ESOL Placement & Advising

Advising English Language Learners at MCC

Included in this section are: general tips, suggested non-ESL courses, a placement reference for advisors, new student course recommendations, and intercultural communication strategies.

(1) ESOL Courses: Use the ESOL Flowchart 2022-2023  to determine required ESOL courses for the English Language Learners who you are advising. Students need to take their ESOL courses right away. DO NOT DEFER!

(2) Other Courses: Use the “what if” screen in Degree Works along with the list below to determine additional college-wide courses appropriate for English Language Learners based on their ESOL placement. Only courses that qualify for financial aid in the current program and will also count toward the pathway program should be recommended.

General Tips:

  • Delay making a program change out of liberal arts until all pre-reqs (ESL, MTH, science) have been completed because of financial aid implications.
  • Students should not take more than 15 credits per semester.
  • Face-to-face classes are recommended for listening and speaking skills development.
  • Learning communities are beneficial and should be encouraged.
  • Special consideration should be given to Writing Intensive (WR) courses – no more than one/semester.
  • Sections that meet only once a week are not ideal.
  • Flexible Pace Math is a great option for all students, and especially for those who completed math in their own countries but tested low on Accuplacer.
  • Don’t override prerequisites; email faculty Pam Fornieri pfornieri@monroecc.edu or Katie Leite kleite@monroecc.edu for assistance.
  • It is recommended that first semester students, especially recent high school graduates, sign up for an ESOL-designated section of COS.
  • Students interested in taking a particular course may want to look at the textbook vocabulary before making their decision.

Suggested Non-ESOL Courses:

The courses have been selected based on the language load, not rigor and workload. This list of courses is only recommended for fall and spring semesters. During summer sessions, we do not recommend that students take any courses other than ESOL or math. The list is additive; students in higher level ESL courses may take any of the courses suggested for lower language levels.

ESL 126
Health/PE: PEC 148 or other sports classes
Art/Design: studio courses, such as 104, 109
Music: studio courses, such as chorus, voice, guitar, piano, percussion
Computer Literacy: OFT 121 (1 credit keyboarding)

ESL 140/145
CDL 110 (for exploring students)
Health/PE: PEC 253, HED 110 (good vocabulary for BIO 133), HED 108, HED 118, HED 130
Art/Design: AAD 104, ART 101
Computer Literacy (need basic computer skills): CRC 101, and most CRC 1 credit courses
Social Science: PSY 100 (may not transfer)
Humanities: SPC 140 (may not transfer), SPC 141
Natural Science: These courses are only recommended at this level for highly motivated students and/or students with previous prior higher education. BIO 132/133, CHE 100, CHE 145 (if passed Chemistry in HS with C), GEG 100/101, GEO 101/102, PHY 100 (may not transfer)

ESL 201
Computer Literacy: CRC 125
Health/PE: HEG 215
Social Science: ANT 101, 102, ECO 101, 103, GEG 102, LAW 101, POS 101, 102, PSY 101, SOC 101
Humanities: ART 101, SPC 142, SPC 143
Natural Science: BIO 144, CHE 151, GEG 103/104, GEO 103, PHY 131 (for AAS, may not transfer), PHY 145
Intro courses, such as ACC 101, BUS 104, FSA 103, HSP 101

ENG 101
All MCC Courses

Updated 4/2022

ESOL Placement Testing

For students who took any ESOL/ESL course in high school in the U.S. (grades 9-12) or have a foreign HS diploma, the MCC approved ESOL placement test is required.  The GPA-based placement model and regents ELA are not indicative of English skill level for foreign born students.  To schedule a placement test, students should contact the GEIS office at mccglobaleducation@monroecc.edu.

Quick Placement Reference for Advisors 2022-2023

CELSA ESL Placement Scores are for students who test on campus at MCC.
Accuplacer ESL Placement Scores were approved temporarily during COVID for remote testing.

Banner Codes CELSA Accuplacer ESL: Language Use + Sentence Meaning
ENG 101 Score 73+ Score 220+
ESL 201 Score 65-72 Score 205-219
ESL 145 Score 58-64 Score 195-204
ESL 140+145 or ESL 126 Score 54-57 Score 185-194
ESL 126 or ESL 010 Strong Foundations Score 50-53 Score 180-184
ESL 010 Strong Foundations Score 43-49 Score 165-179

Currently, only ESL 201 and ENG 101 are offered through SUNY online.
Updated 4/2022

Advising New Students – Fall 2022

ESL 010 Strong Foundations or ESL 126 – Refer to Jessica Saltzberg at jsaltzberg002@monroecc.edu for registration.

ESL 140/145 Level
ESL 140
ESL 145
ESL 158, if needed
*COS 101 ESOL (1-credit overload) or COS 133 ESOL
Math + intro courses, depending on listening/speaking

Note: *Students who successfully complete ESOL Strong Foundations, do not need to take COS. ESOL COS content is embedded in the Strong Foundations curriculum.

ESL 145 Level
ESL 145
*COS 101 ESOL (1-credit overload) or COS 133 ESOL
ESL 158, if needed
Math
Intro courses, start science

ESL 201 Level
ESL 201
ESL 158, if needed OR ESL 179, if needed
COS 101 ESOL (1-credit overload) or COS 133 ESOL
Math
Intro courses, start science

ENG 101 Level
ESL 179, if needed

Updated 4/2022 

Intercultural Communication Strategies for Academic Advisors

General Tips:

  • Approach the advisement session with an open mind, a patient spirit, and a sense of humor. It helps to think of advising someone from a different cultural background as an opportunity to learn about other ways of seeing the world.
  • When meeting with students, be explicit about the role of advising at MCC and how it can benefit students, especially those from non-US cultural and educational backgrounds.
  • Remember many students will come to advisement with very different attitudes about the purpose of higher education. US college degree requirements are often seen as too broad or irrelevant; the concept of liberal education is very culture-specific to the US.
  • Don’t assume a student is familiar with (even basic) college procedures, graduation requirements, or curricular organizations.

 Specific Tips:

  • Try to allow a student the opportunity to ask as many questions as time permits.
  • Make frequent use of visual support such as program audit sheets, computer screens, phase sheets, or the MCC website.
  • With English Language Learners, repeat occasionally and paraphrase frequently to facilitate maximum understanding. A student may not ask for clarification.
  • Use simpler sentence structure and try to limit the use of idioms/slang.
  • Try to give a student enough time to share goals, but recognize that he/she may need much more direction than many American students; be alert to the need for gentle “reality checks” and helpful insights that prepare but don’t discourage students.
  • Be aware of non-verbal cues (facial expressions, tone of voice, eye contact, personal space) and the fact that they carry different meanings in different cultures. (For example, Iraqi men may cross their arms when having a serious conversation to show respect for the person to whom they are speaking. In some cultures, direct eye-contact is disrespectful.)
  • Be prudent in touching or shaking hands in some situations (especially across gender boundaries).
  • When talking to students about critical issues such as progress, passing or failing, be sure to do so in a private setting. Many students come from cultures where interpersonal relationships are primary, and it’s crucial for students to save face.

 Updated 1/19, D. Beech, B. Dee

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