Glendale Community College, CA - Garfield Campus
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All registration for Fall 2025 Noncredit ESL classes must be done online at the MYGCC portal. Unlike previous semesters, there will be no in-person registration at the Garfield Campus. Please reach out to Student Services for registration training. Here is a link on how to register for noncredit classes.
Fall 2025: 09/2/25 - 12/17/25
Winter 2026: 01/05/2026 - 02/12/2026
Registration Dates:
Wednesday, December 17: Literacy, Level 1, Older Adults, and Level 2 classes. Beginning Conversation and Beginning Citizenship classes
Continuing students (priority): 9:00 AM
New students (open): 1:00 PM
Thursday, December 18: Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5 classes. Intermediate and Advanced Conversation, Pronunciation, Citizenship classes
Continuing students (priority): 9:00 AM
New students (open): 1:00 PM
*DSPS students at 8:00 AM each day.
Picture ID required for in-person registration support.
Find out which classes are open:
Online Schedule
Online Schedule Help: To view ESL noncredit classes, in Class Search, select
Subject: ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
College: Noncredit
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We offer morning, afternoon, and evening classes both online and in person. In person classes are offered at the Garfield and Verdugo Campuses. Please check the schedule of classes.
ESL (Literacy) 1 is designed for students who need to acquire fundamental literacy and communicative skills in English to successfully participate in everyday situations. Instruction integrates listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Instruction emphasizes:
- recognizing, printing, and using the alphabet
- learning sound/letter relationships to read, write and spell
- developing basic vocabulary
- recognizing, writing, and using the numbers 1–100
- acquiring the language structures and communicative skills necessary in basic life skills competencies.
Total Class: 160.0- 224.0
Total Units: 0.0
Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on a division assessment, or referral by ESL 10 instructors, or student self-referral.
ESL (for Older Adults) 5 is designed for older adult learners at the low-beginning level of English acquisition. Students read and listen to dialogues and compose and practice original dialogs. Other activities include reading of short stories or paragraphs, writing sentences and short paragraphs, role playing of everyday situations, listening comprehension, dictation, and life skills competencies. This course provides instruction in:
- reading and writing
- sentence structure
- spelling and phonemic correspondences
- verbal communication skills
- emphasizes oral and written activities.
Total Class Hours: 160.0- 224.0
Total Lecture Units: 0.0
Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on a division placement assessment, or completion of ESL 1, referral by ESL 10 instructors, or student self-referral.
ESL 10 is designed for students at the low beginning level of English acquisition. Students read and listen to dialogues and compose and practice original dialogues. Other activities include reading of short stories or paragraphs, writing sentences and short paragraphs, role playing of everyday situations, listening comprehension, dictation, and life skills competencies. This course provides instruction in:
- simple reading and writing
- basic sentence and paragraph structure
- spelling and phonemic correspondences
- listening and oral communication skills
Total Class Hours: 160.0- 224.0
Total Units: 0.0
Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on a division placement assessment or completion of ESL Literacy 1.
ESL 15 helps low-beginning ESL students learn English for work and life. Students study and practice simple listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar and interpersonal skills in workplace and everyday life contexts.
- simple reading and writing
- basic sentence and paragraph structure
- spelling and phonemic correspondences
- listening and oral communication skills
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Total Class Hours: 140-224
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Total Units: 0.0
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Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on a division placement assessment, completion of ESL 1, or equivalent.
ESL 20 is designed for students at the high-beginning level of English acquisition. Emphasis is placed upon the study of grammar and vocabulary necessary for everyday life and general understanding of spoken English. This course provides instruction in:
- reading and writing
- basic sentence and paragraph structure
- spelling
- verbal communication skills
- listening comprehension of everyday spoken English
- development of life skills competencies
Total Class Hours: 160.0- 224.0
Total Units: 0.0
Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on a division placement assessment or completion of ESL 10.
ESL 25 helps high-beginner students learn English for work and life. Students study and practice listening, speaking, reading, writing basic sentences and paragraphs, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and interpersonal skills for workplace and everyday life contexts.
- reading and writing
- basic sentence and paragraph structure
- spelling
- verbal communication skills
- listening comprehension of everyday spoken English
- development of life skills competencies
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Total Class Hours: 140-224
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Total Units: 0.0
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Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on a division placement assessment, completion of ESL 10, ESL 15, or equivalent.
ESL 30 is designed for students at the low-intermediate level of English acquisition. Instruction stresses the grammatical study of verbs and vocabulary development. Emphasis is placed upon general understanding of spoken and written English and overall effectiveness in communication. This course provides instruction in:
- reading and writing
- sentence and paragraph structure
- verbal communication skills
- comprehension of everyday spoken English
- development of life skills competencies
Total Class Hours: 160.0- 224.0
Total Units: 0.0
Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on a division placement assessment or completion of ESL 20.
ESL 35 is designed for students at the low-intermediate level of English acquisition. Special emphasis is given to effective communication in a variety of workplace situations. This course provides instruction in:
- workplace reading and writing
- grammar
- sentence and paragraph structure
- verbal communication skills
- comprehension of spoken English
- development of soft skills for a vocational context.
Total Class Hours: 160.00 - 224.00
Total Units:0.00
Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on a division placement assessment, completion of ESL 20, or equivalent.
ESL 40 is designed for students at the high-intermediate level of English acquisition. Instruction stresses the grammatical study of clauses, a review of verb tenses, and vocabulary development. Emphasis is placed upon the direct study of English grammar appropriate for academic settings and overall effectiveness in communication. This course provides instruction in:
- reading and writing
- sentence and paragraph structure
- verbal communication skills
- comprehension of everyday spoken English
- development of life skills competencies.
Total Class Hours: 160.0- 224.0
Total Units: 0.0
Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on a division placement assessment or completion of ESL 30 or ESL 35.
ESL 45 is designed for students at the high-intermediate level of English acquisition. Special emphasis is given to culturally-appropriate, effective communication in a variety of workplace situations. This course provides instruction in:
- workplace reading and writing
- grammar
- verbal communication skills
- comprehension of spoken English
- development of soft skills (interpersonal skills) for a vocational context.
Total Class Hours: 160.00 - 224.00
Total Units:0.00
Recommended Preparation: Placement is based on performance on a division assessment, completion of ESL 30, ESL 35, or equivalent.
ESL 50 is designed for students at the advanced level of English acquisition. Special attention is given to the development of writing skills. Emphasis is placed upon the direct study of English grammar appropriate for academic settings and overall effectiveness in communication. This course provides instruction in:
- reading and writing
- paragraph and essay structure
- verbal communication skills
- comprehension of academic, professional, and everyday spoken English
- development of life skills competencies
Total Class Hours: 160.0- 224.0
Total Units: 0.0
Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on a division placement assessment or completion of ESL 40 or ESL 45.
ESL 55 is for students at the advanced level of English. This course provides English language listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, and interpersonal skills for work-related contexts. Culturally-appropriate communication, digital literacy, and critical thinking are integrated throughout the course. Instruction includes English grammar appropriate for workplace and everyday life settings.
- reading and writing
- paragraph and essay structure
- verbal communication skills
- comprehension of academic, professional, and everyday spoken English
- development of life skills competencies
- Total Class Hours: 140-224
- Total Units: 0.0
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Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on a division placement assessment, completion of ESL 40, ESL 45 or equivalent.
ESL 57 is designed for students at the advanced level of English acquisition. This course places a special emphasis on the development of academic writing skills. Students study increasingly complex grammatical structures and incorporate these structures into essays of three to five paragraphs. Through a direct examination of English grammar and vocabulary appropriate for academic settings, students learn how to develop their overall effectiveness in communication at a college level. This course provides instruction in:
- reading and writing
- paragraph and essay structure
- verbal communication skills
- comprehension of academic, professional, and everyday spoken English
- development of life skills competencies.
Total Class Hours: 160.0- 224.0
Total Units: 0.0
Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on a division placement assessment, completion of ESL 40, ESL 45, or equivalent.
ESL 80 is designed for students who cannot effectively communicate in most everyday situations. Controlled dialogues and free conversations are presented as students participate in role plays of common, everyday topics including family life, working conditions, consumer issues, and academic goals. Clear speaking and listening comprehension are stressed in classroom drills and activities. Laboratory assignments may be added by the instructor based on individual student needs.
Total Class Hours: 45.0- 112.0
Total Units: 0.0
Recommended Preparation: ESL 10 or equivalent
ESL 81 is designed to help intermediate students improve their oral communication, listening comprehension, and vocabulary. Pronunciation of individual sounds, word and sentence stress, and intonation patterns are practiced. Students role-play in pairs and small groups. Class discussions are also used. Laboratory assignments may be added by the instructor based on individual student needs.
Total Class Hours: 45.0- 112.0
Total Units: 0.0
Recommended Preparation: ESL 30 or equivalent.
ESL 85 is designed to help intermediate students improve their oral communication, listening comprehension, and vocabulary in a workplace context. Students participate in work and career-related class discussions, presentations, and role plays such as mock job interviews. Students also practice pronunciation of individual sounds, word and sentence stress, and intonation patterns. The instructor may add laboratory assignments based on individual student needs.
Total Class Hours: 45.00 - 112.00
Total Units:0.0
Recommended Preparation: Placement is based upon performance on the division placement assessment, completion of ESL 20, or equivalent.
ESL 82 stresses fluency and clarity in formal and informal communicative activities. Activities may involve the preparation and presentation of reports, summaries, and persuasive speeches. Students are encouraged to use the vocabulary and grammatical structures appropriate to formal settings. Cultural subtleties such as body language are reviewed to maximize the production of efficient communication. Listening comprehension and lecture skills are also practiced. Laboratory assignments may be added by the instructor based on individual student needs.
Total Class Hours: 45.0- 112.0
Total Units: 0.0
Recommended Preparation: ESL 40 or ESL 50 or equivalent
ESL 95 helps advanced students improve oral communication, listening comprehension, and vocabulary in a workplace context. Students participate in work and career-related class discussions, presentations, and role plays while focusing on cultural subtleties and conversational strategies.
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Total Class Hours: 45-112
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Total Units: 0.0
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Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ESL 40/45 or ESL 50/55/57 or equivalent
ESL 090 Citizenship is designed for students at the high-beginning level of English acquisition. This course provides instruction in reading and writing, sentence structure, verbal communication skills, and comprehension of everyday spoken English. Emphasis is placed on oral and written English necessary to pass the United States citizenship exam. The course content includes instruction in the history and government of the United States, and educates students in the steps to becoming a United States citizen.
Total Class Hours: 24.0-64.0
Total Units: 0.0
Recommended Preparation: ESL 10 or equivalent
ESL 84 is designed for ESL students at the high beginning/low intermediate level of English acquisition. This course concentrates on approximating North American pronunciation in the speech of non-native students using a variety of techniques. Practice in the pronunciation of individual sounds, rhythm, lexical and prosodic stress, intonation and phraseology helps students communicate more effectively and helps prepare them for everyday communication activities.
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Course Hours: 45-80
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Total Units: 0.0
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Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ESL 30/35 or ESL 40/45 or equivalent
ESL 86 is designed for ESL students at the advanced level of English acquisition. This course concentrates on approximating North American pronunciation in the speech of non-native students using a variety of techniques. Practice in the pronunciation of individual sounds, rhythm, lexical and prosodic stress, intonation and phraseology helps students communicate more effectively and helps prepare them for everyday communication activities.
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Total Class Hours: 45-80
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Total Units: 0.0
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Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ESL 40/45, ESL 50/55/57 or the equivalent
ESL 87 helps high-intermediate-advanced ESL students improve their speaking and listening by studying popular U.S. American idioms and slang. Students will participate in class discussions, role plays, oral presentations, and written assignments. The course also includes instruction on U.S. American culture, pronunciation, and communication in various situations.
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Total Class Hours: 45-112
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Total Units: 0.0
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Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ESL 50/55/57 or the equivalent
ESL 88 helps high-intermediate to advanced ESL students improve their speaking and listening by studying work-related U.S. American idioms, slang, and jargon. Students will participate in class discussions, role plays, oral presentations, and written assignments. The course also includes instruction on U.S. American culture, pronunciation, and communication in various situations.
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Total Class Hours: 45-112
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Total Units: 0.0
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Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ESL 40/45 or the equivalent