Heather DeSmidtESL Course Taught

Reading 4/
Low Advanced level

Contra Costa College

Spring 2015

This course develops academic and professional English

proficiency through extensive reading at the lowadvanced level. It provides instruction in contextualized
reading strategies to facilitate reading comprehension and
accelerate the acquisition of vocabulary.

Grammar 2/
Intermediate level

Contra Costa College

Fall 2014 & Spring
2015

This course provides instruction in grammar and writing

for intermediate ESL students.

Writing 1/
High beginning level

Contra Costa College

Spring, Fall 2014
Spring 2015

This course provides instruction in paragraph writing for

high-beginning ESL students.

Writing 3/
High Intermediate
level

Contra Costa College

Spring 2014

This course provides instruction in paragraph writing and

short compositions for high-intermediate ESL students.

Case Study Methods/

Advanced level

Golden Gate
University
Fall 2013

Introduces students to critical analysis. They learn to read,

analyze, and discuss cases in small-group and whole-class
settings, take part in formal case discussions, respond to
Harvard Business Review case questions, and write up a
case. They use this valuable, hands-on approach to
learning while improving their written and spoken English.

Applied Critical
Thinking/
Advanced level

Golden Gate
University
Fall 2013

Provides training vital to the development of good

research and writing skills. Students learn to read critically,
research to support theses, organize ideas and writing.
Through assignments based on their degree-program
coursework, they improve the grammar of their written
English

Advanced Grammar
for Written Expression
/ High Intermediate to
advanced levels

American Language
Institute, San
Francisco State
University
Fall 2013

This class focuses on increasing the students

understanding and accurate usage of the grammatical
forms and structures necessary for successful oral and
written communication in English. Focus is also given to
expanding vocabulary and improving writing skills through
exposure to a variety of authentic texts.

Advanced Reading,
Writing,
Research/Advanced
level

American Language
Institute, San
Francisco State
University
Summer 2013

Provides training vital to the development of good

research and writing skills. Students learn to read critically,
research to support theses, organize ideas and writing.

Heather DeSmidtESL Course Taught

Intermediate
Grammar /
High beginning to low
intermediate levels

American Language
Institute, San
Francisco State
University
Summer 2013

This class focuses on increasing the students

understanding and accurate usage of the grammatical
forms and structures necessary for successful oral and
written communication in English.

Pronunciation /
High Intermediate to
advanced levels

American Language
Institute, San
Francisco State
University
Spring 2013

This course provides instruction in sentence-level

pronunciation patterns for intermediate and advancedlevel ESL students. Students learn to recognize their
pronunciation problems, to listen to themselves, and to
self-correct.

Listening and
Speaking/
High Intermediate
level

American Language
Institute, San
Francisco State
University
Spring 2013
Fall 2012

This course provides instruction in listening and speaking

for high-intermediate ESL students. Special attention is
given to pronunciation, aural comprehension, idiomatic
expressions, note taking, and listening strategies.

Courses as Teaching Assistant

First Year ESL
Composition /
Low Advanced to
advanced levels

Composition for
Multilingual Students,
San Francisco State
University
Fall 2011

This course in written communication prepares students

for extended composition and reading tasks. The focus is
on the fundamentals of the composing process and on
writing academic prose. Students read articles, essays, or
books to improve their critical reading skills as well as to
get ideas for their compositions. Students also learn
heuristics to help them find topics and develop their ideas
in writing. The course includes the composing and revising
of short essays with emphasis on clarity and adequate
supporting information