English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program helps non-native English speakers develop the foundational language skills needed to communicate effectively in everyday, academic, workplace, and community settings. Students will build confidence in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing English while gaining practical skills for everyday life.

Get Personalized Instruction

We offer four levels, from beginning to advanced:

• Intro to ESOL
• ESOL I
• ESOL II
• ESOL III

Day and evening ESOL classes are offered at the Capital District Educational Opportunity Center (CDEOC) at HVCC South, located at 20 Warren St., Albany, NY 12202.

Students enrolled in the ESOL program will learn:

Speaking and Listening Skills

• Introducing themselves and engaging in simple conversations.
• Asking and answering everyday questions.
• Understanding common instructions, directions, and announcements.
• Improving pronunciation and listening comprehension.
• Understanding information from conversations, videos, and other media.
• Building vocabulary and using common expressions in a variety of situations.

Reading Skills

• Recognizing common vocabulary and sight words.
• Reading signs, forms, schedules, and simple texts.
• Understanding basic written information in personal, educational, and workplace contexts.

Writing Skills

• Writing personal information, sentences, and short paragraphs.
• Completing forms and applications.
• Composing simple emails, notes, and messages.

Grammar and Vocabulary Development

• Learning basic sentence structure and verb tenses.
• Expanding everyday vocabulary related to family, work, education, health, shopping, and transportation.
• Using common expressions and conversational language appropriately.
• Showing an emerging awareness of differences between informal and formal language use.

Basic Computer Literacy Skills

• Basic computer navigation.
• Online learning and test-taking skills.
• Keyboarding skills.
• Document creation and editing using Microsoft Word.
• Presentation creation using Microsoft PowerPoint.
• Internet research and website evaluation skills.

Jumpstart Your Success

After completing the ESOL program, students can continue their education at the CDEOC, apply to college, or use their English language skills in the workplace.

What do I need to get started?

 A language assessment is required to determine the appropriate ESOL class level for you. Contact the EOC and start working toward your goal today.