MUA offers 3 levels of English as a Second Language (ESOL), all with a civics focus. Classes are based on the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire’s participatory approach to education, which means that students’ voices and life experiences greatly inform the curriculum. Learning is student-centered and hands-on. Students have an active role in class content and program evaluation. They learn speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

We offer:

ESOL I: ESOL I is for students who have had little or no study of English. The instructors’ approach all inclusive and is geared toward getting students excited about learning English, their new language. Students learn concepts such as colors, months, days of the week, time, weather, simple verb conjugation, pronouns, and sentence formation.

ESOL II: This class is the second in a sequence of three ESOL classes. Class goals include but are not limited to: teaching students how to write paragraphs, reading the newspaper and short stories, improving pronunciation and fluency in English, and understanding the conversations of native English speakers, and mastering basic grammatical concepts.

ESOL II Advanced/Work Skills: Same as ESOL II. Students also research employment and college opportunities. The curriculum includes resume writing, job interviewing, and field trips to career centers and community colleges.

ESOL III: This class is the third in a sequence of three ESOL classes. Class goals include but are not limited to: teaching students how to write essays, read the newspaper, converse fluently, and master advanced grammar and vocabulary. Students hold advanced conversations on current events, social issues, and American culture. Activities include role plays, essay writing, newspaper reading, and verb conjugations.

Additional pull-out classes available for struggling students.