English Language Acquisition (ELA)
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.
Next Steps To Start ELA
English - Next Steps Français - Prochaines Étapes Español - Próximos Pasos
الخطوات التالية - عربى 中國 - 下一步 Tiếng Việt - Bước Tiếp Theo
| English as a Second Language (ESL) | English Language Acquisition (ELA) | |
|---|---|---|
| Free/no tuition | Tuition (limited financial assistance available) | |
| Non-credit | Earn elective college credit | |
| Beginner/advanced classes available | Beginner/advanced classes available | |
| Classes cover all skills — enroll in one class at a time | Classes focus on one skill — enroll in multiple classes at a time | |
| 90-minute classes, 4 days per week | Classes available 5 days per week | |
| 7-week classes start in July, September, October, January, and March | 16-week classes start in August and January; summer classes start in May and July | |
| Learn academic and workforce-based language skills | Learn academic English for college | |
| Personalized instruction | Personalized instruction | |
| Small class sizes | Small class sizes | |
| Highly qualified instructors | Highly qualified instructors | |
| Pathway navigation assistance | Pathway navigation assistance |
Next Steps
Placement Testing
Each student must make TWO appointments for placement. The Grammar/Reading/Writing test is taken at the test center on campus in either Cedar Rapids or Coralville. The Listening/Speaking test is taken in zoom call from your personal device (computer or phone).
1. Cedar Rapids Campus: In-Person + Online
Grammar/Reading/Writing at Cedar Rapids Test Center and Listening/Speaking Online Test
2. Coralville Campus: In-Person + Online
Grammar/Reading/Writing at Coralville Test Center and Listening/Speaking Online Test
If you feel you do not require English language classes, you need to show proof of English proficiency by emailing ela@kirkwood.edu copies of your academic transcript showing college-level classes taught in English (examples include Composition or Psychology), OR copies of test scores showing you meet minimum English proficiency requirements (e.g., ACT-18 English, SAT-430 Writing, TOEFL-PBT-500, TOEFL-IBT-63, IELTS Writing-6.0), OR a high school GPA of 2.80 or higher with no ELL support.
If you do need to learn English, we are excited for you to start English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes. There are a few things you need to do to get started. Here are your next steps are below starting with Orientation.
Apply for financial aid Submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov for the appropriate academic year. Kirkwood’s school code is 004076. Questions? Contact financialaid@kirkwood.edu or 319-398-7600. Kirkwood awards over $3 million in scholarships each year! Apply at www.kirkwood.edu/scholarships
Orientation
Completing orientation is a requirement for all new students. During orientation, you will get connected to resources and services, meet other students, focus on what it takes to be successful as a new college student, access academic advising, and register for classes. Register below, you will receive an email confirmation.
If you have questions, call Sharon 319-398-5668 on the Cedar Rapids campus. In Iowa City or Coralville, call Mohamed Joreya at 319-887-3628. You can also email ELA@kirkwood.edu.
You will take four to five classes at each ELA level and gain proficiency in these areas:
- Academic Writing
- Pronunciation
- Research Skills
- Conversation Fluency
- Grammar
- Listening and Note Taking
- Computer Literacy
- Reading and Vocabulary Development
- American Cultural Skills
- Presentation Skills
Thank you. If you have any further questions about the ELA courses, please contact us using the links at the top or bottom of this page.
SUMMER 2025
CEDAR RAPIDS CAMPUS LEARNING COMMONS, 2ND FLOOR CEDAR HALL
MONDAY
9:00 a.m.- 10:00 a.m.
TUESDAY
9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
WEDNESDAY
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
THURSDAY
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
ON CAMPUS CORALVILLE LEARNING COMMONS, BOTTOM LEVEL
Kirkwood Regional Center at the University of Iowa
MONDAY
12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m.
TUESDAY
12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m.
THURSDAY
12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m.
Resources
Zoom Tutorials:
Kirkwood Web Links:
Classes & Curriculum
These courses are intended for students pursuing a Kirkwood degree, but needing further English instruction and preparation prior to taking college level courses. Focus is given to developing English proficiency in the following areas:
• Academic Writing • Pronunciation • Research Skills
• Conversation Fluency • Grammar • Listening and Note Taking
• Computer Literacy • Reading & Vocabulary Development
• American Cultural Skills • Presentation Skills
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.
In-person
- Available Levels: Levels 2, 3, 4, 5; Level 2 is Mon., Tue., Wed., and Th.
- Location – Coralville and Cedar Rapids
- Computer Requirements — Laptop or desktop computer required. Talon is used for all classes grading and assignments.
- Attendance – Attendance is required. Students must be present in the classroom.
- Meeting Times – Classes meet at a specific date and time.
- Teachers – Teachers are in person in the classroom.
- Homework and Assignments – Normal homework expectations.
- Types of Students – Students who prefer the traditional in-person learning on campus.
- Extra Help – ELA Tutoring; Cedar Rapids language lab; ELA Advisor is available to answer questions.
Zoom
- Available Levels — Levels 3, 4, 5
- Location – On computer
- Computer Requirements — Laptop or desktop computer required. You cannot take classes from your phone. Talon is used for all classes grading and assignments.
- Attendance – Attendance is required. Students must be on Zoom during class time.
- Meeting Times – Classes meet at a specific date and time.
- Teachers – Teachers are on the computer on Zoom.
- Homework and Assignments – Normal homework expectations.
- Types of Students – Students who prefer to or need to learn from home but prefer the structure of a daily schedule.
- Extra Help – ELA Tutoring; Cedar Rapids language lab; ELA Advisor is available to answer questions.
Talon (Not Zoom)
- Available Levels – Levels 4, 5
- Location – On computer
- Computer Requirements – Laptop or desktop computer required. You cannot take classes from your phone. Talon is used for all classes grading and assignments.
- Attendance – No specific attendance requirement. Students must log in to Talon regularly to do work and submit work.
- Meeting Times – Classes do not meet at a scheduled time.
- Teachers – Teachers are available for office hours and individual help but no specific class time.
- Homework and Assignments – You will be responsible for getting work done on time on your own. You may ask questions to your instructor via email or office hours.
- Types of Students – Students who prefer to learn from home and are very self-motivated. Students must be able to manage their own time on a weekly basis for weekly online assignments, homework, test, etc.
- Extra Help – ELA Tutoring, Cedar Rapids language lab; ELA Advisor is available to answer questions.
A hybrid class meet in-person for some of the time, and the rest of the class is comprised of activities and materials found online on Talon.
Hybrid
- Available class: Effective Reading Strategies
- Location: Coralville
- Computer Requirements: Laptop or desktop computer required. Talon is used for grading and assignments.
- Attendance: attendance is required.
- Meeting times: Classes meet on campus one day a week at a specific date and time. Work is also completed online.
- Homework and assignments: Normal homework expectations.
- Extra help: ELA Tutoring; ELA Advisors available to answer questions.
ELA Courses
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ESI-024 | L2 Reading and Writing | 6 |
| ESI-027 | L2 Listening and Speaking | 6 |
| Total Credits | 12 |
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ESI-042 | L3 Listening Skills, Conversation, and Culture | 4 |
| ESI-042 | L3 Reading and Vocabulary | 3 |
| ESI-038 | L3 ELA Grammar | 4 |
| ESI-037 | L3 ELA Writing | 2 |
| Total Credits | 12 |
| 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 |
Level 5 Bridge Classes
Level 5 ELA students take four classes. Of these classes, two 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 |
| RDG-130 | Effective Reading Strategies | 3 |
| ENG-101 | Elements of Writing | 3 |
| ESI-072 | Fundamentals of English Grammar | 3 |
| Total Credits | 12 |
Meet Our Faculty
| Ryan Dehner | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title: | Professor, ELA | |||||
| Phone: | 319-887-3957 | |||||
| Office: | Room 320 Kirkwood Regional Center at the University of Iowa (KRCUI) | |||||
| Education: | B.A.; University of Wyoming, M.A.; University of Iowa | |||||
| Bio: | Ryan is a Fulbright U.S. Scholar and an experienced educator specializing in ESL and world language instruction. His Fulbright project in the Yucatán focused on improving regional English proficiency through teacher training, curriculum development, and the creation of a low-resource oral assessment tool. He has taught at the K-12, community college, university, and federal government levels, including roles at Laramie High School, The University of Iowa, and the Instructor Development Branch at the Defense Language Institute. Proficient in Spanish and intermediate Arabic, Ryan has lived in Mexico, England, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua and has traveled extensively across Europe, the Americas, Australia, the Middle East, South-Central Asia, and Africa. His professional interests include teacher mentoring, refugee support, L2 curriculum design, and oral proficiency assessment. Currently, Ryan teaches ELA courses, using his linguistic and cultural expertise to support diverse English learners. | |||||
| Richard Heath | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title: | Professor, Spanish and English Language Acquisition | |||||
| Phone: | 319-887-3644 | |||||
| Office: | 320 Kirkwood Regional Center at the University of Iowa (KRCUI) | |||||
| Education: | B.A. in Spanish/Latin American Literature and Cultures, University of Kansas; M.A. in Hispanic Linguistics, Indiana University | |||||
| Bio: | Richard has taught all levels of Spanish, Language and Society (sociolinguistics), and all levels of English Language Acquisition. His professional interests include world language advocacy, pedagogy, pragmatics, Latin American literature, and study abroad planning and implementation, among other things. His personal interests include classic VWs, adventure motorcycling, and traveling with his family. | |||||
| Carlos Ortega-Amparán | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title: | Assistant Professor, ELA | |||||
| Phone: | 319-398-5988 ext. 5830 319-398-4998 |
|||||
| Office: | 2008D Iowa Hall | |||||
| Bio: | Carlos teaches English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes. | |||||
| Olga Petrova | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title: | Professor | |||||
| Phone: | 319-887-3952 | |||||
| Office: | Room 320 Kirkwood Regional center at the University of Iowa (KRCUI) | |||||
| Education: | 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 | |||||
| Bio: | 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 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title: | Instructor | |||||
| Phone: | 319-398-5899 ext. 5989 319-398-4998 |
|||||
| Office: | Kirkwood Regional Center at the University of Iowa (KRCUI) | |||||
| Education: | B.A.; Luther College, M.A.; Hamline University | |||||
| Bio: | 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. | |||||
- Hala Abumaizer-Scheetz
- Rita Cabello
- Sofia Chesney
- Matthew Garrett
- Amy Guo
- Iryna Hasnikova
- April Hetrick
- Gail Koch
- Stephen McTier
- Jennie Morton
- Esperanza Munoz-Perez
- Linda Park
- Laura Raught
- Rachel Winchel
- Amy Guo
- Chris Vandervelde
- Heather Weber
- Kris Wingate
If you wish to improve your English language skills for other educational purposes, work use, or social settings, Kirkwood has non-credit options. Please call 319-887-3646 for information about Coralville (Iowa City) courses and 319-784-1510 for Cedar Rapids courses. You will need to leave a message.
Questions?
Make an appointment for a Zoom meeting with our ELA advisor.
Contact Global Learning
Global Learning Cedar Rapids / ELA & English Language Learners
2008 Iowa Hall
319-398-5668
ela@kirkwood.edu
Global Learning Cedar Rapids Main Campus
2008 Iowa Hall
319-398-5579
international@kirkwood.edu
Global Learning Coralville Campus
319-887-3628
international@kirkwood.edu