Online ESL

The Online ESL courses are designed to use technology to meet the growing needs of the ESL population in Ontario. The courses will employ best practices and online resources to motivate learners that are at the intermediate level of language acquisition. The project will expand learning opportunities for learners who are unable to physically attend classes each day.

Four online courses will be offered (160 instructional hours each delivered over 16 weeks at 10 hours a week) and designed for learners with language proficiency CLB 5, 6, 7 and 8. This design will combine the strengths of teacher-led instruction and shared learner experiences within a safe, secure online environment that enables participants to practice and enhance the skills necessary for effective communication in a Canadian English speaking setting.

The online study will include interactive materials such as:
• audio and video files,
• exercises and quizzes to practice language, grammar and comprehension,
• links to websites for reading information,
• wiki and database activities for learner collaboration, and
• forums to communicate with the teacher and classmates on weekly topics.

A number of the learning activities will be automatically corrected with instant feedback to the learner, while more complex assignments will be marked by the classroom teacher and feedback given at a later time. The teacher will also facilitate the forums, monitor learner online engagement, provide feedback and support, and follow up with some assignments.

These courses are funded by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Ontario.

Courses information:

• Courses: CLB levels 5, 6, 7 and 8
• Start date: Monday October 23rd, 2017
• End date: Friday February 16th, 2018
• Course Delivery: 10 hours a week for 16 weeks (1 week off in December)
• Students per class: 20
• Course total hours per each level – 160 instructional hours (16 weeks x 10 hours a week) 
• Each level (course) will include the following features:

a) 20% teacher-led instruction in a form of synchronous chat (webinar – type), formative assessment (tests), summative assessment (assignments)

b) 80% self- paced study which includes the following activities: readings, interactive exercises, voice-over, video and assignments

Benefits of Signing Up for Online ESL There are many reasons and situations that might make online ESL courses an option for you. Here are some:

• Your English proficiency level is intermediate to advanced and you would like to continue improving
• You are working and would like to study at your own pace
• Although you are attending classes, you would like more training to improve faster
• Your mobility is limited and you prefer to study from home 
• You are planning to join ESL or LINC courses in class and this is a good program to get you ready

Note: Learners cannot use these courses to satisfy the citizenship language requirement. 

Eligibility Criteria 

The Adult Non-Credit Language Training Program is funded by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (MCI) and offers English as Second Language (ESL) training programs to adult immigrants. New learners should know their language proficiency level to be able to choose the appropriate course level. If they don't know their level, they can either visit an assessment centre or use an online self-assessment tool such as http://www.clb-osa.ca/home. This tuition-free language training is available to eligible learners. An eligible learner is an adult immigrant currently residing in Ontario: