Students who wish to enroll in academic English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at Saddleback College should make a counseling appointment to receive ESL Placement. Academic ESL courses emphasize the acquisition of academic English language skills, particularly writing skills for college coursework.
English as a Second Language (ESL) Placement
To schedule an appointment with a counselor for ESL Placement, a student must call the Counseling Services department at the following phone number: (949) 582-4572. During the appointment, the counselor will recommend an appropriate starting point within the ESL course sequence based off each individual student's educational goal, current skill level, and the ESL department's placement rubric. This recommended starting point is made available to the student as an ESL Placement in the student's MySite account. Additionally, the counselor can advise a student on whether to enroll in credit or non-credit ESL courses.
ESL Course Sequence
The Saddleback College ESL Program includes Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and Pre-College level ESL courses. (Effective Spring 2026)
| Course Number | Coursse Name | Core Class | Prereq | Co-req | Units | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESL 90* (Credit) | Academic Writing 2 | Yes | ESL 80/380 or equivalent | None | 6 | 6 |
| ESL 390 (Non-Credit) | Academic Writing 2 | Yes | ESL 80/380 or equivalent | None | 6 | 6 |
| ESL 80* (Credit) | Academic Writing 1 | Yes | ESL 340 or equivalent | None | 6 | 6 |
| ESL 380 (Non-Credit) | Academic Writing 1 | Yes | ESL 340 or equivalent | None | 6 | 6 |
NOTE: *ESL 80 and ESL 90 are transferable to UC and CSU.
| Course Number | Coursse Name | Core Class | Prereq | Co-req | Units | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ESL 359 | American Language and Culture through Film | No | None | None | 3 | 3 |
ESL 357 | Grammar Review for College | No | None | None | 3 | 3 |
ESL 355 | ESL Reading for College: American Literature | No | None | None | 3 | 3 |
| ESL 354 | Vocabulary Skills for College | No | None | None | 3 | 3 |
| Course Number | Coursse Name | Core Class | Prereq | Co-req | Units | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESL 330 | Intermediate Multi-Skills I | Yes | None | None | 6 | 6 |
| ESL 331 | Intermediate Multi-Skills II | Yes | None | None | 6 | 6 |
| ESL 332 | Intermediate Conversation | No | None | None | 3 | 3 |
| ESL 333 | Intermediate Pronunciation | No | None | None | 3 | 3 |
| ESL 335 | Intermediate Writing I | No | None | None | 3 | 3 |
| ESL 336 | Intermediate Writing II | No | None | None | 3 | 3 |
| Course Number | Coursse Name | Core Class | Prereq | Co-req | Units | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ESL 320 | Beginning Multi-Skills I | Yes | None | None | 6 | 6 |
| ESL 321 | Beginning Multi-Skills II | Yes | None | None | 6 | 6 |
ESL 322 | Beginning Conversation | No | None | None | 3 | 3 |
| ESL 323 | Beginning Pronunciation | No | None | None | 3 | 3 |
| ESL 325 | Beginning Reading and Writing | No | None | None | 3 | 3 |
Adult Education ESL (AESL)
Saddleback College's Adult Education Program offers AESL classes at several community sites for students developing early literacy skills in English. AESL is a great fit for English language learners seeking to take free, noncredit classes for personal development rather than an immediate or short-term academic goal, like earning a degree.
View More information about AESL and the Adult Education Program