Course Introduction
In Unit 1, you will learn about the eight parts of speech and when each is used. You will learn how to recognize each part of speech and why using them correctly improves your communication skills. In Units 2 and 3, you will learn how to read actively by using context clues and other reading skills and see how reading more can help you expand your vocabulary. Unit 4 focuses on taking those reading skills and using them to help you write. By the end of ESL001, you'll be able to write a few sentences about your daily routine using the lessons on parts of speech, reading actively, and vocabulary to help you communicate clearly. Successful completion of ESL001 will prepare you for ESL002, where you will continue to improve your English reading and writing skills at the A2 level.-
Time: 18 hours
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Free Certificate
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CEFR Level A2
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Course Syllabus
Ready to start this course? First, read the course syllabus. It contains valuable information that will help you succeed. Then, enroll in the course by clicking "Enroll me".
How Good Is Your English?
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In this activity, you will practice talking about yourself by stating simple facts.
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In this activity, you will complete a text by inserting the correct verb into each space.
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Unit 1: Reading Skills
Unit 1 introduces you to the parts of speech used in Standard American English. In this unit, you will learn how to recognize the different parts of speech and see when and where they are used. Finally, you will practice identifying the parts of speech and placing them in sentences.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 6 hours.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- use correct word order and parts of speech in simple sentence patterns; and
- distinguish between phrases, clauses, and sentences.
- use correct word order and parts of speech in simple sentence patterns; and
1.1: Word Basics: The Eight Parts of Speech
We start Unit 1 with grammar by learning about the eight English Parts of Speech. Grammar is difficult, but the more comfortable you are with it, the easier it will be to read and write in English. Because the parts of speech are considered the building blocks of the language, we learn the parts of speech for two main reasons: i) by knowing the elements of English, you'll have an easier time using them correctly in your writing, and ii) by knowing how these elements are being used, you'll also have an easier time learning their meaning.Word Basics: Let's Study
The materials below include information about the parts of speech. After you read the explanations and watch the videos to learn about the eight parts of speech, you will have a chance to test your understanding by completing practice activities.
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Let's start by first reviewing a list of the parts of speech to know their definition and examples. Next, we will learn about each part of speech in more detail to understand how we can use the correct form of a word to build sentences.
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Now that we know what all parts of speech are, let's look at them in more detail to see how they are different from each other and how they are used in sentences. First, let's see what other information we can learn more about nouns, adjectives, and pronouns.
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Next, let's see what additional information we can review to learn more about verbs and adverbs.
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Now that we know more about using nouns, adjectives, pronouns, verbs, and adverbs, we need to learn how they can be put together to make sentences. Conjunctions and prepositions help us do that. Let's see what other information we can review to learn more about how conjunctions and prepositions are used to make sentences.
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Finally, let's see what additional information we can learn about interjections.
Word Basics: Let's Practice
Now that we know what all the parts of speech are and we reviewed how each one is used, let's put our knowledge into practice.
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The activities here give you the opportunity to find out how well you understand parts of speech. If you have a difficult time identifying the parts of speech, you may return to review the information in the Let's Study section and then try these practice activities again.
Word Basics: Let's Apply
Now that you know the eight parts of speech and how they are used correctly in a sentence, let's see if we can easily identify them in any text.
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1.2: Sentence Basics: Word Order
Now we know and recognize the different parts of speech. This is helpful for understanding grammar rules and explanations. We can continue by learning when and where the parts of speech are used in sentences. Standard English uses specific rules about word order, so it is important to know and follow them to communicate successfully.1.3: Sentence Basics: Types
In this last part of Unit 1, we look at what makes a good sentence in Standard English. We will discuss the specific requirements for writing complete sentences. Also, we will look at how we can use conjunctions to connect clauses and create different types of sentences.
1.4: Putting It All Together
You have learned about many different parts of speech and some basic guidelines to correct usage. This is a lot to take in, for sure! This section will help you review what you have learned in Unit 1.
Unit 2: Reading to Comprehend
Unit 2 introduces reading actively. You will learn how to use basic reading strategies to understand simple non-fiction texts. Finally, you will use these reading skills to demonstrate your understanding of a short reading.Students must read a lot of materials to prepare for classes and submit assignments. When we read to learn something new, we read actively. In this unit, you will learn about different active reading strategies to help you understand what you read.Completing this unit should take you approximately 4 hours.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- identify basic informational text features and structures; and
- apply active reading strategies for literal and interpretive comprehension.
2.1: Active Reading
Reading textbooks can be challenging compared to a novel or website. Students often spend lots of time re-reading without remembering what they just read. If you use active reading strategies, you will understand and remember what you have read more successfully. This section will show you how to be a better student by improving your reading skills for two main benefits: prepare you to be more focused when reading to decrease unnecessary reading time and increase your understanding and ability to focus.
Active Reading: Let's Study
These materials include information about basic active reading strategies useful for understanding informational or non-fiction texts. After you read the explanations and watch the videos to learn about active reading strategies, you will have a chance to test your understanding by completing practice activities.
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Good reading is not simply a matter of taking in information – you need to do more than that. Let's start by looking at what it means to be an active reader.
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In this section, you will learn about previewing a text to prepare for reading. This will help you understand the text more clearly and use your time better.
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After preparing to read by previewing and predicting, there are other strategies we can use to understand a text passage. In this section, you will learn about skimming and scanning. These strategies will help you find the main idea and details presented in a nonfiction text.
2.1.2: Active Reading: Let's Practice
Now that we know some active reading strategies, let's put our knowledge into practice.
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The activities below allow you to find out how well you understand active reading strategies. If you have a difficult time recognizing reading strategies and informational text features, you may return to review the information in the Let's Study section and then try these practice activities again.
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In this activity, you will make predictions about a reading.
2.1.3: Active Reading: Let's Apply
Now that you know basic active reading strategies, let's see if we can easily use them to understand a simple informational text.
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For these two activities, use active reading strategies to understand the text and answer the questions.
2.2: Putting It All Together
You have learned about some active reading skills that can help you be a better reader. This is a lot to take in, for sure! This section will help you review what you have learned in Unit 2.- View
Watch these videos, which provide a basic overview of some of the active reading skills you have learned about in this unit.
Unit 2 Assessment
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In this activity, you will answer questions about a story by reading and identifying important details.
Unit 3: Reading to Improve
In unit 3, you will use your active reading skills to learn new words. You will see how reading helps you learn new ways to say things in English. This unit ends with a WebQuest, where you'll create a vocabulary list of your own by searching for words online.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 5 hours.
Unit 4: Reading to Write
Unit 4 brings together what you learned in units 1 through 3. In this unit, you will read short descriptions of people's daily activities or routines. Then, you will write a few sentences about yourself. Finally, you will review your writing and post it for your classmates' feedback.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 3 hours.Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- use simple connectors to link simple phrases and clauses into simple, compound, and complex sentences; and
- arrange a series of sentences to create basic, cohesive descriptions of routine activities.
- use simple connectors to link simple phrases and clauses into simple, compound, and complex sentences; and
4.1: Writing Basics: From Sentences to Text
The more we read, the more we write! Reading in English teaches you new words and shows you how words fit together in sentences. As you learn English, give yourself time to read often. You can read about anything you like: sports, fashion, movies, games, the list goes on and on. As long as you're reading, you're learning!
4.1.1: Writing Basics: Let's Study
The materials below include information about grouping sentences together to create a short text in Standard English. After you read the explanations and watch the videos to learn about writing, you will have a chance to test your understanding by completing practice activities.
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Taking college courses is all about reading and writing. We started this course by looking at word forms (parts of speech) and how we can group them to create phrases and then different types of sentences. Sentences can also be grouped together to create text: paragraphs and essays. Let's look at some basic information about grouping basic sentences to create a simple text or paragraph.
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Much of the text and writing you'll do occurs in chronological order. This means that the events in a story happen in order from beginning to end. Writing in chronological order helps the reader follow what is happening in a story. For example, if a student wants to prepare for an exam, she will first go to class, then study, and finally, take the exam. These events all happen in an order the reader knows.
In this section, you will learn how to use context clues, prediction, and prior knowledge to help figure out the chronological order of a text.
4.1.2: Writing Basics: Let's Practice
Now that we know some writing strategies, let's put our knowledge into practice.
The activities below give you the opportunity to find out how well you understand the writing process. If you have a difficult time recognizing these strategies, you may return to review the information in the Let's Study section and then try these practice activities again.
4.1.3: Writing Basics: Let's Apply
Now that you know some strategies for writing, let's see if we can easily use them to write a short paragraph in English.
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Throughout this course, you have learned some key phrases that are useful in explaining your daily routine to another person. In this section, you will demonstrate your knowledge of key vocabulary by describing a typical day in your life.
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You wrote some sentences about your daily routine using the parts of speech we learned in Unit 1. Good work! The next step is to edit your writing so that you can share it with others. Use the checklist below to review each sentence for errors. Correct any errors you find. Be sure to print or download the checklist so that you can save it for future use.
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Once you have reviewed the sentences you wrote about your daily activities, share your writing in the discussion forum and see what daily activities your classmates complete. If you wish, reply to your classmates' daily activities.
4.2: Putting It All Together
You have learned about some writing that can help you communicate clearly when writing in English. This is a lot to take in, for sure! This section will help you review what you have learned in Unit 4.- View
Go through the video presentations, which provide a basic overview of some of the writing strategies you have learned about in this unit.
Unit 4 Assessment
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In this activity, you will organize sentences in a logical manner to create a short paragraph.
Course Feedback Survey
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If you come across any urgent problems, email contact@saylor.org.
Certificate Final Exam
Take this exam if you want to earn a free Course Completion Certificate.
To receive a free Course Completion Certificate, you will need to earn a grade of 70% or higher on this final exam. Your grade for the exam will be calculated as soon as you complete it. If you do not pass the exam on your first try, you can take it again as many times as you want, with a 7-day waiting period between each attempt.
Once you pass this final exam, you will be awarded a free Course Completion Certificate.
- Receive a grade Receive a pass grade
Course Activities