Beginning Reading and Writing

Prerequisites: TABE 3-4.0, Native English speaker

This course teaches basic decoding and vocabulary skills. Students will improve reading comprehension skills by reading article, stories and materials common in daily life to practice a variety of comprehension skills.

Intermediate Reading

Prerequisites: TABE 4.0-5.9 and Native English speaker or completion of Beginning Reading and Writing

This course teaches word building skills including decoding techniques and vocabulary building strategies. In this class, students improve reading comprehension skills by reading articles, stories, and nonfiction materials to practice various comprehension skills.

Intermediate Writing

Prerequisites:  TABE 4.0-5.9 and Native English speaker or completion of Beginning Reading and Writing

This course teaches basic sentence and paragraph skills. In this class, students work on grammar, punctuation, capitalization and spelling. They learn to edit sentences and paragraphs and work on language test skills.

Advanced Reading

Prerequisites: TABE 6.0-8.0 and Native English speaker or completion of Intermediate Reading

Advanced Reading is an upper-level English skills course designed for those learners whose native language is English.  This class includes comprehensive study in the areas of literature, poetry, and nonfiction as they relate to preparation for the GED Literature and the Arts – Reading Test and/or college preparation skills in reading.

Advanced Writing

Prerequisites:  TABE 6.0-8.0 and Native English speaker or completion of Intermediate Writing

Advanced Writing is an upper-level writing skills course designed for those learners whose native language is English.  This course focuses on mastery of the essay in preparation for the GED Writing Test and preparation for post-secondary education.

ASE FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELL)

Language Arts 1

Prerequisites:  CASAS 221-227

Language Arts 1 is a low-advanced English skills course designed to introduce English language learners to communication skills through reading, writing, speaking and listening.  This course will emphasize building background knowledge through exposure to materials from a wide variety of sources, including both work-related and academic materials. 

Language Arts 2 is an advanced English skills course designed for those learners whose native language is not English.  This course emphasizes the study of literature, grammar, writing, test taking, and the development of critical thinking skills as they relate to GED and/or college preparation.  This course also covers non-fiction materials to enable students to meet CASAS Essential Skills certification.  Focus on speaking and listening skills will be incorporated into class activities and discussion.

Language Arts 3

Prerequisites:  CASAS 236+ or TABE 6.0-8.0

Language Arts 3 is a high-advanced English skills course designed for those learners whose native language is not English.  This class includes comprehensive study in the areas of fiction and nonfiction literature, poetry, and drama as they relate to preparation for GED Literature and the Arts – Reading and Writing Tests and/or college preparation skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Reading Strategies

Prerequisites:  CASAS 221-235

This class is intended for those learners in Language Arts 1 and Language Arts 2 who need to improve their scores on standardized tests necessary for state level gains, promotion to a higher language level, and/or promotion to GED classes or College Prep classes.  This course is primarily for ELL learners who have not yet achieved 236 on CASAS and Native English speakers who are struggling to make NRS level gains on TABE M or TABE D.

Writing 1

Prerequisites:  Placement by Writing Assessment or Staff Recommendation

Writing 1 is an intermediate writing class designed for those learners whose native language is not English. In this class, students will focus on both academic and workplace skills writing. Students will produce paragraphs using the simple present, past and future tenses. Each paragraph will have a central topic and 3-4 complete sentences. Learners will also produce written communications related to work and home.

Writing 2

Prerequisites:  Completion of Writing 1 or Mastery of Part One on Writing Assessment

Writing 2 is a high intermediate writing skills course designed for those learners whose native language is not English.  This course focuses on mastery of grammar and the production of a well-written paragraph that is 8-10 sentences in length.

Writing 3

Prerequisites:  Completion of Writing 2 or Mastery of Parts One and Two on Writing Assessment

Writing 3 is an advanced writing skills course designed for those learners whose native language is not English.  This course focuses on mastery of the essay in preparation for the GED Writing Test, the Minnesota Basics Standards Writing Test, and preparation for post-secondary education.