English for Speakers of Other Languages

Overview

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The Adult Education Career ESOL program offers non-native English speakers a chance to improve their English skills while developing a career pathway for better employment opportunities. We offer:

Everyday functional English for all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) with grammar and vocabulary
Career and college readiness pathways and support
Transition to certificate/ credit programs and employment

ESOL can also help with

Attainment of a secondary school diploma (GED®)
Computer literacy
Citizenship/Civics preparation

Additional Information about Enrollment

Fall 2024 & Spring 2025

Fall and Spring registration for new students is now closed.

Summer 2025 & Fall 2025

To start the enrollment process for our Summer (May) or Fall (August) semesters, please fill out the new student or returning student (from prior to Fall 2024) forms found below.
- Note: If you are a current student, please do not fill out a form; you will receive registration information in class and via your SF email. After we receive your form and verify your eligibility for our program, we will add your name to our waitlist.
Please check your email often for notifications about registration from our department.

To start enrollment, please complete one of the two forms here.

What to Expect

Students should plan to complete all ESOL Levels and Career Pathway courses within three years (or 9 semesters) of first enrollment.

ESOL classes are taught by qualified instructors who specialize in teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages. Students can progress through multiple skills levels of English*: beginner, low intermediate, high intermediate, and advanced.

Students can also expect:

Two days per week of English language instruction
Career pathway classes (example: Medical English)
Access to online self-study ESL programs for English and Career lessons
Conversation groups

*Skill level and placement is determined before enrollment by a student's scores on the CASAS (Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System) test. Students are required to retest after every 70 to 100 hours of attendance, to assess their progress.

Locations

Learn English in the mornings at the Northwest Campus and evenings at the Blount Center (Downtown).

Office Locations: C-115 on the NW Campus (M-F, 9-4pm) or DC-19 at the Blount Center (M-TH, 6-8pm)

Fees

Enrollment costs are $30 per semester. As the state and college subsidize the classes, students are required to attend regularly and complete at least 70 hours of class each semester and retake the CASAS placement test after each 70-100 hours of class.

Program Requirements

To qualify for the Adult Education ESOL program, you must:

Show proof of citizenship, permanent residency, refugee, asylee, parolee, or immigrant status (pending or approved)
Successfully complete an interview, placement test, orientation, and registration
Commit to attend 80% of classes
Regularly test to assess learning gains and program progress
Have access to computer and email use
Choose a career pathway

Registration Process and Timeframes

Registration is ongoing but specifically opens for new students three times per year before the start of each semester: July, October, and March for the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters respectively.

To begin the registration process, students should fill out the form below under 'Get Started.’

Students eligible for the program must attend in-person registration sessions and take a placement test to determine their level of English language ability.

Policies – Career Track and Progress, Deadlines and Attendance

All students are expected to demonstrate progress toward their education and career goals yearly. According to SF Board Rule 4.2, students have three years in the Adult Education program to accomplish their goals. Students who are making progress toward their goals and demonstrating commitment to their education but need more than three years to complete their goals can apply to the college provost or his/her designee for a time extension.

Prospective students are required to respect deadlines and appointments. If you do not complete your registration requirements by the deadline or miss appointments, you may not be able to register until the following semester.

Regular attendance is necessary to succeed in our program. Students who repeatedly fail to maintain 80% attendance in their classes may be asked to leave the program.

Get Started

To start enrollment, please complete one of these two forms:

Select New Student if you have never taken SF classes.
Select Returning Student If you have taken classes and have an SFID.

Please contact an intake specialist for more information about classes.