The English as a Second Language (ESL) Department prepares students by teaching the four skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing English so that the students can function in mainstream classes, as well as in the culture of the School and the United States. Through a student-centered curriculum that emphasizes the use of language in multiple contexts, students learn to communicate effectively, both orally and on paper.
Requirements
New international students are required to take the Departmental ESL Placement Test at the beginning of the school year. Course placement will be determined by this test.
Four years of English are required for the Walnut Hill diploma. Courses taken in ESL are applied toward this requirement.
Normally, students who enter the ESL program at the intermediate level are required to complete the depart-ment’s offerings in no more than three years; those entering at the advanced level complete the courses in no more than two years. The final determination for length of time spent in the department will be made by the Academic Dean.
International students who place into ESL I or II may have a grade placement determined by their level of English proficiency. ESL I and II students must by necessity spend a majority of their academic time studying English in order to prepare for other coursework in the program and thus cannot have a grade placement higher than the 9th or 10th grade.
Students may be able to skip a level of ESL by a strong performance on the Departmental Placement Test and recommendation of the Head of ESL, the Academic Dean, and the student’s advisor.
ESL New Student Orientation
The ESL New International Student Orientation is required for all new international students with TOEFL scores below 61 on the iBT (or 500 on the paper-based TOEFL). The purpose of the orientation is to immerse students in the study of English and to facilitate new international students’ acclimation to Walnut Hill School and to the United States in general. Intensive English classes and activities on and off campus are provided preceding the Student Orientation for all students.
Courses In English As A Second Language ESL I
This year-long, beginning/high-beginning-level course improves each of the student’s language skill areas: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Much attention is given to fundamentals of English grammar and the structures’ application in speaking and writing, along with the acquisition of vocabulary. Course materials include a grammar reference, a vocabulary text, and a variety of readers that include fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Taken in conjunction with ESL I Conversation.
ESL I Conversation
Taken in conjunction with ESL I, this semester-long course gives students the opportunity to speak English, expand their vocabulary, improve their listening skills, and do some writing as well. Content includes topics relevant to the students’ experience at Walnut Hill: living in a dorm and with a roommate, visiting the school library, discussing health issues with the School Counselor, for example. Many American cultural topics are introduced, often with the aid of popular films.
ESL II
This year-long, intermediate-level course reviews and expands upon the sounds, structures, vocabulary, and skills studied in ESL I, and challenges students with unabridged readings in fiction and nonfiction. Students develop both their oral and written expression through oral presentations and longer compositions. Course materials include a grammar reference, a vocabulary text, and a reader. A novel is read in the spring term. Taken in conjunction with ESL II Study Skills.
ESL II Study Skills
Taken in conjunction with ESL II, this semester-long course prepares students for content courses that they will take in succeeding years, specifically World History, United States History, American Studies, Biology, and Chemistry. Students are introduced to concepts, vocabulary, study skills, and teachers associated with courses in the Humanities and Science Departments. They also continue to develop language skills, especially in reading and writing. Placement determined by ESL placement exam.
ESL III
This year-long, advanced-level course reviews and expands upon the structures studied in earlier levels, and introduces more complex forms of expression, including subordinate clauses and the passive mood. Students become increasingly independent in their acquisition of English, and greater demands are placed on them in the form of multi-paragraph essays, oral presentations, and more challenging reading, including a novel read in the spring term. The highest level of ESL at Walnut Hill, this course prepares students for American Studies, which is offered jointly by the Humanities and ESL Departments (see Humanities listing for course description).
