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Mission Statement

The English as a Second Language (ESL) Department at OCC is committed to providing a comprehensive education in English reading, writing, and oral skills to speakers of other languages so that they can reach personal, academic, and professional goals and participate and contribute as members of the global community of English speakers.  The ESL Department promotes critical thinking skills, problem solving, cultural diversity, global awareness, and global citizenship by actively engaging students in academic inquiry.   Through Foundational Skills, the ESL department supports students on their pathway to certificates and degrees (including CTE), Transfer, Workforce Development, and Lifelong Learning.

ESL Program Student Learning Outcomes:

What will students be able to think, know, do, or feel because of a given educational experience?

Upon completion of the most advanced listening and speaking course and the most advanced reading and writing course, students will:

  1. Speak clearly and fluently enough for an English speaker to understand and interpret intent.

  2. Participate fully and effectively in academic and personal oral communication.

  3. Construct sentences, paragraphs, essays, and other responses, using as appropriate the variety of grammatical forms and structures learned in the ESL program.

  4. Construct paragraphs, essays, and oral presentations that discuss and evaluate the stated and implied main and supporting ideas in college-level readings, such as those found in college textbooks, in local and national newspapers and magazines, and online.

  5. Responsibly use information sources, both traditional and high-tech, to function fully as a member of the academic and wider community.

Institutional Learning Outcomes:

Communication; Thinking Skills; Global Awareness; Personal Development & Responsibility

In order to help students achieve these goals, there are two different programs within this department: Credit ESL and Noncredit ELL.

The ESL Credit Program is recommended if you are interested in:

  • meeting the requirement of full-time enrollment
  • completing a degree or certificate at OCC
  • transferring from OCC to a four-year university
  • improving English communication in business and professional life

For information, visit Credit ESL and the NEW CURRICULUM. 

The ELL Noncredit Program is recommended if you are interested in:

  • better communication with the English speaking community
  • improving English for US citizenship
  • helping your children in the American school system
  • preparing for career certificates/college degrees
  • improving English for workplace communication 

For more information, visit Noncredit ELL.
You can also view an ELL Sequence Chart [PDF]