responding to classroom directions and commands;
- Understanding contractions and word endings.
- Reading Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their reading skills.
- Reading and answering questions about short reading passages;
- Reading and completing basic forms;
- Identifying and reading phone numbers and addresses.
- Writing Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their writing skills.
- Answering questions about short reading passages;
- Writing simple sentences and questions using the simple and progressive tenses;
- Completing basic forms;
- Using basic note taking strategies.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ESL 602 SELF-PLACEMENT MODULE
ESL 603
This noncredit course is designed to prepare intermediate-beginning English language learners to use a variety of English structures and vocabulary for work and leisure. Students will learn appropriate linguistic behaviors with regards to the setting and time of the occasion being discussed. This course is taught through total English immersion while acknowledging students' cultural experiences.
- Speaking Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their speaking skills.
- Naming and describing places in a neighborhood, home, and work environment;
- Saying simple sentences and questions in the simple present, past, and future tenses;
- Introducing oneself and introducing other people;
- Asking for, giving, and clarifying directions in different situations;
- Talking about concepts from reading passages;
- Naming cardinal and ordinal numbers from 1 to 75;
- Pronouncing phonemes such as /sh/, /ch/, /b/, /v/, /t/, /th/, and /y/.
- Listening Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their listening skills.
- Listening to and responding appropriately to instructions;
- Checking the information on a job, public setting, or healthcare situation and in recreational settings;
- Understanding the differences in the sound of phonemes such as /sh/, /ch/, /b/, /v/, /t/, /th/, and /y/.
- Reading Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their reading skills.
- Reading and answering questions about reading passages that shows an understanding of what was read;
- Understanding a job posting and identifying and drawing conclusions about job-related requirements.
- Writing Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their writing skills.
- Writing about identifying and describing items, goals and events from the past;
- Writing sentences and questions in the simple present, past, and future tenses on a variety of topics;
- Identifying activities items and places in the workplace and in recreational settings;
- Spelling cardinal and ordinal numbers from 1 to 75;
- Writing about concepts from reading passages.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ESL 603 SELF-PLACEMENT MODULE
ESL 604
This noncredit course is designed to prepare high-beginning English language learners to use Standard English for job interviews, and in conversations at work and in educational settings. Students will begin learning aspects of composition. In addition, students will learn effective note-taking skills. This course is taught through total English immersion while acknowledging students' cultural experiences.
- Speaking Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their speaking skills.
- Naming, describing, and comparing places at work and at school;
- Saying sentences and questions in the present, past and future simple and progressive tenses;
- Exchanging greetings;
- Responding appropriately to good and bad news;
- Pronouncing the intonation patterns of affirmative and negative statements;
- Pronouncing the intonation patterns of Yes/No questions;
- Pronouncing phonemes such as /s/, /z/, /t/, and /d/.
- Listening Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their listening skills.
- Listening to greetings to respond in socially appropriate ways;
- Understanding the processes and expectations of an interview;
- Listening to and differentiating good news from bad news;
- Understanding the differences between stressed and unstressed; syllables and accurately pronounce the syllables of verbs and nouns;
- Understanding the intonation patterns of Yes/No questions.
- Reading Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their reading skills.
- Reading and answering questions about reading passages that shows an understanding of what was read;
- Taking notes and using active reading techniques.
- Writing Skills - The following are some of the course objectives that students will learn to develop
their writing skills.
- Writing a story about an event;
- Writing sentences and questions in the present, past and future simple and progressive tenses;
- Using modals such as will, can, and should in sentences;
- Using the present perfect and present progressive tenses in sentences;
- Answering questions about reading passages that demonstrate understanding.
