Resources for EAL/Multilingual Students
Kamal Belmihoub, ESL Director, Department of English
Baruch has a wide range of resources to support EAL (English as an Additional Language), multilingual students. For students who are still working to increase their English proficiency in order to meet admission requirements, Baruch’s Continuing and Professional Studies (CAPS) office offers an Academic Intensive English Program. For more details about this program, please consult the CAPS website. This program offers intensive reading, writing, listening, speaking, and test preparation courses to ensure students meet English-language proficiency requirements for college admission. For students who are already admitted to Baruch, the Baruch English Department, Writing Center, Tools for Clear Speech, and the Conversation Partners Program are all available to support multilingual students learning English. The English Department offers sections of Baruch’s required writing classes that are designed specifically for multilingual writers. Instructors of these sections are trained in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). These courses, ENG 2100T: Writing I and ENG 2150T: Writing II, are intensive versions of ENG 2100 and ENG 2150 with the same student learning goals. To give students extra time to develop their skills in written English, ENG 2100T and 2150T meet for six (6) hours per week rather than four (4) as do ENG 2100 and 2150.Additional classroom time and lower course caps (20 per section) provide EAL students numerous opportunities to write and receive feedback on multiple drafts and to work one-on-one with instructors as needed. ENG 2100T and ENG 2150T satisfy the “English Composition” requirement of the Pathways Required Core. Students typically are placed into ENG 2100T based on a writing sample scored by Baruch faculty, and, as needed, on the recommendation of their instructor and the EAL Director. The Baruch Writing Center offers one-on-one tutoring, working with English learners on a specific paper, cover letter, or any type of writing and at any stage of the writing process, including idea generation. They also organize workshops to address a variety of writing aspects. For convenience or in case the Writing Center is booked, written digital feedback is offered through their website. For more information, please visit the center’s webpage. In addition, Tools for Clear Speech (TCS) offer a wide range of options for improving speaking, including Oral Communication Video Assessment, Small-group Conversation Hours, and one-on-one sessions with a speech consultant. TCS assists students with public speaking skills for their presentations as well. Finally, the Conversation Partners Program offers the opportunity to work on speaking and intercultural communication skills.