ESL 013 is designed to help students refine their writing skills and review certain points in grammar. It improves students' writing proficiency to a level which would allow the students to function adequately in ENG 111 or ENG 111/009 and other college classes. 

Prerequisite: Satisfactory score on English Placement Exam

If you do well in this course, you will be able to:

• Formulate a thesis and develop it.
• Produce clear, logically developed essays using idiomatic English.
• Use strategies for approaching a variety of writing tasks. 

The required textbook for this course is:

• From Thought to Word by Kessler and Collins, Published by Houghton Mifflin.
  
• Visions Across the Americas, 5th Ed., by Warner and Hilliard. Harcourt Publishers.
  
• A Writer's Reference, 5th Ed., by Hacker, Published by Bedford/St. Martin's.

For information on how to order your textbooks, go to http://eli.nvcc.edu/books/

Call before going to a campus bookstore to make sure the materials are in stock. If you don't see what you need, ask for assistance. Each bookstore has a separate section for ELI courses. Print this page and take it with you to avoid confusion.

Your course grade will be determined by the forums, homework, essays, research paper, and exam, according to the following points:

There are two (2) essay and one (1) proctored exam in this course. You are expected to take your examinations at one of the NVCC campus Testing Centers. Be sure to allow enough time to complete your exam before the Testing Center closes; Testing Centers have specific policies relating to the administration of ELI exams. You will need to take a photo ID, your NovaConnect empl ID number, and the appropriate Exam Pass when you go to the Testing Center.  

For Testing Center locations, hours of operation and policies, click here.

For information on taking exams outside of the metropolitan area, click here.

I am here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact me when they do:

E-mail : mjusino@nvcc.edu
Telephone : (703) 450-2505
You may also call me to schedule a meeting in person, either at ELI or my campus office in Woodbridge. 

1. Use your web browser to connect to http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart. Follow the directions to determine your email, Blackboard and VIVA account user names and passwords.
2. Access your email account and make sure you know how to use it; you will be required to use this account for all course-related email.
3. Log on to Blackboard at http://learn.vccs.edu.
4. Click on this course under "My Courses." Review the entire course to make sure you understand what will be required of you. Then start completing the assignments.

Please note that account generation takes approximately one week from the time of your paid registration. If you cannot log on after one week, contact the IT Help Desk. If you can log on to Blackboard, but your course isn't listed, please contact ELI or your instructor.