Program Details
Instruction
ESL Program courses are designed to help you develop the English skills
you need for the university classroom and the professional workplace.
Our classes also highlight the practical English you need for everyday
situations. Instruction is interactive, encouraging you to practice
English through a variety of activities. Your courses focus on academic
reading and writing as well as listening, speaking, and pronunciation.
Instructors
ESL Program instructors are experienced ESL teachers trained in ESL
teaching methods who hold degrees in Teaching English to Speakers of
Other Languages (TESOL), linguistics or a related field. Your
instructors speak numerous languages besides English and have experience
traveling & living abroad.
Program Facilities
Classes are held on the UWSP campus in university classrooms. ESL
Program students may use all UWSP facilities including the university
library and any of the several campus computing centers. The English
as a Second Language Program is jointly housed with the UWSP
International Students & Scholars Office in the Student Services Center (SSC).
Length of Study
The UWSP ESL Program offers five instructional sessions each year. Each
session (fall 1, fall 2, spring 1, spring 2, and summer) is 8 weeks
long. The ESL Program offers four levels of instruction: elementary,
intermediate, high-intermediate, and advanced. A second session of study
is available at each level, using different instructional materials, if
necessary.
Hours of Study
ESL Program students take a variety of courses totaling 20 hours of
instruction per week.
Placement Procedures
During the ESL Program Orientation period you will take the English
Placement Examination. This test has three parts:
- Listening
- Reading/Grammar/Vocabulary
- Written Essay
Your scores on the three parts of this examination provide a profile
that determines your initial level of placement in the program. You will
take a similar test at the end of each eight-week session to assess your
progress.
The ESL Program does not use TOEFL scores for initial placement
purposes.
