The Center for Business and Economic Development (CBED) is offering adults who are non-native speakers of English an opportunity to increase their general proficiency. An eight-week series of English as a second language (ESL) evening classes will be held at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) in August.

This noncredit program, appropriate for ESL speakers with limited working proficiency in English, will help participants improve their conversational, everyday comprehension and fluency. It is designed for maximum student-teacher interaction in a supportive classroom environment. Participants will earn a certificate of completion.

The 90-minute classes will be held Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8 p.m. beginning August 6 and continuing through October 1. The curriculum will focus on:

• Conversational English, everyday expressions, and vocabulary
• Listening comprehension and fluency
• Understanding American English idioms
• Exploration of cultural dimensions of communication
• Use of cultural examples as a vehicle to improve language proficiency

The classes will be taught by Devin Blankenship, a talented ESL instructor with more than ten years of teaching experience, including internationally. Blankenship will use Compelling Conversations, a widely recognized and respected text to supplement his instruction.

Cost for the eight-week program is $400, which includes the textbook. To register, go to iupuc.edu/cbed, e-mail kjmccrac@iupuc.edu, or call 812.348.7202.