Writing Courses
Academic Learning Skills (ALS) offers courses to improve student success in lower division, career technical, and transfer courses. ALS courses offer clear and direct articulation with courses required for the Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer degree. ALS coordinates class sequences and outcomes with the following departments and programs: Adult Basic and Secondary Education; English as a Second Language; Language, Literature and Communication; Health Careers; and Mathematics.
Students who take courses offered by Academic Learning Skills gain confidence and abilities to be successful in college-level classes. Students improve their reading, writing, vocabulary, critical thinking, math, and learning/study skills.
Writing Review Materials Online
Before you take your writing placement tests, brush up and refresh your grammar skills with free grammar review materials online that:
- you can use to review before taking writing placement tests
- you can use while taking more advanced writing courses to sharpen your skills or for review
- you can use to review or learn and apply in writing in any context
Try them yourself, here: Online grammar review modules
See the term schedule of classes for a list of available courses and full course descriptions.
ALS Writing and Effective Learning Corequisite Classes: WR087/EL116 and WR097/EL117
WR087/EL116 English Grammar and Paragraph Writing (3 + 3 transfer credits=6 credits)
This course integrates English grammar, paragraph writing, and readings. Students will develop their ability to write standard English sentences that demonstrate a mastery of grammatical concepts while learning about and using the writing process. Students will also demonstrate control and understanding of the writing process: generate and organize ideas, write drafts, revise, and edit paragraphs. In addition, students will practice paragraph structures, development of ideas in a paragraph, and sentence editing and revision. Course activities may be enhanced through conferences, workshops, and/or online modules.
Each WR087 class is paired with a specific EL116 class, and students must register for both classes on myLane at the same time.
EL117 Connections: Specific Study Skills (3 credits, transferable as an elective)
Corequisite: WR097. Students will develop and strengthen their critical reading, thinking, and writing skills. Together, EL117 and WR097 integrate these skills to prepare students for college-level writing.
WR097 Introduction to Essay Writing (3 developmental credits)
Corequisite: EL117. This course introduces students to essay writing and prepares students for WR115. Students will demonstrate control and understanding of the writing process: generate and organize ideas, write drafts, revise, and edit paragraphs and multi-paragraph essays. Students will learn to recognize and correct grammatical errors in their writing. Course activities may be enhanced through conferences, workshops, and/or online modules.
EL117/WR097: Each WR097 section is connected to an EL117 section. When students register, they will be prompted to register for a specific pair of classes.