Ryerson ESL Foundation Program at The Real Institute

ESL Foundation Program Curriculum

The ESL Foundation Program at the Real Institute has been designed to enhance students’ ability in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will be enrolled in a specific program stream, depending on their level of English fluency.

Each program stream (1-3) uses a modular approach to explore the English language. Each course is taught through theme-based modules, including Marketing, New Media, Sustainability, Global Affairs, and Creative Identities. A full list of ESL Foundation Program modules is provided at the end of this section.

Reading and Writing for Academic PurposesCOEN 810: Reading and Writing (Foundation III)Students will improve their vocabulary and reading skills, focusing on general topics while gaining skills in writing at the sentence and paragraph level.

COEN 820: Reading and Writing (Foundation II)Students will work with shorter academic texts, improving their vocabulary and acquiring effective reading strategies, while practicing skills in writing at the paragraph and essay level.

COEN 830: Reading and Writing (Foundation I)Students will enhance their ability to use academic vocabulary, perform textual analysis, write research essays, and engage in critical thinking.

Listening and Speaking for Academic PurposesCOEN 910: Listening and Speaking (Foundation III)Students will engage in listening and speaking tasks on topics relevant to their lives.

COEN 920: Listening and Speaking (Foundation II)Students will improve their listening strategies and oral fluency, using shorter academic texts for listening and speaking scenarios.

COEN 930: Listening and Speaking (Foundation I)Students will work on expanding their lexical knowledge and developing better language awareness to process syntax.

Speaking skills will be enhanced with attention to fluency, accuracy, and strategies for more effective communication. Improved presentation skills is a major focus of this class.

Themed Modules for ESL Foundation ProgramHere is a list of the themed modules that will be explored by students in the 2020/21 academic year:

Term 1

• Life and Language
• Movies, Music, and Gaming
• Food and Culture
• Relationships

Term 2

• Language and Identity
• Power and Society
• New Media
• Health and Wellness

Term 3

• Sustainability
• Ethics
• Marketing and Consumerism
• Making Connections