ESOL Orientation
How Long Will It Take Me to Learn English?
What Will I Need to Pay?
Instruction and materials within the Odessa College Adult Education Division are free. State and federal money fund the adult education program. Therefore, you pay for your ESOL classes through taxes. Education, however, is not free!
Education requires time and hard work. Learning English will require a lot of time and it will not be easy. Here is a chart that will help you understand how long it will take to complete the Odessa College ESOL program. These estimates are based on your attending school every semester until you complete the program.
Beginning Levels
It will take you 8-10 semesters (2.5-3.5 years) to complete the ESOL program if you attend school every semester and practice speaking English outside of class. If you do not attend every semester or if you do not practice outside of class, it will take longer because you will forget what you have learned and will need to repeat classes.
Intermediate Levels
It will take you 5-8 semesters (1.5-2.5 years) to complete the ESOL program if you attend school every semester and practice speaking English outside of class. If you do not attend every semester or if you do not practice outside of class, it will take longer because you will forget what you have learned and will need to repeat classes.
Advanced Levels
It will take you 2-5 semesters (.5-1.5 years) to complete the ESOL program if you attend school every semester and practice speaking English outside of class. If you do not attend every semester or if you do not practice outside of class, it will take longer because you will forget what you have learned and will need to repeat classes.
How can you make learning English go faster?
- Attend class at least 90% of every semester. You cannot miss more than 5 days a semester!
- Ask your teacher for homework.
- Speak English at home, at the stores, with friends, at work.
Group Activity
Get into groups of three. Discuss how you feel about how long it takes to learn English. Are you disappointed? Did you think you could learn English in just a few months? Why do you think it takes so many years to learn English?
- What can you and your partners do to help each other learn English?
- What can your teacher do to help you learn English?
