ESL Program
Students can study English full-time throughout the program. In addition, starting at the High Intermediate level, they can study 10 hours in their ESL classes, plus they can add a non-ESL course to begin work towards their chosen major. Students can be part-time and simply take one class, which would be five hours of instruction a week.
Graduates of the program will be able to:
- Write using various rhetorical styles.
- Analyze readings in English at the college freshman level.
- Articulate questions and ideas using college level vocabulary and appropriate phonology.
- Use English to interact effectively with a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes.
- Recognize and apply appropriate cultural behavior including non-verbal behavior.
What is the ESL Placement Exam
It is a written test that takes approximately two hours to complete. The oral interview tests speaking and listening abilities. The written test measures grammar, writing and reading abilities.
Who is required to take the test and can TOEFL scores be used for placement?
Students who have taken ESL in a U.S. high school must take the placement test. In addition, students who have had prior education in an international school must also take the placement test. Students with a four-year degree and a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score on the paper and pencil test of 550 or over or on the IBT test of 79 or over may be exempt from the grammar and reading parts of the placement test, but they are still required to take the essay and oral interview tests.
Application Process
- Apply to the College with a $25 application fee. Visit Admissions.
- Make an appointment for the ESL Placement Exam by calling 732.906.2508 or visiting the Testing Center.
- After the exam, make an appointment in the ESL, Languages and Cultures Department (Phone: 732.906.2529; Email: ESLC@middlesexcc.edu) to attend an oral interview, which is part of the placement test. Students will be told what their placement is when they complete the oral interview.
The ASPIRE Program
Advancing Student Potential, Impact, and Retention for English-Learners (ASPIRE) is a program created to support ESL students with personal/professional development and academic achievement. ASPIRE provides support to students during the semesters in the form of one-to-one assistance coordinated directly with the ESL Retention Specialist.