The AC ESL curriculum was developed by starting with the fundamental learning outcomes and working backwards, bringing the English language to life through the creation of an interactive learning experience.
The program’s goal is to engage students in skill-based active learning that focuses on the most effective ways to evolve their language proficiency.
Language learners tend to judge their language acquisition based on their speaking progression, therefore the AC ESL program aims to increase a student’s confidence in speaking English through practice and setting attainable goals.
Our program intends to create a personalized and creative learning experience by addressing and focusing on common learner errors, real world situations, practical writing tasks, and active participation.
Ultimately, we offer a unique and energized program that not only enhances student’s English language skills, but also teaches students how to employ these language skills in their everyday lives.
After successful completion of this program, the student will have achieved an intermediate level of language proficiency.
Students registered in our ESL program can enjoy the additional benefits as follow:
There are 3 levels of ESL at AC. Each ESL level involves a 14-week program of 20 hours per week of study.
This is the foundational course in the ESL series. At this level, a student may have no prior knowledge of English and will learn the basics, so they are able to communicate simple needs. Students will learn to communicate words and ideas and understand concepts when spoken slowly and clearly. They will also learn to recognize and write letters, numbers, short words, and very short, simple phrases related to everyday situations.
Students continue to build foundational skills and are learning to master the basics of English, so they can interact with others in a simple way. Students will learn how to use familiar everyday expressions, how to ask and answer questions about personal details, and how to write personal information.
Students are beginning to guess the meaning of unknown words in texts and use visual clues. They are developing an understanding of simple language structures, everyday vocabulary, and can use these to construct simple sentences about personal experiences.
At this level, students are introduced to the language and skills needed to communicate and understand basic information about common everyday activities, experiences, wants and needs in small group settings. Students learn to identify the purpose, main ideas, and some specific details in texts, and also to write multi-sentence compositions with a developing understanding of spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
Students are introduced to frequently used expressions related to their personal areas of interest, and are able to communicate in conversations and in simple forms of written communication. Students can understand key words, phrases and the overall meaning of short texts related to familiar topics. Students learn to use more complex grammatical structures, mechanics, and topic-specific vocabulary.
At this level, students learn to maintain small group discussions and build their fluency, developing strategies for responding to moderately complex communication styles and settings. Students also learn to describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes, and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans with clear pronunciation.
Finally, students learn to identify the purpose, main ideas, important details, links between paragraphs, and styles in texts. The course builds on vocabulary and grammaticalstructures, so students are able to produce simple connected paragraphs on topics which are familiar or of personal interest.
Students learn to extract the main ideas from texts, and to engage in more complex discussions about their areas of interest. The course covers a range of vocabulary, which includes idioms and colloquial expressions.
Students build fluency and spontaneity through regular interaction with other speakers. They produce clear, detailed writing on a wide range of subjects and learn to express their point of view by writing about a topical issue, citing the advantages and disadvantages of various options with proper mechanics.
Alexander College acknowledges that the land on which we usually gather is the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work in this territory.
Alexander College acknowledges that the land on which we usually gather is the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work in this territory.
+1 604-435-5815
4805 Kingsway
Burnaby, BC
V5H 4T6 Canada
+1 604-435-5815
#100-602 West Hastings St.
Vancouver, BC
V6B 1P2 Canada
