Whether you’re entering college for the first time, coming back to finish your degree or looking for career advancement opportunities, FSCJ offers the resources you need to reach your English language goals. Conveniently located throughout Northeast Florida, FSCJ offers classes on campus during the day, evening and on weekends.
As an English language student you will be a part of Florida State College at Jacksonville's proud culture of historically enrolling a diverse population of students from around the world. We have members from dozens of countries, speaking more than 80 languages.
This course is designed to give students an understanding of English grammar through class instruction and practice both inside and outside of the classroom. There are a few areas of special emphasis in this course that separate it from a grammar course for native speakers.
The first emphasis is on sentence and phrase structure.
The second emphasis in this course is on word choice. Most foreign language learners find themselves at a loss when faced with choosing the correct word in their non-native language, this can result in questionable meaning or a complete loss.
Specific grammar skills in this class include identifying and using correct verb forms, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, pronouns, as well as conjunctions.
This course is designed to give the student an understanding of the reading process through class instruction and practice both inside and outside of the classroom.
There is an emphasis on inductive/deductive reasoning processes of Western culture.
The second emphasis is on vocabulary. Although you will learn many new English words this semester, various techniques of vocabulary improvement are more important.
The third emphasis in this course is on reading fluency. Most foreign language learners read slower in their non-native language, which can mean more hours of study time.
Specific reading skills in this course include identifying main ideas and patterns of organization, making inferences and generalizations, distinguishing facts from opinions, and recognizing tone.
This course is designed to give the student an understanding of the writing process through class instruction and also practice both inside and outside of the class.
There is an emphasis on English grammar at the levels of the sentence, the clause, and the phrase.
The second emphasis is on vocabulary. Most foreign language learners have a limited vocabulary when writing in their non-native language, which could result in questionable meanings or a complete loss thereof.
The third emphasis in this course is on information organization. Many English language learners come from cultures that organize information in a different manner from that found in Western society.
Specific writing skills in this class do include the formation of complete sentences, the effective use of various sentence types, the understanding and use of brainstorming and outlining, and self-editing.
In the Listening and Speaking class, students will improve their skills through a customized curriculum, which is focused on pronunciation enhancement, intensive listening exercises, and opportunities to develop and practice a variety of speech functions through pair work, small group work, and class presentations.
Students are required to present oral reports and/or speeches, participate in a mock employment interview, participate in a debate on some student-chosen current event, and myriad other activities that present opportunities for students to practice and hone their English speaking and listening skills.
The English Language Intensive (ELI) Program offers intensive, high-quality, non-credit instruction for non-native English Language speakers. The ELI is under the Continuing Education Department of Florida State College at Jacksonville which is located at the Downtown Campus.
This program assists students in gaining proficiency in English as a second language and provides a better understanding of American culture. As the program’s central mission focus — consistent with the College's mission to provide meaningful learning, excellent teaching, and quality service — students will be provided an intellectually stimulating and supportive environment that is flexible yet goal-oriented.
International Students in the ELI program are treated to three (3) field trips each term. These immersion events are used to present and familiarize each student not only with Jacksonville’s rich history and that of northeast Florida, but also introduce them to new things they may not have the opportunity to experience in their home country. Each field trip is led by a knowledgeable tour guide providing an enjoyable and educational experience. Follow-on activities, such as a written paper or short oral presentation, are assigned by each instructor to assess understanding, emphasize the experience, and further highlight the tour.
The following is a list of locations and activities:
Top-to-Bottom Walking Tour of Jacksonville
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens
Sally Corp (Robotics & Animatronics)
Jacksonville Beach Historical Museum
Lavilla School of the Arts
Ritz Theatre
Alhambra Dinner Theatre
Amelia Island Museum of History
Castillo de San Marcos (St. Augustine)
Lightner Museum (St. Augustine)
Ribault Club
Kingsley Plantation
Museum of Contemporary Art
Cooking Class
Community Service Opportunities
As well, FSCJ hosts an International Education Week each fall complete with student activities, dance and song presentations, documentary and discussions, and food from all nations. Activities vary at each of the five campuses and students are encouraged to attend and participate in as many as they wish.
Monday January 17 - Orientation
Tuesday January 18 - Classes Start
Monday February 20 - Presidents Day - College Closed
Thursday February 23 - Field Trip to the Ritz Theater and Museum
Mon - Sun March 20-26 - Spring Break - College Closed
Thursday March 30 - Top-to-Bottom Walking Tour of Jacksonville
Mon/Tues April 17 & 18 - Diagnostic Assessments
Thursday April 20 - Student Conferences
Monday April 24 - ACCUPLACER Testing
Tuesday April 25 - Meet with Advisor
Monday May 15 - Orientation
Tuesday May 16 - Classes Start
Thursday May 25 - Top-to-Bottom Walking Tour of Jacksonville
Monday May 29 - Memorial Day - College Closed
Thursday June 29 - Field Trip to the Cummer Museum of Arts and Gardens
Mon - Tues July 3 & 4 - Independence Day Holiday - College Closed
Thursday July 27 - Field Trip to the Beaches Historical Museum
Mon/Tues August 14 & 15 - Diagnostic Assessments
Thursday August 16 - Student Conferences
Monday August 21 - ACCUPLACER Testing
Tuesday August 22 - Meet with Advisor
Students can make arrangements for homestays by contacting International Housing Placement Service (IHPS). IHPS emphasizes providing safe, quality, and affordable living accommodations with hosts who are pre-screened, interested in cultural exchange, and are happy to open their homes to students.
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