The following courses are taught by ESOL Program faculty. All courses are open to any MHC and 5-college student who wishes to enroll.

Other Courses

FYS 110LG– Slang: Language, Community, and Power

Course Description: Language is a living system. It grows and changes, despite efforts to preserve it. This course examines how slang participates in these changes. What separates slang from standard language, and who sets the standard? Through readings in linguistics and literature, this course examines how we use language to connect, create, and control.
Writing-Intensive

ENGL 104– Academic Discourse For Multilingual Speakers

Course Description: In this course we to seek to achieve clarity and precision of expression within a discussion of a complex topic. Course readings and writing assignments guide students through an examination of topics related to language, culture, and academic convention. Past semesters’ topics include: the role of education in society; the relationship between religion, culture, and nature; and family relationships across cultures. In addition to the academic content, the course focuses on the writing and revising process, academic research and argumentation, and the nature and purpose of academic discourse. This course is intended for students whose native language is not English and who would like to refine their writing and speaking skills.
Writing-Intensive

ENGL 209 — Constructed Languages

Course Description: Languages are created by communities, shaped by each generation and passed on to the next. Constructed Languages (conlangs), in contrast, are created intentionally to serve philosophical or artistic goals. Conlangs are often seen in science fiction and fantasy genres, contributing texture to the fictional world. Constructing a language is an act of creativity, but conlangs can never be as complex as natural languages. Which aspects of language do conlangs illuminate, and which do they flatten? How do they critique or reinforce ideologies of oppression? We will approach these questions from linguistic, literary, cognitive, and sociological perspectives.

Applies to Humanities requirement
Writing-Intensive

ENGL 217GE — Global English

Course Description: What is the relationship between language and social and political power? This course is an interdisciplinary study of the global role of the English language. Migration, education, and identity are major themes of the course, and we look at how linguists, policy-makers, and individuals grapple with these complex topics. This course also focuses on students’ development of their written and spoken communication skills and is open to students in all disciplines. Our approach to writing and speaking may be particularly effective for students who do not identify as native speakers of English.

Applies to Humanities and Multicultural Perspectives requirements
Speaking-Intensive, Writing-Intensive