Kirkwood’s English Language Acquisition (ELA) course of study offers many opportunities for you to practice your English speaking and writing skills. A Kirkwood education can help prepare you for a better career or get you ready to transfer to a four-year institution.
All courses are taught in English, which helps prepare you for further study at Kirkwood. Additionally, studying English helps non-native speakers improve their employment and promotion opportunities.
English - Next Steps
Français - Prochaines Étapes
Español - Próximos Pasos
الخطوات التالية - عربى
中國 - 下一步
Tiếng Việt - Bước Tiếp Theo
Students starting the program take placement tests to determine what level of ELA instruction is best for them. There are five levels of courses:
Level 1: Beginning English;
Level 2: Advanced Beginning English;
Level 3: Beginning Intermediate English;
Level 4: Advanced Intermediate English;
Level 5: Beginning Advanced English.
Students whose test results are lower than Level 1, or are not able to take the test, will need to consult with the ELA advisor.
Each student must make TWO appointments for placement. Choose your prefence of hybrid in-person and online testing, or online only testing below. Each option contains an online portion that is taken at home on your own computer.
1. Cedar Rapids Campus: In-Person + Online
Grammar/Reading at Cedar Rapids Test Center and Listening/Speaking/Writing Online Test
2. Iowa City Campus: In-Person + Online
Grammar/Reading at Iowa City Test Center and Listening/Speaking/Writing Online Test
3. All Online Testing:
Reading/Writing/Grammar Online Test and Listening/Speaking Online Test
The following people will benefit from Kirkwood’s ELA course of study:
Students whose native language is not English must take ELA courses. There are two exceptions, however: If you score an appropriately high score on an English proficiency test or if you transfer credit from a college or university where most of your classes were conducted in English.
An official TOEFL score of 500 PBT, 173 CBT, 63 IBT or higher; SAT score of 430 or higher; or ACT score of 18 or higher on the English portion, prove English proficiency. If you do not have one of these scores, you will be required to take Kirkwood's placement test when you arrive for ELA placement.
You will take five classes at each ELA level and gain proficiency in these areas:
Most classes will be online for Spring 2021. You must have a reliable computer and internet access. We will contact you by email about placement testing and online orientation. Please use an email address you will check frequently.
If you are a NEW student, before you can register, you need to do this:
If you plan to apply for financial aid, do so as soon as possible by filling out the FAFSA.
If you have questions, call Sharon 319-398-5668 on the Cedar Rapids campus. In Iowa City call Mohamed Joreya at 319-887-3628. You must leave a message. You can also email ELA@kirkwood.edu.
Registration Forms
Face-to-Face
Spring 2021 L1 F2F Cedar Rapids Campus - English Language Acquisition
Spring 2021 L1 F2F Iowa City Campus - English Language Acquisition
Spring 2021 L2 F2F CR Campus English Language Acquisition
Spring 2021 L2 F2F IC Campus English Language Acquisition
Online via WebLive
Spring 2021 L1 WebLive English Language Acquisition
Spring 2021 L2 WebLive English Language Acquisition
Spring 2021 L3 WebLive English Language Acquisition
Spring 2021 L4 WebLive English Language Acquisition
Spring 2021 L5 WebLive English Language Acquisition
Kirkwood offers the following courses in ELA. While ELA courses do not transfer to other colleges and universities, two of the Level 5 bridge classes, which count as 6 elective credits, and the Kirkwood speech requirement, do transfer.
Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ESI-007 | L1 Listening and Conversation | 3 |
ESI-010 | L1 Phonetics and Pronunciation | 3 |
ESI-006 | L1 Reading and Vocabulary | 3 |
ESI-011 | L1 ELA Grammar | 4 |
ESI-014 | L1 ELA Writing | 2 |
Total Credits | 15 |
Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ESI-019 | L2 Listening Skills and Conversation | 3 |
ESI-021 | L2 Phonetics and Pronunciation | 3 |
ESI-023 | L2 Reading and Vocabulary | 3 |
ESI-018 | L2 ELA Grammar | 4 |
ESI-016 | L2 ELA Writing | 2 |
Total Credits | 15 |
NOTE: Level 2 and 3 students may take an optional L2/L3 Keyboarding class for 1 credit.
Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ESI-039 | L3 Listening Skills, Conversation, and Culture | 3 |
ESI-040 | L3 Phonetics and Pronunciation | 3 |
ESI-042 | L3 Reading and Vocabulary | 3 |
ESI-038 | L3 ELA Grammar | 4 |
ESI-037 | L3 ELA Writing | 2 |
Total Credits | 15 |
Note: Level 2 and 3 students may take an optional L2/L3 Keyboarding class for 1 credit.
Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ESI-062 | L4 Culture and Conversation | 3 |
ESI-069 | L4 Presentations | 3 |
ESI-068 | L4 Reading and Vocabulary | 3 |
ESI-064 | L4 ELA Grammar | 3 |
ESI-063 | L4 ELA Writing | 3 |
Total Credits | 15 |
NOTE: Level 4 and Level 5 students may take an optional keyboarding class for 1 credit.
Level 5 Bridge Classes
Level 5 ELA students take five classes. Of these classes, three are bridge classes. These classes are taught in the same way as other credit courses, which allows students to practice their new skills and gauge their capacity for success after leaving ELA coursework.
Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ESI-090 | L5 Culture and Conversation | 3 |
SPC-112 | Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
SPC-101 | Fundamentals of Oral Communication | 3 |
RDG-130 | Effective Reading Strategies | 3 |
ENG-101 | Elements of Writing | 3 |
ESI-072 | Fundamentals of English Grammar | 3 |
Total Credits | 15 |
NOTE: Level 4 and Level 5 students may take an optional keyboarding class for 1 credit.
Spring Term (Feb. 1 – May 10, 2021)
MONDAY
9:05 – 10 a.m. | Rachel Winchel | Zoom link (Passcode: 191184)
10:10 – 11 a.m. | Hala Abumaizer-Scheetz | Zoom link
12:20 – 1:15 p.m. | Hala Abumaizer-Scheetz | Zoom link
1:25 – 2:20 p.m. | Jake Herring | Zoom link (Meeting ID: 298 840 5878; Passcode: Xuc5GG)
7 – 8 p.m. | Gail Koch | Zoom link
TUESDAY
12:20 – 1:15 p.m. | Sofia Chesney | Zoom link (Meeting ID: 915 698 8268)
1:25 – 2:20 p.m. | Neil Mulka | Zoom link (Passcode: 682523)
5 – 6 p.m. | Rita Cabello | Zoom link (Passcode: iowa)
7 – 8 p.m. | Gail Koch | Zoom link
WEDNESDAY
9:05 – 10 a.m. | Rachel Winchel | Zoom link (Passcode: 191184)
10:10 – 11 a.m. | Hala Abumaizer-Scheetz | Zoom link
12:20 – 1:15 p.m. | Hala Abumaizer-Scheetz | Zoom link
1:25 – 2:20 p.m. Jake Herring | Zoom link (Meeting ID: 298 840 5878; Passcode: Xuc5GG)
7 – 8 p.m. | Gail Koch | Zoom link
THURSDAY
12:20 – 1:15 p.m. | Sofia Chesney | Zoom link (Meeting ID: 915 698 8268)
1:25 – 2:20 p.m. | Neil Mulka | Zoom link (Passcode: 084527)
5 – 6 p.m. | Rita Cabello | Zoom link (Passcode: iowa)
7 – 8 p.m. | Gail Koch | Zoom link
FRIDAY
9:05 – 10 a.m. | Rachel Winchel | Zoom link (Passcode: 191184)
10:10 – 11 a.m. | Hala Abumaizer-Scheetz | Zoom link
12:20 – 1:15 p.m. | Hala Abumaizer-Scheetz | Zoom link
1:25 – 2:20 p.m. | Jake Herring | Zoom link (Meeting ID: 298 840 5878; Passcode: Xuc5GG)
SUNDAY
11:15 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. | Sofia Chesney | Zoom link (Meeting ID: 915 698 8268)
The Language Lab is located in 3010 Cedar Hall, on the main campus. It is open:
Monday: 9 – 11 a.m.
Wednesday: 9 – 11 a.m. and 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Friday: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Access the online learning tool Mango.
Elizabeth Baertlein
Instructor, ELA
319-398-5899, ext. 5152
319-398-4998
3020 Cedar Hall
B.A.; St. Mary’s University
M.A.; St. Cloud State University
Betsy Baertlein teaches English Language Acquisition (ELA) courses and has completed her master’s degree in teaching English as a second language at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, her bachelor’s degree in English at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. She has completed additional graduate coursework in the Language, Literacy and Culture doctorate program at The University of Iowa and her research interests include critical pedagogy and language learner identities. Betsy is a dedicated bicycle commuter and can be seen biking to campus in all weather.
Ryan Dehner
Associate Professor, ELA
319-887-3957
Room 343 Iowa City Campus
B.A.; University of Wyoming
M.A.; University of Iowa
Ryan has experience teaching world languages at the K-12, community college, university, and federal government level. Before Kirkwood, he taught Spanish at Laramie High School, supervised student teachers at The University of Iowa, and trained language teachers at the Defense Language Institute's Instructor Development Branch. He has resided in England, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, and explored many parts of Europe, Central and South America, Australia, the Middle East, South-Central Asia, and Africa. His professional interests involve teacher mentoring, building cross-cultural understanding, working with refugee populations, L2 curriculum design, L2 methodologies, competency-based learning, and oral proficiency assessment. Ryan teaches English Language Acquisition (ELA) courses.
Esperanza Muñoz Pérez
Professor
319-398-4998
1019 Cedar Hall
B.A. and M.A.; University of Iowa
Esperanza, a native of Spain, arrived in Iowa City in 1994 after living previously in Scotland and in the Pacific. Her passion for history, culture, and language was richly rewarded while working with 18th-century Spanish documents for the Micronesian Research Center at the University of Guam. All aspects of language intrigue her, whether related to her experience as an interpreter and translator or as a language professor for the last 16 years. Her love for Romance languages led her to study Latin, Portuguese, Italian, French language and Literature, as well as Medieval Spanish Literature. The intricacies of language have always been an important part of her academic and personal life. Esperanza teaches English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes.
Carlos Ortega-Amparán
Assistant Professor, ELA
319-398-5988, ext. 5830
319-398-4998
3019 Cedar Hall
Carlos teaches English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes.
Olga Petrova
Professor
319-887-3952
Room 253 Iowa City Campus
M.A.; English and German, Russian Pedagogical State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
M.A.; TESOL, University of Northern Iowa
Ph.D.; Linguistics, University of Iowa
Over the years, Olga has taught English and Linguistics at various levels to many audiences (high school, teacher-training university, adult foreign-languages program in Russia; undergraduate and graduate ESL and linguistics, Iowa Intensive English Program (IIEP) and Teaching Assistant Preparation Program (TAPE) at the University of Iowa).
Olga has been teaching composition, linguistics, and ELA classes for Kirkwood Community College since 2002, as well as occasional linguistics classes at the University of Iowa. In the last few years, Olga has been teaching English Language Acquisition grammar, reading, and writing.
Colleen Schmitt
Instructor
319-398-5899, ext. 5989
319-398-4998
3024 Cedar Hall
B.A., Luther College
M.A., Hamline University
Colleen holds a B.A. in English and Spanish from Luther College and earned an M.A. in ESL with an adult learner emphasis from Hamline University. Prior to joining International Programs, Colleen coordinated Kirkwood’s noncredit ESL program in Iowa City. Her professional interests include advocacy for English Language Learners and best practices for teaching students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE). Colleen is a licensed K-12 educator and taught high school English, Spanish, and ELL for several years. She has studied in Chile, Spain, Ecuador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Mexico and has led service-learning trips for American students abroad.
Global Learning / English Language Acquisition
3051 Cedar Hall
319-398-5668
ela@kirkwood.edu