Academic Success Center

 

English as a Second Language

The English as a Second Language (ESL) Program in the Academic Success Center (bottom floor of the library) offers assistance in acquiring American English language skills to all non-native English-speaking DSU students. The ESL Program is staffed by a professional ESL Coordinator/Program Developer who has many years of ESL instructing, assessing, evaluating and program development experience. The program provides four levels of integrated and progressively more advanced ESL instruction in reading, speaking, listening and writing. Ad hoc intervention and individual ESL instruction is available when needed. The program also utilizes a unique, computerized ESL language lab.

International and other non-native English-speaking students may be placed in ESL courses based on the ESL Coordinator’s evaluation of the student’s assessments. Regardless if a non-native English speaking- student has or has not taken either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS), they have to be assessed through COMPASS ESL and Criterion Writing testing. If their evaluation, based on COMPASS, Criterion, and TOEFL/ IELTS, places them inside ESL course placement criteria, i.e., between the standards for 101 and 104, they should be in an ESL course. If they are evaluated at higher than the ESL 104 level, then they should be in ENG 110 and would be outside the purview of the ESL program.

All students and DSU faculty are invited to visit the ESL Coordinator, Dr. Stephens, whether they need assistance or just want to chat.

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