English as a Second Language (ESL) Classes
Toronto West Academy provides students that are English language learners with the opportunity to improve their English proficiency through our English as a Second Language (ESL) program so that they achieve the high levels of literacy that is expected of all Ontario students. The ESL classes are based on the belief that broad proficiency in English is essential to students’ success in both their social, academic and professional lives, and to their ability to take their place in society as responsible and productive citizens.
These ESL classes can be taken completely online and to supplement the student’s learning and progress, we provide students with live scheduled English conversation sessions moderated by an English language professional so that students can practice their conversational English with other students. In addition, all our ESL classes are valid for credit as perquisite courses required for mainstream English courses that are needed to obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
Program Details
The five ESL courses are based on levels of proficiency in English. Depending on the learners’ previous experience with English, students may be placed in ESL Level 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. For example, a student who has been in full-time education in his or her country of origin, but who has never studied English, would be placed in ESL Level 1. A student who has been in full-time education in his or her own country and has studied some English, might be placed in ESL Level 2 or 3 on the basis of the initial English language assessment. A student who has studied English for several years might be placed in ESL Level 3, 4, or 5 on the basis of the initial English language assessment. Students of Grade 9 age whose initial assessment indicates that they are beyond ESL Level 4 (ESLDO) should be placed directly in Grade 9 Applied English (ENG1P) or Grade 9 Academic English (ENG1D).
| COURSE | COURSE TYPE | COURSE CODE | CREDIT VALUE | PREREQUISITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESL Level 1 | Open | ESLAO | 1 | None |
| ESL Level 2 | Open | ESLBO | 1 | ESL Level 1 or equivalent* |
| ESL Level 3 | Open | ESLCO | 1 | ESL Level 2 or equivalent* |
| ESL Level 4 | Open | ESLDO | 1 | ESL Level 3 or equivalent* |
| ESL Level 5 | Open | ESLEO | 1 | ESL Level 4 or equivalent* |
*“Equivalent” may be an equivalent course of study in other provinces in Canada or in other countries, or a proficiency level determined through initial assessment.