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College Readiness Academy Skills

Career Field/Area: General/Multi-Pathway

Adult Career Pathway: Any career pathways requiring college credit and college degree

NRS Levels Addressed:

  • High Intermediate ESL
  • Advanced ESL
  • Middle Intermediate Basic Education
  • High Intermediate Basic Education
  • Low Adult Secondary Education
  • High Adult Secondary Education

Part of an approved IET program? No

Year IET Approved (if applicable):

Credentials the Course Prepares Students for: NONE

Also Prepares Students for: Preparation for college degree program.

Target Student Population: TABE Reading, 476+

Access Curriculum: View Materials

Additional Access Instructions/Links: CRA Skills Syllabus

Course Description: This course builds knowledge, skills, and confidence in standard American English with a focus on academic writing, reading, oral communication, and digital literacy. Critical language areas are integrated throughout the course to prepare students for college-level success. The novel A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park will serve as the core text for reading, writing, discussion, and project work.

Course Objectives:

Reading (Aligned to CCRS Standards)

  • Cite textual evidence to support analysis and inference.
  • Determine main ideas and organizational structure of texts.
  • Analyze word meanings (figurative, connotative, technical).
  • Analyze relationships between ideas in a sentence, paragraph, or section.
  • Determine point of view, purpose, and rhetorical strategies.
  • Recognize academic text structures across different genres.

Writing

  • Use graphic organizers and outlines to draft structured paragraphs.
  • Write summary and synthesis paragraphs with college-level transitions and word choice.
  • Plan, revise, edit, and format short essays for submission.
  • Use word processing programs and submit assignments via Google Classroom.
  • Write bibliographic entries for scholarly sources.

Speaking and Listening

  • Come prepared for discussions with notes.
  • Connect ideas from different speakers in classroom conversations.
  • Speak clearly about main ideas from lectures and audio texts.
  • Deliver a visual/oral presentation using Google Slides.
  • Adapt speech for different audiences and tasks.

Grammar Focus

  • Identify and use simple, compound, and complex sentences effectively.

Digital Skills

  • Send appropriate emails with subject, greeting, message, closing, and signature.
  • Respond to emails promptly; check email daily.
  • Post assignments in Google Classroom.
  • Create, edit, and organize files in Google Drive.
  • Share documents, revise collaboratively in Google Docs.
  • Create a resume using Google Drive tools.
  • Create and present slides in Google Slides.

Duration: 12 weeks, 2 sessions per week, 3 hour/session = 72 total instructional hours

Curriculum Materials/Description:

Required Course Materials:

  • Core Text: A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park is available electronically in a few ways:
    • Amazon Kindle (Paid eBook): Amazon Kindle version here
    • Google Books (Paid eBook): Google Books version here
    • Open Library (Free Borrowing): You can borrow a free eBook (for 1 hour at a time, renewable) through the nonprofit library site Open Library
  • Three-ring binder
  • Notebook
  • Access to a device (laptop, tablet, or desktop)

Delivery Method(s):

  • In person
  • Online synchronous (live instruction)
  • Hybrid (a combination of online and in-person instruction)
  • HyFlex (live instruction with students both in classroom and online)

Curriculum Pluses: Aligned to ACES TIF (Transitions Integration Framework), Aligned to CCRS (College & Career Readiness Standards), Aligned to Northstar Digital Literacy Standards, Complete instructional materials/lesson plans included, No approval required to access materials, No paid subscription/account required. This curriculum helps to prepare learners for the next level of class: College Readiness Academy Advanced for Credit class, which would then allow students to complete three college credits in partnership with Metro State.

Curriculum Drawbacks: Textbook or purchased materials required. However, A Long Walk to Water is an inexpensive book that is easily accessed online as well, so hopefully it should not be much of an obstacle. Materials are not arranged by unit, as the authors sees benefit in moving curriculum around to adapt to the needs of the students.

Additional Curriculum Notes: Instructors at IIMN will continue to update the files that are in the shared Google Folder.

Author: Elizabeth Fontaine, International Institute of Minnesota

Year Created: 2025

Year Updated: N/A

Contact: 

Elizabeth Kaneko Fontaine
International Institute of MN
[email protected]
(612) 817-2981