Non-Credit ELL
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact us!
- Phone: 515-697-7762
- Email: noncreditell@dmacc.edu
- Text us in your native language: 515-612-7708
Come visit us in Building 3 on Des Moines (Urban) Campus (1100 7th Street, Des Moines, IA 50314)!
ELL Office Hours
- Monday: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Tuesday: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
- Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
- Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
- Friday: Closed
Noncredit English Language Learner (ELL) courses, formerly called ESL or English as a Second Language (ESL), consist of multi-level English instruction for anyone 18 years or older. The courses move learners from a beginner level to a solid intermediate level of proficiency. The classes cover the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing as well as improving pronunciation and building vocabulary. The primary goal of the course is to teach communicative competence, that is, the ability to communicate in English according to the situation, purpose, and roles of the participants. The CASAS (Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System) is used to appraise the students' English reading and listening skills and to place them in the appropriate learning level.
Registration Information
Due to unexpected circumstances, we will not be accepting new students for our Fall Session #1 classes (Monday, August 25 – Thursday, October 16). Please check this website regularly for updates about the next time that we can accept new students. We will share more information as soon as we have it.
Attendance
If you register for a class, you must come to class. If you don't come to class, you will be dropped from the class. View the attendance policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
If any of these situations are true for you, you would not be eligible to take classes with us.
- You are under the age of 18
- You are still enrolled in high school (including 18 and older)
- You are in the United States on an international student visa or are a dependent of someone in the United States on an international student visa.
If you have questions or concerns about your eligibility for our program, please contact us directly.
Face-to-face classes are scheduled to be offered at:
- Urban Campus (1100 7th Street, Des Moines, IA 50314)
- Ankeny Campus (2006 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny, IA 50023)
- Evelyn K. Davis Center (1171 7th Street, Des Moines, IA 50131)
- Southridge Center (1111 E. Army Post Road, Des Moines, IA 50315)
- Ames Hunziker Center (1420 S. Bell Avenue, Ames, IA 50010)
- Perry VanKirk Center (1011 2nd Street, Perry, IA 50220)
- West Campus (5959 Grand Ave, West Des Moines, IA 50266)
- Oakridge Neighborhood (1401 Center Street, Des Moines, IA 50309)
Classes are also offered online.
Availability of class levels and times may vary from location to location. If you have questions about the times and levels of classes available at a particular location, please contact the ELL Office (noncreditell@dmacc.edu; 515-697-7762).
DMACC Non-Credit ELL program is currently offering six levels of classes (from basic to advanced).
Availability of class levels and times may vary from location to location. If you have questions about the times and levels of classes available at a particular location, please contact the ELL Office (noncreditell@dmacc.edu; 515-697-7762).
Classes are scheduled to be offered at:
- 8:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m., Monday – Thursday
- 10:30 a.m. – 12:30pm, Monday – Thursday
- 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Tuesday – Thursday
Registration Steps
Step 1. On registration day, fill out the registration forms and make an appointment for a placement test. The form is available in multiple languages. You can either fill these forms out online or you can come to campus on registration day to receive assistance.
You can find the registration day in the “Registration Information” section of this website.
Spots in our program fill very quickly. It is recommended that you register as early as possible on registration day. There may no longer be spots in the program by the afternoon.
Completing registration forms virtually
- A registration link for the upcoming session will appear on this website at 8:00 a.m. on the day of registration.
- Once the link is available, click on the link. You will fill out some limited personal information, such as name, address and telephone number. When that is completed, you will then choose a time and location for your placement test. Do not forget this step or you will not be registered.
- Please see this document for information about how to fill out the forms.
Registering In Person
- If you would like to receive assistance, you can visit the nearest DMACC campus on registration day. A listing of when and where you can receive assistance on registration day is located in the “Registration Information” of this website.
Step 2. Attend your placement testing appointment. At this appointment, you will complete a short reading placement test.
There are 6 levels to the ELL program. You will take a short reading test to help determine which level is best for you.
After you are done testing, you will meet with a staff member to choose a time and location for your class.
Step 3. Begin classes at the location and time you have chosen.
Classes are free. Our classes utilize an “online textbook” called Burlington English and you do NOT need to pay for it. Your teacher will talk to you about Burlington English during the first week of class and provide you with a username and password.
We understand that sometimes students need to miss class for appointments, sick children, illness, vacation, etc. However, you should try to come to class as much as possible and, if you need to miss class, please tell your teacher. If you miss three days of class in a row and have not told your teacher that you will be gone, you will be dropped from the class. You will not be able to come back to class until the next session.
No, students are only able to enroll in one class at a time in our program.
If you have extra time and want even more English practice, our online “textbook”, Burlington English, has lots of extra activities. Your teacher may also assign homework from Burlington English for you to work on outside of class. Another option for extra practice is to study with a tutor at the DMACC Academic Achievement Center (either in-person or online). Academic Achievement Center tutors have access to Burlington English and can help you with homework or with working through extra practice activities.
Unfortunately, DMACC does not provide childcare and children are not allowed in the classrooms. We also do not allow children to wait outside of classrooms while you are studying. Please make adequate childcare arrangements before coming to your class.
Students are assessed with the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS) reading and listening tests and with formal and informal in-class assessments carried out by instructors. Students move through the program (move up through the different levels of classes) based on their test scores and the recommendations of instructors. It is not uncommon for students to take the same level of class several times.
What can I do when I finish the program?
Multiple pathways are available upon completion of the ELL Non-Credit Program including:
The HiSET program is ideal for students who do not have a high school credential. Non-credit ELL students who wish to transfer to the HiSET program should have a CASAS reading score of 215 or higher.
Classes are offered at different times of day and they prepare students for the tests that they will need to pass in order to receive their high school equivalency (5 tests in 5 different subject areas). Please check the HiSET website for the upcoming semester schedule.
There is NO COST for the program – classes are FREE.
Credit courses are designed for students who would like to pursue a degree at DMACC (or another college/university). The courses are focused on developing academic communication skills. These courses are NOT free – DMACC tuition would apply, but financial aid may be available.
Non-credit ELL students who are interested in moving to Credit ELL should have a CASAS reading score of at least 220. Saem Parry is a good person to reach out to with questions about Credit ELL classes (shparry@dmacc.edu).
Students who would like to move to Credit ELL will need to APPLY to DMACC and complete the ELL Accuplacer. Upon completion, students must meet with an Academic Advisor to register for classes.
ELL students who are interested to transition to Credit classes, please contact John Windheuser at jbwindheuser@dmacc.edu.
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If you are a non-credit ELL student interested in transferring to the WTA program, please contact John Windheuser at jbwindheuser@dmacc.edu.
DMACC’s Jumpstart programs helps qualifying students become ready for jobs in certain high-demand industries. We combine training, academic support, and career preparation so you can succeed.
Support may include help learning industry terms, strengthening math, reading, writing, and English language skills in or out of the classroom, finding a job, and getting ready for skills testing/certification.
Currently DMACC offers Jumpstart programs in these areas:
- Nurse Aide (CNA) Jumpstart
- Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Jumpstart
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