Academic Catalog

NCEL 471: INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED ESL FOR FOOD WORKERS

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2022
Units: 0
Hours: 4 lecture per week (48 total per quarter)
Degree & Credit Status: Non-Degree-Applicable Non-Credit Course
Basic Skills, 4 Levels Below Transfer
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: None
Grade Type: Non-Credit Course (Receives no Grade)
Repeatability: Unlimited Repeatability

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate in writing an understanding of measurements and common recipes terms.
  • Listen to and respond to varied aural input related to customer interactions (requests, complaints, questions).
  • Listen to and verbally respond to varied aural input related to food preparation and safety (conversation, short talks, requests).
  • Verbally produce language needed for job advocacy (prepare short spoken conversation requesting time off, a raise, etc.).

Description

Intermediate-to-advanced level vocational English course for non-native speakers in the food service industry. Focus on improving comprehension and communication in a food service workplace.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. understand and produce intermediate-to-advanced vocabulary and engage in conversation related to safety and food handling procedures.
  2. understand and produce intermediate-to-advanced vocabulary and engage in conversation related to food preparation.
  3. follow recipes and read/convert units of measurement.
  4. read workplace communications, such as food tickets and invoices.
  5. interact with customers concerning questions, orders, and complaints.
  6. use and pronounce language needed for job interactions and advocacy (ask for a raise/advancement).

Course Content

  1. Understand and produce intermediate-to-advanced vocabulary and engage in conversation related to on the job safety and food handling procedures
    1. Safety
      1. Understand intermediate-to-advanced safety instructions (e.g., Don't wear jewelry while operating, Bend your knees when lifting)
      2. Describe injuries and ask for help
    2. Food handling
      1. Safe food preparation (e.g., cross contamination)
      2. Safe food service (e.g., food temperature)
      3. Safe food storage (e.g., rotating stock)
  2. Understand and produce intermediate-to-advanced vocabulary and engage in intermediate-to-advanced conversation related to food preparation
    1. Understand and use intermediate-to-advanced level grammar
      1. Present tense and aspects (present simple, present continuous)
      2. Past tense and aspects (past simple, past progressive, present perfect)
      3. Future tense
      4. Questions in various tenses/aspects (e.g., Am I late? Have you seen…?)
    2. Cooking techniques and equipment
      1. Recognize intermediate-to-advanced cooking verbs (e.g., julienne, dice, baste)
      2. Recognize more specified cooking utensils needed for their specific restaurant (e.g., chinois, mandolines)
      3. Pair correct verb with the corresponding utensil (e.g., mandolines are used to slice)
  3. Follow recipes and read/convert units of measurement
    1. Read basic recipes
      1. Know verbs common in recipes (e.g., dice, chop, steam)
      2. Cooking terms in typical recipes (e.g., dredge, thicken, sprinkle)
    2. Read and convert units of measurement
      1. Basic units of measure and their abbreviations (e.g., tbsp = tablespoon)
      2. Reduce and increase measurements (e.g., double the salt)
  4. Read workplace communications: food tickets and invoices
    1. Read food tickets
      1. Understand common restaurant abbreviations (e.g., S.O.S = sauce on the side)
      2. Understand common food ticket communications (e.g., Allergy! Extra sauce)
    2. Read invoices (e.g., quantity, product)
  5. Interact with customers concerning questions, orders, and complaints
    1. Respond to food related questions (e.g., Does this have nuts? Is this vegan?)
    2. Clarification strategies
    3. Restate orders/requests
    4. Apologize for mistakes
    5. Offer to correct mistakes (e.g., Can I get you a different salad?)
  6. Use and pronounce language needed for job interactions and advocacy (ask for a raise/advancement)
    1. Make small talk with bosses and supervisors
    2. Call in sick
    3. Apology language (e.g., for being late)
    4. Explain reasons for being late/absent
    5. Advocacy
      1. Ask for a raise
      2. Ask for a promotion
      3. Ask for time off/vacation
      4. Report misconduct/harassment to management
      5. Be aware of where/how to report misconduct/harassment at a city/state level

Lab Content

Not applicable.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. Kitchen/cooking realia.
2. When taught online, ongoing access to internet connection, email software and hardware, and a working email address are required.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

In-class assignments
1. Individual work
2. Pair and group work
Class performance
Speaking/pronunciation exercises
Listening and speaking exercises
Informal evaluations

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture
Discussion
Oral presentations
Demonstration
Role plays

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Elbaum, Sandra, and Judi P. Pemán. Grammar in Context: Basic, 6th ed.. 2016.

Pearson. Longman Dictionary of American English, 5th ed.. 2014.

Although the representative texts for this course are older than the suggested "5 years or newer" standard, they remain seminal in this area of study.

Other recommended instructional materials:
1. Instructor will provide food service specific materials, such as vocabulary lists, food safety worksheets, work oriented readings, and workplace role-plays.
Suggested online sources:
1. ServSafe California Food Handler Guide: https://www.servsafe.com/
2. English for My Job: http://www.englishformyjob.com/ell_foodandbeverage.html

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Readings in the text.
  2. Work related readings.
  3. Vocabulary exercises.

Discipline(s)

English as a Second Language (ESL): Noncredit