1. From Discrete to Integrated: Teaching ELL Students
League for Innovations
March 2018
Gary Abbott, Chair, Department of ESL, Languages, and Cultures
Dr. Iris Ramer, Professor, ESL
Middlesex County College, Edison, NJ

2. Presentation Overview
The new ESL Program at MCC
Why the change?
Early success data
Next steps
Interactive integrated lesson
Questions
Outcomes
Explain the benefits and challenges of adopting an integrated ESL program
Use a model integrated lesson

3. Demographics Middlesex County College located in Central New Jersey
Main Campus and 2 Centers
11,400 students – 900 in ESL classes
Ethnically diverse
31% Hispanic; 29% White; 15% Asian; 12% Black
46% of full-time students with an income less than $30K
Average age: 23
53% Female; 47% male

4. The Problem
Existing ESL curriculum was not meeting the needs of our students
67 credits ($9650)
Separate courses in reading, writing, structure, and discussion
5 semesters at full-time to complete
Pass rates below where we wanted them to be
Students obligated to take the College Placement test upon completion of ESL coursework
70% required to additional developmental reading and/or writing classes

5. Revising the Curriculum
Creating an ESL path to Credit Level Programs
Aligning the ESL curriculum with Developmental English – different paths, one goal
Eliminating the College Placement test
Integrated Courses
Combining Writing with Structure
Combining Reading with Speaking
Department Final testing
Language Resource Center

6. The Old Program vs The New Program
Level 1
17 credits
Listening I (3 cr.)
Phonology I (3 cr.)
Discussion (3 cr.)
Structure (4 cr.)
Writing (4 cr.)
Pre-Academic in Continuing Education
10 hrs/week (MTWTH)
14 weeks
Level 2
Phonology II (3 cr.)
Discussion/Cultural Orientation II (3 cr.)
Reading/Vocabulary II (3 cr.)
Reading and Speaking 1 (5 cr.)
Level 1
Structure II (4 cr.)
Writing II (4. cr.)
Writing and Structure 1 (5 cr.)
Level 3
14 credits
Reading/Vocabulary III (3 cr.)
Phonology/Discussion III (3 cr.)
Reading and Speaking 2 (5 cr.)
Structure III (4 cr.)
Writing III (4 cr.)
Writing and Structure 2 (5 cr.)
Level 4
Advanced Phonology/Discussion IV (3 cr.)
Advanced Reading/Vocabulary (4 cr.)
Reading and Speaking 3 (5 cr.)
Advanced Structure IV (3 cr.)
Advanced Writing IV (4 cr.)
Writing and Structure 3 (5 cr.)
Level 5
4 credits
ESL Reading/Writing (4 cr.)
Reading and Speaking 4 (5 cr.)
Writing and Structure 4 (5 cr.)
Total
67 Credits/5 Semesters
40 Credits/4 Semesters

7. Pass Rates – Fall 2016 and Spring 2017
Total Enrollment by Level and Semester Fall 16 to Spring 17
Fall 2016
Spring 2017
Level 1
397
245
Level 2
407
Level 3
378
357
Level 4
390
374

8. Success Beyond the ESL Program
Spring 2017 ESL Completers
Fall 2017 ESL Completers

9. Challenges
Pre-Academic students are under-prepared for the first Academic ESL level
Scheduling 5 credit ESL classes
Teaching truly integrated courses
Building conversational fluency
Discrepancies between pass rates for department finals and actual pass rates

10. Future Initiatives Accelerated Courses Learning Communities
Hybrid courses
Safety Net courses in Winter and Summer
ESL Certificate of Achievement

11. Classroom Diversity
Criteria
Response
Gender
13 women and 3 men
Age
Range: yrs. old
Country of Origin
East Asia (6); Latin America (5); South Asia (2); Middle East (2); Europe (1)
Education
8 with high school; 5 with high school and higher education
Time in the United States
Range: 3 mons to 4 years
Prior ESL Studies
Range: 6 mons to 2 years
Plans post MCC
7 to transfer to a 4 year institution
Work goals
All 16 plan to work
Long term goals
1 student to return to native country
MCC ESL Level 2 Reading Speaking Class Spring 2018

12. Helpful Websites Dictionary and Thesaurus
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English  
Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary  
Grammar Practice

13. Contact Information
For more information about our program, or if you have further questions, please reach out to either one of us:
Gary Abbott:
Iris Ramer:
Thank you for coming today.