The Learning Assistance Center at Schoolcraft College is offering four preparation/refresher workshops in January for students planning to take one or more English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. The workshops are free and open to anyone planning on taking a college-level ESL course at Schoolcraft College or any college or university.
On Wed., Jan. 16, from 5 – 7 p.m. two Jump Start ESL preparation sessions will be held: Level 4-ESL 102 and Level 3-ESL 101.
The Level 4–ESL102 session is recommended for all ESL students preparing to enter ESL102*. This session will provide a brief refresher in English essay writing, grammar, literary terminology, and figurative language. Advanced writing strategies will also be discussed and a practice assessment will be provided.
Level 3–ESL 101session is recommended for all ESL students preparing to enter ESL101* and as a refresher for those entering ESL 102*. This session will provide a brief review of competencies of ESL100 and overview of ESL 101, including discussion of sentence parts, prewriting strategies and paragraph composition. Paragraph development, grammar, spelling, and dictionary use will also be discussed and a practice assessment will be provided.
 On Thurs., Jan. 17, from 5-7 p.m. Level 2-ESL 100 and Level 1 ESL 51 & ESL 52 Jump Start ESL preparation sessions will be held.
The Level 2–ESL100 session is recommended for all ESL students preparing to enter ESL100*.  This session will provide a brief review of competencies of ESL51* & ESL52* and overview of ESL100*. Parts of speech, sentence and paragraph structure, and word parts to assist in new vocabulary will be discussed. A practice assessment will be provided.
The Level 1–ESL 51 & ESL 52 session is recommended for ESL students preparing to enter ESL 51* and ESL 52* and as a review for students preparing to enter ESL 100*. The session will provide an overview of competencies for ESL 51* & ESL 52*. Discussion will focus on English pronunciation and communication skills using speaking and listening activities. Basic sentence-writing skills using simple grammar, word tense, and dictionary use will also be discussed. Listening comprehension practice assessment will be provided.
 “We want to give our international students all of the tools they need to be successful in their college courses,” said Niran Kheder, coordinator of the Jump Start ESL sessions at Schoolcraft College. “For some students these workshops can serve as a timely refresher for the skills and knowledge they need just before the start of the semester. For other students, the Jump Start sessions will provide an extra boost of confidence walking into their next class.”
The Jump Start sessions are free and open to anyone, however registration is necessary. For more information or to register call 734-462-4436 or email nkheder@schoolcraft.edu. Space is limited. The workshops will be held on the college's main campus in Livonia, Haggerty Road between Six and Seven Mile Roads. Jump Start is made possible through a grant from the Schoolcraft College Foundation.
Schoolcraft College is a public, two-year college offering classes on the main campus in Livonia, Haggerty Road between Six and Seven Mile Roads; the Public Safety Training Complex in Livonia; at the Radcliff Center in Garden City; and online at www.schoolcraft.edu.
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*These courses are Schoolcraft College courses. Descriptions of the course content for these courses can be found in the Schoolcraft College 2012-13 Catalog for comparison to other college or university math courses and content.