Chapter 6: Placement Information
11
ESOL Placement & Advising
Advising English Language Learners at MCC
Included in this section are: general tips, suggested non-ESL courses, a placement reference for advisors, new student course recommendations, and intercultural communication strategies.
- ESOL Courses: Use the ESOL Flowchart to determine required ESOL courses. Students need to take ESOL courses right away. Do not defer or override.
- Other Courses: For courses to be aid-eligible, most ESOL students will be in the LA04 or ES02 programs even if they plan to earn a different degree at MCC. Use the Degree Works “What If” screen along with the suggested course list to determine additional college-wide courses that are appropriate based on their ESOL placement. Recommend courses that qualify for financial aid in the current program and pathway program.
General Tips
- Delay making a program change out of LA04 until all pre-reqs (ESL, MTH, science) have been completed because of financial aid implications. Make a change to LA04, if needed.
- Students should not take more than 15 credits during fall/spring semester.
- Face-to-face courses are recommended for listening and speaking skills development.
- Online courses are not recommended. English language learners struggle with reading to learn and skimming massive amounts of text.
- Collaborative Learning (CL) courses and learning communities are beneficial and should be encouraged.
- Special consideration should be given to Writing Intensive (WR) courses – no more than one/semester.
- Flex Pace Math is a good option for adult students who tested low on Accuplacer but completed math in their own countries and need a refresher.
- Sections that meet only once a week are not ideal.
- Students may want to look at the textbook vocabulary for specific courses before making a decision.
Suggested Non-ESOL Courses
The courses have been selected based on the language load, not rigor and workload. This list of courses is only recommended for fall and spring semesters. During summer sessions, we do not recommend that students take any courses other than ESOL or math. The list is additive; students in higher level ESL courses may take any of the courses suggested for lower language levels.
High Intermediate ESL 100/120
- Most students take ESL 100 (4 credits), ESL 120 (7 credits) and math (3-5 credits).
- COS is embedded in ESL 100. If the student is TRS 094 math, override Banner COS pre-req error. If the student doesn’t need math, other options for full-time study include the following:
- Computer Literacy: OFT 121 (1 credit keyboarding)
- Art/Design: studio courses, such as 104, 109
- Music: studio courses, such as chorus, voice, guitar, piano, percussion
- PEC: any exercise course is fine, but if possible, save for future semesters. PEC is a great way to get to full-time when students are taking more demanding program courses.
Low Advanced ESL 140/145
- Career Development (if truly unsure of career): CDL 110
- Computer Literacy (if need basic computer skills): CRC 101, and most CRC 1 credit courses
- Health/PE: most HED courses and any PEC course
- Art/Design: AAD 104, most ART courses
- Automotive: MMP 100, MMP 101
- Humanities: SPC 141, SPC 144
- Natural Science: These courses are only recommended for students who previously took the course in their country or highly motivated students above TRS 094 level math who have a long science sequence for competitive health programs. BIO 132/133, CHE 100, 145, GEG 100/101, GEO 101/102, PHY 100 (may not transfer)
High Advanced ESL 201
- Computer Literacy: CRC 125
- Humanities: SPC 142
- Social Science: ANT 101, 102, ECO 101, GEG 102, LAW 101, POS 101, PSY 101, SOC 101
- History/Global: HEG 215
- Natural Science: any science course required for program
- Intro Courses, such as ACC 101, BUS 104, EDU 100, FSA 103, HSP 101, POS 102, THE 112
- Note: Criminal Justice & Human Services require students to be ENG 101 ready. Most faculty in the AHPS department are okay with high advanced ESL students in their WR courses. Other departments vary. Contact faculty to check for permission if you get a pre-req error.
ENG 101
- ESL Electives (if needed)
- ESL COS 101 (if want extra support or connection with other language learners)
Updated 10/30/2023 K. Leite, P. Fornieri
ESOL Placement Testing
Students who have a foreign HS diploma, came to the U.S. and entered high school after 9th grade, or took any ESOL/ESL course in high school in the U.S. (grades 9 to 12), will take the MCC-approved ESOL placement test. After students apply to MCC (www.monroecc.edu/apply), they can contact the Global Education & International Services (GEIS) office (mccglobaleducation@monroecc.edu) to schedule a placement test or get more information.
Retesting for ESOL Students
After the first CELSA test, a student may retest once after two weeks. After two tests, the student must wait 90 days before any additional retest. Taking a semester of ESOL courses in the community or at MCC is strongly encouraged prior to a third retest.
Ability-to-Benefit (ATB) Retest Policy
ACCUPLACER allows two ATB tests within any three-month window, and a minimum of two weeks between the test and retest.
CELSA requires a 15-day waiting period to retest on the same form.
Quick Placement Reference for Advisors 2023-24
Which MCC ESOL Courses Should I Take?
Students testing at the High Intermediate Level will complete this path:
- Semester 1: ESL 100 and ESL 120 or Strong Foundations (Noncredit Option)
- Semester 2: ESL 140 and ESL 145
- Semester 3: ESL 201
- Semester 4: ENG 101
Students testing at the Low Advanced Level will complete this path:
- Semester 1: ESL 140 and ESL 145 (Note: Depending on placement test score, new students who test at low advanced level may not be required to take ESL 140 as a co-requisite with ESL 145.)
- Semester 2: ESL 201
- Semester 3: ENG 101
Students testing at the High Advanced Level will complete this path:
- Semester 1: ESL 201
- Semester 2: ENG 101
Students who would benefit from additional support in pronunciation, listening & speaking, or grammar should take ESOL electives:
- ESL 139: Students may take this course at the Low Advanced Level or above
- ESL 158: Students may take this course at the Low Advanced Level or above
- ESL 179: Students may take this course at the High Advanced Level or above
All new students should be encouraged to take the ESOL-designated COS 101. A one-week “boot camp” style option is usually offered the week before classes start.
ESOL Placement Scores | Quick Reference for Advisors
- CELSA ESL Placement Scores are for students who test on campus at MCC.
- Accuplacer ESL Placement Scores are approved temporarily for remote testing for students who are a certain distance from campus. Contact MCC Testing Services at (585) 292-2290 for more information.
- Please refer any student who tests from 43 to 53 on the CELSA test to the GEIS office in Building 11, Room 211 to discuss noncredit versus credit course options.
- Currently, only ESL 201 and ENG 101 are offered online.
| Course Placement | CELSA Score | Accuplacer ESL Score: Language Use & Sentence Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 101 | Score 73+ | Score 220+ |
| ESL 201 | Score 65-72 | Score 205-219 |
| ESL 145 | Score 58-64 | Score 195-204 |
| ESL 140+145 | Score 54-57 | Score 185-194 |
| Strong Foundations ESOL OR ESL 100+ESL 120 | Score 50-53 | Score 180-184 |
| Strong Foundations ESOL or ESL 100+ESL 120 | Score 43-49 | Score 165-179 |
Intercultural Communication Strategies for Academic Advisors
General Tips
- Approach the advisement session with an open mind, a patient spirit, and a sense of humor. It helps to think of advising someone from a different cultural background as an opportunity to learn about other ways of seeing the world.
- When meeting with students, be explicit about the role of advising at MCC and how it can benefit students, especially those from non-US cultural and educational backgrounds.
- Remember many students will come to advisement with very different attitudes about the purpose of higher education. US college degree requirements are often seen as too broad or irrelevant; the concept of liberal education is very culture-specific to the US.
- Don’t assume a student is familiar with (even basic) college procedures, graduation requirements, or curricular organizations.
Specific Tips
- Try to allow a student the opportunity to ask as many questions as time permits.
- Make frequent use of visual support such as program audit sheets, computer screens, phase sheets, or the MCC website.
- With English Language Learners, repeat occasionally and paraphrase frequently to facilitate maximum understanding. A student may not ask for clarification.
- Use simpler sentence structure and try to limit the use of idioms/slang.
- Try to give a student enough time to share goals, but recognize that he/she may need much more direction than many American students; be alert to the need for gentle “reality checks” and helpful insights that prepare but don’t discourage students.
- Be aware of non-verbal cues (facial expressions, tone of voice, eye contact, personal space) and the fact that they carry different meanings in different cultures. (For example, Iraqi men may cross their arms when having a serious conversation to show respect for the person to whom they are speaking. In some cultures, direct eye contact is disrespectful.)
- Be prudent in touching or shaking hands in some situations (especially across gender boundaries).
- When talking to students about critical issues such as progress, passing or failing, be sure to do so in a private setting. Many students come from cultures where interpersonal relationships are primary, and it’s crucial for students to save face.
Updated 10/25/2022, D. Beech, B. Dee, S. Pantaleo
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