ELI Course Descriptions
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Courses in the English Language Institute (ELI) count towards graduation at the 100- and 200-levels, but not at the 90s level.
Placement into these classes is dependent on results from the English Language Placement Assessment and the Writing Placement Assessment administered during orientation week. Students who do not have placement results are not allowed to register. If you are advising a student without placement results, please contact the ELI director,
Intermediate Level Classes
ELI 091,Listening & Speaking, Intermediate, 4 credits
This course is designed for non-native English speakers to gain practice in listening comprehension, conversational skills, discussion skills, and understanding cultural differences.
This course does not count towards graduation from UH Hilo.
ELI 093, Academic Reading, Intermediate, 4 credits
This course is designed for non-native English speakers to prepare them for academic reading with work in vocabulary, understanding complex sentence structure, reading strategies, and writing in relation to reading.
This course does not count towards graduation from UH Hilo.
ELI 094, Academic Writing, Intermediate, 4 credits
This course is designed for non-native English speakers to prepare them for academic writing with work in sentence structure and the development of paragraph skills in a range of rhetorical styles.
This course does not count towards graduation from UH Hilo.
High-Intermediate Level Classes
ELI 101, Academic Oral Communication 1, 4 credits
This course is designed for non-native English speakers to improve listening comprehension, critical thinking, and communicating ideas in English and meeting American expectations. Native-speaker lectures and speech practice accelerate the learning skills needed for university work. Focus is on taking effective and well-organized notes on lectures, participating in discussions and giving both formal and informal presentations.
Entry requirement:
ELI 101 placement on the English Language Placement Assessment or successful completion (CR) of ELI 091: Listening & Speaking, Intermediate.
ELI 103, Academic Reading Strategies 1, 4 credits
Designed for non-native English speakers to strengthen academic reading skills. Focus is on building vocabulary, annotating, articulating stated and inferred ideas, distinguishing between fact and opinion, summarizing and responding thoughtfully to academic texts.
Entry requirement:
ELI 103 placement on the English Language Placement Assessment or successful completion (CR) of ELI 093: Academic Reading, Intermediate.
ELI 104, Rhetorical Writing Styles 1, 4 credits
Designed for non-native English speakers to practice writing coherent, well-developed paragraphs and essays in a variety of rhetorical styles.
Entry requirement:
ELI 104 placement on the Writing Placement Assessment or successful completion (CR) of ELI 094: Academic Writing, Intermediate.
Advanced Level Classes
ELI 201 , Academic Oral Communication 2, 4 credits
Designed for non-native English speakers to practice comprehending authentic American lecture discourse, spoken discourse and cross-cultural communication. Emphasizes effective note-taking, using the information for discussions and debate, giving well- organized and clearly expressed formal and informal presentations, and developing successful strategies for small group communication and collaboration.
Entry requirement:
ELI 201 placement on the English Language Placement Assessment or successful completion of ELI 101 with a C- or higher.
ELI 203 , Academic Reading Strategies 2, 4 credits
Designed for non-native English speakers to develop an effective reading approach to university-level texts as well as the critical reading skills necessary to comprehend, analyze, conduct research, summarize, synthesize and respond thoughtfully in both writing and speaking to authentic texts.
Entry requirement:
ELI 203 placement on the English Language Placement Assessment or successful completion of ELI 103 with a C- or higher.
ELI 204 , Rhetorical Writing Styles 2, 4 credits
Designed for non-native English speakers to practice writing expository essays, with an emphasis on the development of critical thinking skills, organization and support in argumentation. Attention is given to various stages of the writing process and on identifying and editing grammatical errors.
Entry requirement:
Placement into ELI 204 on the Writing Placement Assessment or successful completion of ELI 104 with a C- or higher.
Elective Courses, Multi-level
ESL 085 , American English Pronunciation, 2 credits
Designed for non-native speakers to improve their Standard American English (SAE) pronunciation. Emphasis is on making speech intelligible. Students will focus on vowel and consonant sounds, word-, phrase-, and sentence-stress, intonation, and rhythm. During class, students will practice differentiating speech sounds in both listening and production. Outside of class, student will use technology to practice. This course does not count towards graduation from UH Hilo.
No prerequisites.
Repeatable one time for credit.
ESL 086 , American Culture and Community, 2 credits
This multi-level course for non-native English speakers explores American culture through hands-on learning about topics such as treatment of the elderly, the environment, people with disabilities, addiction, homelessness, education, immigration and the treatment of animals. Topics will change each semester and a culminating project designed by students completes the course. Transportation to each on- site activity will be provided. This course does not count towards graduation from UH Hilo.
No prerequisites.
Repeatable one time for credit.
ESL 087 , American Culture through Film, 2 credits
This multi-level course for non-native speakers of English explores American culture through films about topics such as independence, civil disobedience, gender roles, race relations, individuality, overcoming odds, freedom, equality, education and immigration. Films will change each semester and a culminating project designed by students completes the course. This course does not count towards graduation from UH Hilo.
No prerequisites.
Repeatable one time for credit.