This five-week intensive program is designed for multilingual students entering college who need support in developing academic English proficiency. The program focuses on academic reading, analytical writing, classroom discussion skills, and discipline-specific vocabulary. Students will practice working with college-level texts, constructing evidence-based arguments, summarizing and synthesizing sources, and participating in academic discussions. By the end of the program, students will be better prepared to succeed in first-year college courses that require sustained reading, research-based writing, and critical thinking.
Dates: September 15 ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿Ú †.“ October 17
Tuesdays & Thursdays (online, synchronous): 6:15 ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿Ú †.“8:15 p.m.
Saturdays (in person): 8:30 a.m. ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿Ú †.“3:00 p.m.
Location: SCSU
Cost: $399 plus textbook
Full scholarships are available. Funds also available for ConnCAP students:
Students must show course placement through TOEFL or ($56 to test).
Prior to registration, please email a copy of your placement to OWLL@ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿ÚCT.edu
Upon completing this training, learners should be able to achieve the following outcomes:
Building Academic Foundations
Academic Reading
- Read and comprehend simplified authentic academic texts.
- Identify the main idea and supporting details in academic readings.
- Apply pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading strategies to improve comprehension.
- Develop strategies for determining the meaning of unfamiliar academic vocabulary using context clues and word parts.
Academic Writing
- Write well-organized paragraphs using appropriate academic conventions.
- Develop topic sentences and supporting details.
- Practice sentence variety using simple and compound-complex structures.
- Revise writing for organization, grammar, and clarity.
Academic Speaking & Listening
- Participate in pair and small-group academic discussions.
- Ask and answer questions related to academic topics.
- Demonstrate active listening through note-taking and summarizing.
- Deliver brief informal presentations.
Academic Vocabulary & Language Structures
- Build foundational Academic Word List (AWL) vocabulary.
- Use common academic transitions and connectors.
- Expand control of academic verb forms and sentence patterns.
- Develop awareness of formal versus informal language.
College Readiness
- Become familiar with expectations of U.S. college classrooms.
- Use basic academic technologies (Blackboard, email, library resources).
- Develop study routines and time-management strategies.
- Practice independent vocabulary and reading strategies.
B1 is the intermediate stage of English.
A learner at this level can:
- Understand the main points of clear, standard speech on familiar topics (school, work, hobbies, travel).
- Handle day ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿Ú †.‘to ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿Ú †.‘day situations while traveling or living in an English ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿Ú †.‘speaking environment.
- Produce simple connected text on familiar topics.
- Describe experiences, events, dreams, and ambitions, and briefly give reasons or explanations.
In short:
A B1 learner can communicate in English independently in everyday situations, but still needs support with more complex language, longer texts, or unfamiliar topics.
B2 is the upper ÿÈÕ´óÈüÈë¿Ú †.‘intermediate stage.
A learner at this level can:
- Understand the main ideas of complex texts, including both concrete and abstract topics.
- Interact with a level of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular conversation with native speakers comfortable and natural.
- Produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects.
- Express opinions and arguments, and support them with explanations and examples.
- Use more precise vocabulary and more accurate grammar, with fewer errors.
In short:
A B2 learner can function well in academic, professional, and social situations, understanding and producing more complex English with confidence.