English as a Second Language
From a first English class to a full Ontario diploma.
Five levels, ESLAO through ESLEO, each one a full Ontario credit on the same transcript as every other course. We place your child at the level that fits the English they have now.
- Levels
- 5
- Credit each
- 1
- Online, per level
- $580
- In Woodbridge
- On campus
The five levels
Where your child starts.
Students move up as they are ready, and most pair ESL with regular Ontario credits well before the last level.
ESLAO, Level 1
Little or no English yetThe starting point for students with little prior English. Lessons focus on the spoken language of daily school and community life, basic reading and writing in everyday contexts, and the confidence to ask, answer, and participate in a Canadian classroom.ESLBO, Level 2
Manages everyday conversationStudents develop the language they need to begin learning in English alongside their peers. Reading widens to short articles and stories, writing extends to paragraphs, and spoken English begins to support content learning across subjects.ESLCO, Level 3
Ready for some mainstream classesA bridge into mainstream classrooms. Students read longer texts, write structured compositions, and use English to discuss ideas drawn from history, science, and literature. This is where most students begin pairing ESL with regular Ontario credits.ESLDO, Level 4
Studying in English, building academic writingAcademic English moves to the centre. Students work with literary and informational texts, write extended essays and research pieces, and refine the listening and speaking skills required for senior-grade discussion and presentation.ESLEO, Level 5
Close to Grade 12 EnglishEquivalent in level to a Grade 12 English course. Students read full-length literature, write the essays and analyses expected at the Grade 12 standard, and finish ready for university-preparation English or direct entry into ENG4U.
How we teach
What ESL looks like here.
Classes small enough to speak in
Our ESL students sit in classes small enough for the teacher to hear every voice, every day, which is the whole point of how we size a classroom.Feedback on writing and on speaking
Teachers give each student feedback on writing, on pronunciation, and on the subtle gaps that hold a student back from sounding like themselves in a second language.A schedule around the rest of the week
ESL credits run alongside the full-time program, in part-time and night school, and through summer for students moving quickly between levels.
Why it counts
English credits on the same transcript.
ESL credits sit on the same Ontario transcript as every other course at Vaughan College and count toward the thirty credits required for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. A student who arrives in Canada with little English can begin at ESLAO and finish here with a full OSSD and a university offer.
We teach them at our campus on Weston Road in Woodbridge, and every level is also open as an online credit, for a student who has not arrived in Canada yet or who is fitting ESL around another school’s timetable. Families applying from abroad can see the whole pipeline on our international students page.
Next step
Not sure which level fits?
Tell us about your child’s prior schooling, the English they have now, and where they want to end up. We will recommend a starting level and a schedule that fits the rest of their week.
Already know the level? Each one can be bought on its own, with no application.