Course Title and Descriptions

New ESL students take the AEU ESL assessment tests and are placed in the appropriate proficiency levels according to their learning needs. Students work on listening, speaking, reading and writing according to different levels of coursework.

1. ESL Beginning Level - Level 1
   • Description:
     Students enter the beginning level with a rudimentary foundation in English. They are able to read and write on a limited basis. They communicate with difficulty and many errors. They use very simple and unelaborated answers. They hesitate a lot and have no ability to extend conversation. They use simple grammar and vocabulary. They have little or no control over basic grammar. They communicate survival needs in a very simple manner.
   • Listening:
     • can understand some common phrases and words used to give basic personal information
     • can understand social greetings and phrases used to talk about the present time and place
     • beginning to understand the main ideas of complete sentences
   • Speaking:
     • use gestures and one to three word utterances
     • no control of grammar
   • Reading:
     • can understand some practical words and phrases found on restaurant menus, signs, and product labels
     • recognize, read, and write numbers and letters, but with limited understanding of connected prose and with much repetition
   • Writing:
     • limited number of basic words and familiar phrases
     • ability to write basic simple sentences, phrases and messages
     • can write basic personal information with frequent errors in punctuation and spelling
     • unclear narrative writing
   • Functional & Workplace Skills: None in English
2. ESL Beginning Level High - Level 2
   • Description:
     Students enter the beginning high level with the ability to read and write in English. They are more confident in communicating their immediate needs. They hesitate less and can give more detail in simple answers. They have slightly more control of grammar and a slightly broader vocabulary.
   • Listening:
     • can understand the main ideas of complete sentences
     • less anxious about listening and comprehend a wider range of vocabulary used in context
   • Speaking:
     • make attempts to extend conversation but with difficulty and many errors
   • Reading:
     • understand words and phrases found on restaurant menus, signs, and product levels
     • recognize connected prose as well as read and write numbers and letters
   • Writing:
     • write a number of basic words and familiar phrases
     • can write simple sentences, phrases and messages
     • can write basic personal information with fewer errors in punctuation and spelling
     • narrative writing is understandable
   • Functional & Workplace Skills: None in English
3. ESL Intermediate Level - Level 3
   • Description:
     Students enter the intermediate low level with the ability to read and write in English. They have more satisfactory command of English for communicating their basic survival needs.
   • Listening:
     • understand the main ideas of complete sentencess
     • understand some main parts of discussion topics they know
     • can follow a limited amount of important details
   • Speaking:
     • attempt interactive conversation and more complex grammar
   • Reading:
     • understand some main ideas, some facts social announcements, instructions, and short descriptions of people, places, and things
     • can follow simple and compound sentences in single or linked paragraphs containing familiar vocabulary
   • Writing:
     • can write notes and messages for familiar situations but sometimes lack clarity and focus
     • sentence structure lacks variety but shows some control of basic grammar
     • use punctuation more consistently
   • Functional & Workplace Skills:
     • can interpret simple directions, schedules, signs, and maps
     • can fill out simple forms with some supports for more complicated sections
     • can handle routine entry level jobs which involve some written or oral English
     • can also use simple computer programs to perform routine tasks
4. ESL Intermediate Level High - Level 4
   • Description:
     Students enter the intermediate high level with enough ability in the use of English to function independently in most familiar situations. They have inconsistent control of more complex grammar. They rely on description and concrete terms. In social situations, they can use new phrases with some hesitation.
   • Listening:
     • comprehend conversations containing some unfamiliar vocabulary
   • Speaking:
     • ability to participate in one-on-one conversations on topics beyond their survival needs
     • can clarify meaning by asking questions
   • Reading:
     • understand some main ideas, some facts, social announcements, instructions, and short descriptions of people, places, and things
     • can follow simple and compound sentences in single or linked paragraphs containing familiar vocabulary
   • Functional & Workplace Skills:
     • some ability to communicate on the telephone on familiar subjects
     • can follow oral and written instructions
     • can complete basic medical forms and job applications
5. ESL Advanced Level - Level 5
   • Description:
     Students enter the advanced-low level with the ability in the use of English to function effectively in familiar and unfamiliar social and academic situations. They use advanced grammar and vocabulary. Their errors do not hinder communication.
   • Listening:
     • can comprehend conversation on unfamiliar topics and are beginning to understand essential points of discussion or speeches on topics in special fileds of interest
   • Speaking:
     • can engage in conversation with lots of elaboration and interaction with occasional errors
     • lack fluency in discussing technical subjects
   • Reading:
     • can read primary source materials on everyday subjects and non-technical prose but have difficulty reading technical materials
     • can make some minimal inferences about familiar texts and compare and contrast information from such texts
   • Writing:
     • can write simple narrative descriptions and short essays on familiar topics, such as customs in their native countries
     • use basic punctuation consistently but make grammatical errors with complex structures
   • Functional & Workplace Skills:
     • can interpret simple charts and graphs
     • can handle jobs that require simple, oral and written instructions, multi-step diagrams and limited public interactions
6. ESL Advanced Level High - Level 6
   • Description:
     Students enter the advance high level with the ability in the use of English to meet most routine social and academic demands with confidence, though not without occasional hesitation and circumlocutions.
   • Listening:
     • can understand a speaker who uses words to say more than their simple meaning, for example, cultural references
     • understand radio broadcasts, television news reports and public addresses on non-technical topics
   • Speaking:
     • can converse well with lots of elaboration and interaction making occasional errors
     • use complex grammar and advanced vocabulary, while still lacking fluency in discussing technical subjects
   • Reading:
     • can understand most abstract and complex printed materials
     • can comprehend more than what is directly stated and how the culture of people influences language
     • can read authentic materials on abstract topics in familiar contexts as well as descriptions and narrations of factual material
   • Writing:
     • can write multi-paragraph essays with a clear introduction and development of ideas
     • writing contains well-informed sentences, appropriate mechanics and spelling with few grammatical errors
   • Functional & Workplace Skills:
     • can meet most work demands with confidence
     • can also function effectively in work situations that require interaction with the public
     • pronunciation inhibits fluency and communication - are able to adjust their language to be understood