Learning English as a Second Language
Three courses in the English Department--English 121, 131, and 132-- focus on teaching advanced English academic literacy to University of Tennessee students whose first or strongest language is not English. In order to register for any of these classes, you must be a regularly admitted UT student, and you must be placed into the class as the result of your scores on the English Placement Exam.
English Placement Exam
This exam is administered twice a year, normally on the Friday before classes begin in fall and spring terms. Normally all incoming students whose first or strongest language is not English are required to take this exam. Students are informed of their requirement to take the exam through graduate and undergraduate admissions. The exam covers reading, writing, and grammatical accuracy and takes about three hours to complete. The results of this exam admit students into English 121, 131, or 132.
ESL Courses
English 121
This course is open to both graduate students and undergraduate students who place into the course on the basis of their scores on the English Placement Exam. The course focuses on academic literacy (that is, developing academic reading, writing, and vocabulary), grammatical accuracy, and, to a lesser degree, on academic speaking. It meets four hours a week for four credit hours. It does not meet university undergraduate requirements for freshman composition.
English 131
This course is the equivalent of English 101 in meeting the university's undergraduate requirements for freshman composition. The course focuses on academic writing for undergraduate students by helping students explore and develop writing processes. It carries three credit hours.
English 132
This course is the equivalent of English 102 in meeting the university's undergraduate requirement for freshman composition. The course focuses on reading and writing about literature and on research skills needed for academic writing. It carries three credit hours.
Additional Information
For additional information about the Placement exam and about English 121, 131, and 132, contact the Director of ESL, Dr. Ilona Leki, in 405 McClung Tower; (865) 974-5401; e-mail: leki@utk.edu