For the Fall 2020 semester, since the college buildings are closed due to COVID, there will be no in-person ESL classes or appointments scheduled. Instead, all classes, appointments, and testing will take place online. For more information, call the ESL office at 804-523-5020.
Reynolds Community College offers classes for students whose first language is not English. Classes and counseling are designed to help students successfully speak English in and out of class.
Where and when do classes meet?
There are day and evening ESL classes. All ESL classes meet on the Parham Road Campus. ESL classes in Fall and Spring semesters are scheduled either for 2 days each week or for 3 days each week. All reading and writing classes meet for 6 hours each week, and all oral classes meet for 3 hours each week. (For example, a reading class might meet Monday, Tuesday & Thursday nights for 2 hours each night. Another example could be an oral class that meets Tuesdays and Thurs-days for 1½ hours each day.) ESL classes in the Summer term are different. They will meet 3-4 times each week.
Where do students live?
Reynolds does not have student housing, but students can rent apartments or houses nearby.
How do I know what course to take?
Most students whose native language is not English must take the Reynolds ESL placement test before registering for any course. For more details, call the ESL Office at 804-523-5020.
The ESL placement test shows how well students use English in reading, writing, and speaking and listening. An ESL Advisor will help students choose their classes. ESL students do all registration in the ESL office.
The ESL Placement Test
There is no fee or cost to take the Reynolds ESL placement test. For a test appointment, call the ESL office at 804-523-5020. The Reynolds ESL Placement Test includes 3 separate parts that students will take on two separate days. Day 1: Writing (40 minutes) and Reading (untimed). Day 2: Oral Interview (30 minutes), which is scheduled one or two days after the Writing and Reading tests. We use the Accuplacer Reading test and our program-designed writing and oral communications placement tests.
Hints for Improving your Reading Comprehension Score
ESL placement tests are given on the Parham Road campus. The Day 1 test (writing and reading) is given in Burnette Hall, room 205, by appointment only, and takes approximately two hours. The Day 2 test (oral interview) is given in Burnette Hall, room 220-O. Students will receive their test results after they complete their oral interview.
How long does it take to finish the ESL program?
It takes most students between one semester to two years to complete their ESL coursework, depending on their level of English when they enter the program.
How much do classes cost?
You can find the most current information on the cost for tuition and fees under Tuition and Fees on the college website . There are two things to know: First, colleges charge tuition based on how many credit hours a student takes. (For example, if you register for a 6-credit ESL course, you will be paying for 6 credits. If you register for two 6-credit ESL courses, you will be paying for 12 credits.)
Second, there are two different tuition payment categories: in-state and out-of-state. For more information on whether you qualify for in-state tuition rates, contact the Admissions office at 804-523-5029 or the ESL office at 804-523-5020. Also, remember: If a class requires textbooks, the cost of these books is not included in tuition fees.
Can students get financial aid for ESL courses?
In most cases, yes. Several types of financial aid are available to ESL students who qualify. Some financial aid programs will even pay the entire cost of tuition and books. Learn more about financial aid under Pay for College or call the Parham Road Campus Financial Aid Office at 855-874-6682. You may also call the ESL office at 804-523-5020 for more information.
What if I am on a student visa?
If you are here on an F-1 visa, you are considered to be an international student. Your advisor in the Admissions office is Tiffany Fijalkovic. Contact her at 804-523-5029 for more information.
ESL Students Co-requisite Eligibilities
ESL students can take other academic classes while they are completing their ESL courses depending on their ESL level. In most cases, students need to complete the High Intermediate level ESL courses before enrolling in academic classes. An ESL advisor will help students choose the best courses for them.
Some courses have other requirements as well. These requirements appear in the catalog as "pre-requisites." The term "prerequisite" means you are required to take a specific course before you can register for another course. (For example, for ESL students, the prerequisite before you can take English 111 would be that you must have completed ESL 52 and ESL 58, the final two courses in the ESL Program.) The ESL office can help you decide whether you have already taken the courses you need before you register for a course that has a prerequisite.
Helpful Links For English Language Learners
www.englishpage.com Grammar - provides a lot of exercises on a variety of grammar topics.
www.eslamerica.us Grammar, reading, vocabulary and more
www.esl-lab.com Listening practice which includes follow up comprehension questions; also good for vocabulary building and learning proper sentence word order
www.eslcafe.com Pronunciation practice which includes games, quizzes and stories
www.StoryCorps.org Listening practice - short personal stories told by people from all over the country; good for hearing a variety of accents
www.rachelsenglish.com Pronunciation practice; sounds, rhythm, intonation, linking and stress
www.learningexpresshub.com Reading practice - can choose high school or adult level readings