English as a Second Language
30 courses · Palomar College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026 · Spring 2027
N ESL 901 Beginning ESL I
- Hours
- 48.00-192.00 hours lecture
Listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills for non-native speakers of English at the low-beginning level.
N ESL 902 Beginning ESL II
- Hours
- 48.00-192.00 hours lecture
Listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills for non-native speakers of English at the mid-beginning level.
N ESL 903 Beginning ESL III
- Hours
- 48.00-192.00 hours lecture
Listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills for non-native speakers of English at the high-beginning level.
N ESL 904 Intermediate ESL I
- Hours
- 48.00-192.00 hours lecture
Listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills for non-native speakers of English at the low-intermediate level.
N ESL 909 English Pronunciation I
- Hours
- 48.00-54.00 hours lecture
Development of students' ability to identify and replicate English intonation, stress patterns, and certain common word combinations as they are pronounced in informal speech.
N ESL 910 English Pronunciation II
- Hours
- 48.00-54.00 hours lecture
Identifies spoken American English intonation, stress and rhythm patterns. Provides practice in producing English sounds and patterns. Emphasis is on clear speech, self-correction and listening to varied pronunciations of English.
N ESL 912 ESL Grammar Skills I
- Hours
- 48.00-54.00 hours lecture
Instruction in editing of written material by applying basic conventions of standard written English.
N ESL 913 ESL Grammar Skills II
- Hours
- 48.00-54.00 hours lecture
Instruction in editing of written material by applying conventions of standard written English.
N ESL 914 ESL Grammar Skills III
- Hours
- 48.00-54.00 hours lecture
Instruction in editing of written material by applying advanced conventions of standard written English.
N ESL 920 Academic Speaking and Listening
- Hours
- 48.00-54.00 hours lecture
Develops speaking and listening skills necessary for non-native speakers of English to be successful in the college environment. This class emphasizes linguistic and interpersonal skills in order for participation in discussions and performance of tasks in personal, academic, and formal or informal situations. Vocabulary, conversation strategies, presentation techniques, and strategies for note-taking and listening for main ideas and details are introduced within interesting and meaningful contexts.
N ESL 922 Beginning Conversation 1
- Hours
- 30.00-72.00 hours lecture
Conversation skills for non-native speakers of English at the mid- and high-beginning level. This course focuses on the practice of speaking and listening skills in conversations with everyday, familiar topics.
N ESL 923 Beginning Conversation 2
- Hours
- 30.00-72.00 hours lecture
Conversation skills for non-native speakers of English at the high-beginning and low intermediate level. This course focuses on the practice of initiating and sustaining conversations about different topics.
N ESL 931 Academic Reading for Non-Native Speakers
- Hours
- 56.00 hours lecture
- Advisory
- N READ 950
This course is designed to improve the reading skills of non-native English speakers. This course's emphasis is on increased comprehension of college-level fiction and non-fiction, making inferences based on texts, synthesizing material from several texts, evaluating written arguments, differentiating facts from opinions, and demonstrating study skills related to reading that would help a student manage a college reading load.
N ESL 941 Academic ESL Review
- Hours
- 48.00-96.00 hours lecture
Designed to help ESL learners improve their academic reading and writing skills and review basic academic grammar and vocabulary. Emphasizes student success strategies and study skills that will help students be successful in their learning. The course is an academic ESL reading and writing skills development/refresher course.
N ESL 945 Reading and Writing Essentials I
- Hours
- 80.00-90.00 hours lecture
A beginning course in reading and writing academic English for students whose first language is not English. Offers instruction in reading skills, basic grammar usage, paragraph organization and development, and appropriate basic vocabulary for academic reading and writing.
N ESL 961 Beginning Level Listening and Speaking I
- Hours
- 32.00-80.00 hours lecture
Listening and speaking for non-native speakers of English at the low-beginning level. This course is designed for students who have little or no ability in English. Topics to be covered include school, shopping, and work.
N ESL 962 Beginning Level Listening and Speaking II
- Hours
- 32.00-80.00 hours lecture
Instruction and practice of listening and speaking skills for non-native speakers of English at the mid-beginning level. This course develops oral skills and covers topics such as making requests, giving and receiving instructions, and listening and speaking in conversations and on the telephone.
N ESL 963 Beginning Level Listening and Speaking III
- Hours
- 32.00-80.00 hours lecture
Listening and speaking for non-native speakers of English at the high beginning level. This course focuses on personal and descriptive conversation skills in English. Included are practice speaking and listening in describing personal experiences, expressing opinions, interacting in social situations, and taking and giving messages.
N ESL 964 Intermediate Level Listening and Speaking
- Hours
- 32.00-80.00 hours lecture
Listening and speaking for non-native speakers of English at the intermediate level. This course focuses on listening and speaking skills required in a work or academic environment. Included are listening for the main idea and supporting details in academic and non-academic discourse and giving short work or school-related presentations.
N ESL 972 Basic ESL Skills
- Hours
- 36.00-96.00 hours lecture
A literacy course for non-native speakers of English. This course is designed for students with varying levels of English proficiency. It provides instruction and practice in reading, writing, speaking, and listening while learning about grammar at the sentence level with more time spent in areas determined by student need.
N ESL 975 Accelerated Written Communication I
- Hours
- 96.00-108.00 hours lecture
An accelerated course in academic reading and writing. Designed for students whose first language is not English. Emphasizes analytical and critical thinking skills through reading and writing as a process. Reviews sentence-level grammar and its application to academic writing of summaries and development of paragraph organization and multiple-paragraph essays.
N ESL 976 Multicultural Humanities
- Hours
- 96.00-108.00 hours lecture
A humanities course designed for advanced multilingual learners of English that examines multi-cultural works and emphasizes skills in critical thinking and analysis. This course develops students' abilities to critically analyze and respond both objectively and subjectively to published materials from culturally diverse traditions. It features practice in written communication, research strategies, synthesis of sources, and critical reading. Readings provide exposure to a range of genres and cultures to develop a broader cultural understanding of the world.
N ESL 982 Computer Skills 1 - Foundational Skills
- Hours
- 30.00-72.00 hours lecture
Basic computer literacy and skills development for non-native speakers of English. This course is designed for students who have little or no experience using a computer. Topics include basic computer vocabulary, basic computing processes, Internet skills and concepts, and basic electronic mail.
N ESL 983 Computer Skills 2 - Office Applications
- Hours
- 30.00-72.00 hours lecture
Basic computer literacy and skills development for non-native speakers of English. This course is designed for students who have little or no experience using a computer. Topics include computer vocabulary, file management skills, word processing, electronic presentations, and electronic spreadsheets.
N ESL 984 Computer Skills 3 - The Digital Age
- Hours
- 30.00-72.00 hours lecture
This course helps students learn computer skills for the workplace. The class is for students who are learning English in addition to new computer programs. Students learn English vocabulary for computers, practice written English on the computer, and use computer skills that are useful at work.
N ESL 993 Career Exploration and Job Skills
- Hours
- 54.00-72.00 hours lecture
This course prepares English language learners for the education or training they need to reach their career goals. Students explore career options, navigate college websites, send professional emails, and use their research to create a detailed career pathway. Students develop the English reading, writing, speaking, listening, grammar, and general technology skills used in the workplace.
N ESL 994 Working in the U.S.
- Hours
- 54.00-72.00 hours lecture
This course prepares English language learners to apply for jobs and succeed in the U.S. workplace. Students navigate online job postings and develop job application skills such as making a resume, writing a cover letter, and doing interviews. The course covers laws that protect workers and cultural norms in the U.S. workplace. Throughout the class, students will demonstrate 21st century workplace skills, including communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and social/diversity awareness.
N ESL 995 English as a Second Language Support Course
- Hours
- 16.00-72.00 hours lecture
English as a Second Language contextualized support instruction to prepare intermediate to advanced ESL students for success in a credit or noncredit certificate or degree program. Course instruction focuses on reading, writing, listening and speaking skills necessary to succeed in a specified career or education program.
N ESL 996 Writing Support for the Sciences for Non-Native Speakers
- Hours
- 20.00 hours lecture
Provides instruction and practice with written rhetorical models prevalent across the sciences curricula (Life Sciences, Earth Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, Social Sciences, etc.). Focus on instruction and practice with essay types and other writing that enrolled students need for their current science courses.
N ESL 997 Workplace ESL: Medical Fields
- Hours
- 16.00-72.00 hours lecture
This course supports English language learners interested in health care careers. The course focuses on occupation-specific terminology and communication skills, with an emphasis on intercultural communication. Students learn reading, writing, and oral communication skills to succeed in academic programs in the medical field. The course is recommended for high intermediate to advanced English language learners, and students are encouraged to take the course concurrently with related noncredit courses in the medical field.