Ramapo College offers these two courses which were designed to meet the needs of students for whom English is a second language and who are reading and writing just below the college level.  Placement is by score on the ESL Placement Tests or by permission of instructor.  These courses carry full graduation credit.

Students also receive individual and small-group tutoring in reading, writing, and conversation skills through the Center for Academic Success.  Upon successful completion of these courses, students may register for College English.

Course Descriptions:

XESL Reading in American Language & Culture is a reading skills course for students whose native language is not English and who are reading at least at a pre-college level.  It is also for students who have near-native proficiency in English and have completed College English but who simply want more intensive work on particular aspects of their reading and English language skills.

In this course, students will develop their academic reading strategies and practice a variety of critical reading skills using college-level texts and newspapers.  In addition, students will expand their academic vocabulary and improve their writing and conversational skills so that they are able to successfully negotiate the demands of their college coursework.  Students will have the opportunity to become active, engaged readers and to apply these critical reading skills to readings that explore a range of issues facing Americans and American culture today.  For their outside reading, students will select a work of fiction or nonfiction that focuses on some aspect of American life.  They will keep a reading journal, reflecting upon questions and readings, and examining their own assumptions, values, and biases.  They will also develop their individualized vocabulary lists.