All ESL courses at Maclachlan will provide opportunities for students to develop facility in English in the four basic language skills:  listening, speaking, reading and writing, In addition, students will gain knowledge of the environment necessary for successful intergration into the school and community.

At the senior school level (grades 9 to 12), students who successfully complete all ESL courses will attain credits toward their Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

Integrated Regular Classes

International students take regular classes with Canadian students. The amount of classes taken will vary according to the proficiency of students in English. Integrated classes will constitute a minimum of four of the eight periods during the school day. Modifications in programming and evaluation will be made on an individual basis to meet the academic needs of all students.

ESL Course Types

ESL Withdrawal Classes
During the school day, students will receive a minimum of one ESL withdrawal period and a maximum of four periods depending upon their proficiency in English.

Evening ESL Classes (4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.)
International students will attend extra ESL classes outside of class time. Extra classes occur two evenings per week.

Tutorial ESL
Students in the lower school who may need additional help in learning English will be tutored individually or in a small group.

Summer School ESL Programme
The International Student Integrated ESL Programme occurs within the school year from September to June and is supported by an additional Summer ESL programme of 4 weeks during July and August.

ESL Course Levels

Upon arrival at MacLachlan College, the student's level of English proficiency will be assessed to ensure correct placement in the ESL programme. All students will be placed for Withdrawal Classes at one of the following levels.

ESL Pre-level 1
Prerequisite: open to students with little or no English (written or spoken) as determined by the ESL teacher.

This course is intended for students who have little or no previous English instruction. The course will concentrate on basic reading and writing skills, including the alphabet and cursive script. Listening and speaking skills will expose students to simple, everyday language. Minimum of 175 periods.

ESL 1
Prerequisite: previous English instruction or Pre-level 1 course as determined by the ESL teacher.

This course is designed for students who have had some previous English language instruction. A variety of activities will continue to develop the four language skills. At this level, students should demonstrate an understanding of simple grammatical structures, read and comprehend simple written English, and use English in social contexts for self-expression and basic communication. Minimum of 175 periods.

ESL 2 & 3
Prerequisite: Level 1 and/or 2 course or equivalent as determined by the ESL teacher.

These are two separate courses offered to intermediate students. Further support is given in the basic language skills. These courses will place a stronger emphasis on reading, writing, research skills an vocabulary development. At this level, students should demonstrate a mastery of tense usage, complex structures, paragraph writing and idiomatic expressions. Minimum of 175 periods for both ESL 2 and ESL 3.

ESL 4
Prerequisite: Level 3 course or equivalent as determined by the ESL teacher.

This course is designed for students who need a high degree of fluency in English, as is required for advanced-level English courses. Continued emphasis will be placed on the four language skills. Original literary works (age and grade appropriate) will be studied. At the end of this course, students should understand spoken English in social and most academic contexts, use English consistently and automatically for most purposes, use stress and intonation with the facility approaching that of a first-language speaker, and write independently using the conventions of English. Minimum of 175 periods.

University and Business Advance Conversation Skills, including TOEFL Preparation
Prerequisite: Level 4 course or equivalent as determined by the ESL teacher

A course offered to advanced ESL students. This course will focus on further developing students' communication skills for post-secondary study. In addition, students can prepare for the TOEFL examination.