Undergraduate Courses

Semi-intensive course in intermediate English language skills. A multi-skills focus on reading, writing, and communication skills essential in an academic setting.

Enroll Info: Not open to auditors

Graded: Credit/No Credit

3 credits.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

ESL 114 seeks to develop the students’ abilities in grammar, oral skills, reading, writing and study skills

• Students will heighten their awareness of correct usage of English grammar in writing and speaking.
• Students will improve their speaking ability in English both in terms of fluency and comprehensibility.
• Students will give oral presentations and receive feedback on their performance.
• Students will increase their reading speed and comprehension of academic articles.
• Students will improve their reading fluency skills through extensive reading.
• Students will enlarge their vocabulary by keeping a vocabulary journal.
• Students will strengthen their ability to write academic papers, essays and summaries using the process approach.

A review of English grammar through intensive written and oral practice to promote accurate and appropriate language use for students who have already studied grammar extensively and need to refine the ability to produce acceptable academic English.

Enroll Info: Not open to auditors

Requisites: ESL 114 or placement into ESL 115

Graded: Credit/No Credit

3 credits.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

ESL 115 assists students to improve their accuracy and fluency in producing and understanding spoken and written English.

• Students will review the grammatical forms of English and the use of these forms in specific communicative contexts, which include: class activities, homework assignments, reading of texts and writing.
• Students will attain and enhance competence in the four modes of literacy: writing, speaking, reading and listening.
• Students will develop their ability as critical readers and writers.
• Student will produce a short research paper using the drafting process.

Reading strategies for academic work; reading with increased comprehension and speed, vocabulary expansion, and summary writing.

Enroll Info: Not open to auditors.

Requisites: ESL 115 or placement into ESL 116

Graded: Credit/No Credit

3 credits.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

ESL 116 assists a student to become a more competent, efficient, and perceptive academic reader who is able to communicate to others through writing and speaking the contents and main ideas of what is read.

• Students will develop reading skills and reading speed.
• Students will read university texts and expand their vocabulary.
• Students will read for intensive information retrieval and interpretation required by university studies.
• Students will develop abilities as critical thinkers, readers and writers.
• Students will attain and enhance competence in the four modes of literacy: writing, speaking, reading & listening.
• Students will write 3 summaries in which they will communicate appropriately, accurately and effectively what has been read.
• Students will achieve these outcomes through the development of the following skills: focused reading skills work and exams; discussions of longer articles; and summary writing including the drafting process.

Basic elements of academic writing, emphasizing improved fluency and accuracy, paragraph structure, summarizing and paraphrasing, short essays, and a final research project.

Enroll Info: Not open to auditors.

Requisites: ESL 116 or placement into ESL 117

Graded: Credit/No Credit

3 credits.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will develop skills that enable them to communicate effectively in writing. They will learn to present ideas clearly and logically to achieve a specific purpose and to be appropriate for an intended audience

• Students will paraphrase information from outside sources effectively and accurately.
• Students will summarize information from academic sources, distinguishing between main ideas and details.
• Students will use online library databases to locate appropriate academic sources.
• Students will write two academic essays in which they demonstrate their understanding of writing as a series of tasks, including finding, evaluating, analyzing and synthesizing sources and as a process that involves planning, drafting, revising and editing.
• Students will apply the conventions of APA documentation and be aware of how to avoid plagiarism.

Academic writing, critical reading and argumentation, documentation, and style and organization of research papers; oral communication skills for effective class participation and presentations.

Enroll Info: Not open to auditors.

Requisites: ESL 117 or placement into ESL 118

Graded: ESL 118 is our only graded (A-F) course

3 credits.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The specific objectives of English 118 are:

• Practice writing through assignments that ask you to plan, draft, revise and edit your essays over time.
• Produce three substantial essays that you can be proud of: clear, organized, sophisticated, well-researched, and polished.
• Develop your abilities as a critical reader and writer.
• Understand the demands of academic research at UW-Madison, which means learning about our libraries and the print and electronic sources there and learning to develop good questions, find relevant sources, evaluate those sources and integrate them thoughtfully, responsibly, and ethically in your own writing.
• Develop your public speaking abilities by giving you opportunities to speak in class, both informally and formally.
• Increase your self-awareness about the English language and the culturally-bound conventions of American academic writing.

By engaging in work to achieve these objectives, students attain and enhance competence in the learning outcomes associated with the University General Education Communication A requirement, which are expected of all undergraduates at UW-Madison:

1. familiarity with and practice in the four modes of literacy: writing, speaking, reading & listening;
2. critical thinking as it pertains to using these tools for effective communication in an academic setting; and
3. information-seeking skills and strategies necessary to conduct college-level research.

This will be done through the development of the following skills: selecting a topic and planning the paper or presentation; drafting (sometimes more than one preliminary draft); revising (for content, format, language, and citations and references); and information-seeking.

Requisites: Completion of ESL 118

Graded: Credit/ No Credit

2 credits.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Oral communication skills for full participation in academic and professional settings, including discussions, interviews and presentations. 

• Demonstrate effective verbal (volume, pace, pronunciation) and nonverbal (gestures, eye contact, posture) communication skills.
• Implement confidence-building techniques useful for participating in interviews.
• Prepare and deliver organized, engaging presentations.
• Effectively utilize verbal and cultural strategies for participating in both formal and informal discussions.  

• Improve pronunciation, intonation and general fluency through continued self-monitoring and practice.