Cell-Ed Essentials Course Descriptions
English on the Go
Intro to English Part 1 (Inglés Introducción 1- curso en español)
This course is taught using Spanish and introduces learners to basic English elements such as
the alphabet, spelling, and numbers. Through short dialogues and stories on familiar situations,
learners study simple phrases for introducing oneself, applying for an apartment, registering
for school, talking about health, and more.
Intro to English Part 2 (Inglés Introducción 2- curso en español)
This course is taught using Spanish and introduces learners to more grammar and functional
phrases to start communicating in English. Through short dialogues and stories on familiar
situations, learners practice expressions to make small talk, get and give directions, make
appointments, ask for help, and more. Learners also review the simple present tense, question
formation, imperatives, and ordinal numbers.
English Level 1
This course is taught using Spanish and introduces learners to basic elements of English such as
the alphabet, spelling, and numbers. Through short dialogues and stories on familiar situations,
learners study simple phrases for introducing oneself, applying for an apartment, registering
for school, talking about health, and more.
English Level 2
This course expands learners’ vocabulary, expressions, and grammar in a wide variety of
scenarios, such as health, moving, traveling, finance, etc. Learners practice how to use regular
verbs in the past to talk about activities, the future with “will” to talk about plans, and the
present perfect to talk about recent events. They also learn how to use simple modal verbs like
can and should, as well as some common idioms and phrasal verbs.
English Level 3
This course helps learners develop more complex vocabulary and grammar to navigate familiar
situations such as negotiating, making plans, discussing health, etc. Learners practice how to
ask polite questions, talk about past memories using ‘used to’, talk about preferences using
‘would rather’, and use the modals must, could, and might to make inferences.
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They also learn how to use more specific phrases like ‘already, ever, yet’ and ‘too much and not
enough’ when they speak.
English Level 4
This course helps learners refine skills to navigate familiar situations, such as continuing a
conversation, negotiating, interviewing, making travel plans, etc. Learners practice
pronunciation and review questions and phrases to have a conversation and make requests.
They also expand their grammar by reviewing superlatives and modals, as well as learn
vocabulary and appropriate language for everyday situations.
English Level 5
This course focuses on strengthening learners’ communication skills to navigate social and work
situations. Learners review phrases to express appreciation and satisfaction, understand and
use reduced forms of speech (didja, wouldja, etc.), and use phrases to respectfully agree or
disagree with others’ perspectives. They also develop basic reading comprehension skills, such
as main idea identification, inference, and reading for “getting the gist”.
English Level 6
This course further develops learners’ communication skills and prepares them to function
more independently in social and work situations. Learners practice language for giving
compliments, expressing sympathy, showing preference for a particular choice, giving
instructions, comparing and contrasting ideas, and suggesting solutions. They also review
persuasive strategies and complete reading comprehension questions.
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English for Work
All Customer Service courses were developed in partnership with Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
English for Home Health Aides
Developed in partnership with SEIU 1199
This course helps learners to develop language and skills to navigate a career as a Home Health
Aide. Through real-world scenarios and dialogues, learners practice in order to be successful in
daily activities with clients, such as making conversation, navigating special diets, practicing
safety at work, and more.
English for Customer Service 1
This course helps learners develop necessary language and skills for working in customer
service. Through dialogues and real-world scenarios, learners practice functional phrases and
vocabulary related to a number of customer service roles, with an emphasis on the hotel and
restaurant industries.
English for Customer Service 2
This course helps learners develop necessary language and skills for working in customer
service. Through dialogues and real-world scenarios, learners identify examples of good
customer service, and practice solving problems when they arise.
English for Hotel Customer Service 1
This course helps learners develop necessary language and skills for working in customer
service. Through dialogues and real-world scenarios, learners identify different jobs within the
service sector, as well as the three key ingredients of customer service in a hotel setting.
English for Hotel Customer Service 2
This course helps learners develop necessary language and skills for working in customer
service. Through dialogues and real-world scenarios, learners identify examples of good
customer service, and practice solving problems when they arise in a hotel setting.
English for Restaurant Customer Service 1
This course helps learners develop necessary language and skills for working in customer
service. Through dialogues and real-world scenarios, learners identify different jobs within the
service sector, as well as the three key ingredients of customer service in a restaurant setting.
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English for Restaurant Customer Service 2
This course helps learners develop necessary language and skills for working in customer
service. Through dialogues and real-world scenarios, learners identify examples of good
customer service, and practice solving problems when they arise in a restaurant setting.
English for Job Interviews
This course introduces learners to essential language and skills to prepare for a job interview.
Through dialogues and real-world scenarios, learners review common terms found in job
descriptions, explore what it means to “sell yourself” in an interview, practice small talk topics
and strategies, understand common vocabulary and phrases in interview questions, and
identify the best answers to common interview questions.
English for Communicating at Work
This course helps learners develop language and skills to communicate more effectively at
work. Through dialogues and real-world scenarios, learners practice functional phrases and
vocabulary to ask polite questions, accept and decline requests, give and receive feedback, and
negotiate. They also learn about emails and practice writing a message with a template.
Inglés para su negocio (en español)
This course helps learners to develop the essential language and soft skills to run a business
with confidence. Through real-world examples and activities, learners will practice polite
language for customer service, solving customer problems, and more.
U.S. Citizenship
Applying for Citizenship
This course helps learners understand the requirements to apply for U.S. Citizenship,
determine whether they meet the requirements, and review common questions about the
citizenship process. Learners also review the official government website (www.uscis.gov) to get
official forms for U.S. citizenship.
Filling out the N-400 Form
This course introduces students to the N-400 form, the official application form for U.S.
Citizenship. Learners review the correct format to answer questions in the N-400 form and
practice how to answer basic informational questions, including questions that use “how long,
how many, and have you ever”, and how to explain information about employment, trips,
marital status, and children.
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The Interview
This course prepares learners for the citizenship interview by practicing speaking, reading, and
writing. To prepare for the speaking section, learners review small talk questions, common
citizenship interview questions, and how to ask for clarification. To prepare for the reading and
writing sections, learners read and write short sentences about the US.
The 100 Questions of the Citizenship Test
Through this course, learners study the 100 questions included in the citizenship test. They
review questions related to branches of government, elected officials, US history, geography,
and civic rights.
Spanish on the Go
Spanish Level 1
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of Spanish grammar and vocabulary.
Through real world-conversations and dialogues, learners practice language to navigate familiar
situations in Spanish. Learners review phrases to greet others, talk about their jobs, discuss
work schedules, provide personal information, and talk about their family.
Spanish Level 2
This course offers a brief review of Spanish Level 1 and helps learners enhance vocabulary,
expressions, and grammar in more complex scenarios. Through everyday dialogues, learners
review language for describing oneself, talking about one’s daily routine, ordering food,
describing basic plans, and asking how much something costs.
Spanish for Hotel Professionals Level 1
This course helps learners develop basic vocabulary and grammar in Spanish to navigate simple
situations in a hotel setting. Through dialogues and common workplace scenarios, learners
practice language for polite conversation with coworkers, talking about their jobs, and making a
professional phone call.
Spanish for Hotel Professionals Level 2
This course builds on basic vocabulary and grammar knowledge in Spanish to navigate a
greater variety of commonplace situations in a hotel setting. Through dialogues and common
workplace scenarios, learners practice language for discussing schedules, basic interview
questions, and more.
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Spanish for Restaurant Professionals Level 1
This course helps learners learn basic vocabulary and grammar in Spanish to navigate simple
situations in a restaurant setting. Through dialogues and common workplace scenarios,
learners practice language for polite conversation with coworkers, talking about their jobs, and
making a professional phone call.
Spanish for Restaurant Professionals Level 2
This course builds on basic vocabulary and grammar knowledge in Spanish to navigate a
greater variety of commonplace situations in a restaurant setting. Through dialogues and
common workplace scenarios, learners practice language for discussing schedules, basic
interview questions, and more.
Spanish for Healthcare Professionals Level 1
This course helps learners to practice essential Spanish vocabulary grammar concepts in a
healthcare setting. Through real-world examples and activities, learners will practice conducting
polite conversation with patients, discussing appointment times, and parts of the body.
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WorkReady: Skills for Work
Exploring Job Options and Opportunities
This course helps learners develop skills and knowledge to explore job options and
opportunities. Learners analyze their own skills and interests, identify where to get help when
searching for a new job, use an internet search engine tool (e.g. Indeed.com) to look for career
pathway opportunities, and review what to do before, during, and after an interview.
Starting a New Job
This course prepares learners to succeed when starting a new job. Through articles and
real-world scenarios, learners review how to make a good first impression; review steps to
open, write, and send emails; identify appropriate language in speaking, emails and texts; and
learn simple ways to take initiative at work.
Communicating on the Job
This course helps learners develop skills and knowledge to effectively communicate with
different people at work. Learners review professional phrases to use in different situations
(with coworkers, supervisors and customers), learn how to ask for help/clarification, practice
language to respond to and offer feedback, and identify tips for staying calm to communicate
more professionally.
Creative Problem Solving
This course guides learners through different and creative ways to solve problems, especially at
work. Learners review the steps for solving problems, evaluate common workplace scenarios
and identify possible solutions, and learn how to use a search engine to locate solutions online.
Goal Setting
This course focuses on setting and achieving personal goals. Through articles and real-world
examples, learners review the importance of setting goals, practice how to set and achieve
SMART goals, and reflect on their personal goals.
Work-Life Balance
This course reviews strategies for finding work-life balance. Learners reflect on times they are
most stressed, review the importance of finding balance for health and wellbeing, and identify
tips to help them relax during the day.
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Understanding Cultural Diversity
This course helps learners understand diversity in the workplace. Learners reflect on their
personal beliefs about diversity, review laws that protect groups in the U.S., read statistics in
charts and graphs about race, gender and salary inequalities, and learn the benefits of a diverse
workplace.
Time Management
This course introduces learners to the importance of better time management. Learners reflect
on the differences in cultural understanding of time and their own understanding of time. They
also learn how to label tasks to prioritize them, how to notify a supervisor of issues regarding
time, and how to plan their time to arrive early/on-time to work.
Financial Management
This course reviews essential topics and skills for effective financial management. Learners
review the steps to create an effective budget and practice multiplication to calculate monthly
and annual spending. They also review what it means to buy on credit, how interest works, and
tips for online banking.
Building Self-Confidence at Work
This course helps learners develop confidence in the workplace. Learners understand what
self-confidence is, examine their personal and professional strengths and weaknesses, reflect
on negative thought patterns, and identify strategies to contradict negative self thoughts.
Digital Skills and English for Digital Skills
Introduction to Digital Skills (ENG, ELL) / Introducción a las habilidades digitales (SPA)
This course helps learners develop skills and knowledge in using some of the most common
digital tools. Through real-world scenarios and activities, learners review how to create an email
account, find and download an app, use the Internet to do an online search, and use links to do
tasks online.
Digital Skills for Work (ENG, ELL) / Las habilidades digitales: en trabajo (SPA)
This course prepares learners to use digital tools for professional purposes. Through real-world
examples and activities, learners review how to use a job search filter, how to complete an
online job application, how to best reply to an email, and how to manage an email inbox.
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Digital Skills for Health and Social Services (ENG, ELL) / Las habilidades digitales: los servicios
médicos (SPA)
This course teaches learners how to use an online portal. Through real-world examples focused
on healthcare and social services, learners review what a portal is, read a menu to determine
which services are available, and identify ways to stay secure on an online portal.
Digital Skills for Online Banking (ENG, ELL) / Las habilidades digitales: los usos y beneficios
de la banca en la línea (SPA)
This course helps learners understand how to use online banking. Through real-world examples
and activities, learners identify the benefits of online banking, review common banking tasks
they can do online, and understand ways to stay secure when using online banking.
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Business Skills and Managing Money
Developed in partnership with Los Angeles Public Library & the American Library Association
Introduction to Marketing (ENG) / Introduccion al marketing (SPA)
This course helps learners develop the essential work and soft skills to run a business with
confidence. Through real-world examples and activities, learners will identify the benefits of
marketing and practice strategies to increase their reach to customers.
Managing Money for Business and Life (ENG) / Como administrar tu dinero (SPA)
This course helps learners to develop the financial skills to run a business with confidence.
Through real-world examples and activities, learners will identify the benefits of essential
financial tools such as making a budget, pricing items for a profit, collecting documentation for
taxes, and formal banking.
Community Safety (ENG) / Seguridad de la comunidad (SPA)
This course helps small business owners to recognize and carry out best practices for keeping
their community safe. Through real-world examples and activities, learners will practice
essential skills for bystander intervention and self-advocacy.
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SkillBuilder Reading and Writing
All advanced courses were developed in partnership with Educational Testing Service.
Vamos a Leer (en espanol)
This course helps participants learn how to read and write in Spanish. Through real-world
scenarios, learners practice recognizing letters and sounds, forming syllables, and creating
complete words. Learners use this knowledge to quickly read and write complete sentences.
Intro to Reading
This course helps participants learn how to read and write in English. Through familiar,
everyday topics, learners practice recognizing letters and sounds and then creating complete
words and sentences. Upon completion learners reach a Kindergarten reading level and build
their confidence in reading new words and sentences.
SkillBuilder: Reading 1
This course helps learners recognize and count syllables in words, and understand the sounds
of vowels and consonants. By reading short texts with familiar topics, learners develop basic
reading skills including predicting, inferencing, and answering simple comprehension
questions.
SkillBuilder: Reading 2
This course helps learners develop more advanced reading skills, including identifying the main
idea and details, summarizing, and using context clues to understand new words. By reading
texts with fun and interesting topics (soccer, nature), learners also practice parts of speech,
word types, and word structure.
SkillBuilder: Writing
This course helps learners understand basic grammar and the structure of the English language
by reviewing texts on interesting topics (famous musicians, activism). Learners review the
structure and organization of paragraphs, identify types of sentences, and write introduction
and conclusion sentences in paragraphs.
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SkillBuilder: Social Studies
This course helps learners develop a basic understanding of US and World History, Economics,
and Geography. Learners read and analyze texts, graphs, charts and maps to improve their
reading and writing skills.
Advanced SkillBuilder: Reading 1
This course helps learners develop reading strategies, such as skimming and scanning, to
improve reading comprehension. Learners skim simple texts to understand general meaning,
scan for details and facts, and interpret instructions about everyday situations.
Advanced SkillBuilder: Reading 2
This course introduces learners to more complex and varied texts, including short articles,
forms, ads, and manuals. Learners continue to practice skimming and scanning for information
and interpreting specific information in texts.
Advanced SkillBuilder: Reading 3
This course promotes reading skills while helping learners develop critical thinking. Learners
review skimming and scanning strategies, and build more advanced reading skills, including
making inferences, drawing conclusions, and forming opinions about texts.
Skillbuilder Math for Daily Life
All advanced courses were developed in partnership with Educational Testing Service
SkillBuilder: Addition and Subtraction
This course introduces learners to the basic numerical operations of addition and subtraction.
Through real-world situations, learners practice single-digit addition and subtraction and move
on to double- and triple-digit operations, including carrying and borrowing.
SkillBuilder: Multiplication
This course focuses on the basics of multiplication. Learners review time tables to learn
multiplication facts 1-9, understand word problems, and solve single- and two-digit
multiplication problems using regrouping.
SkillBuilder: Division
This course helps learners understand how to do division. With real-world situations, learners
solve division problems using several strategies, including the inverse relationship of
multiplication and estimation, and understand the relationship between multiplication and
division.
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Advanced SkillBuilder: Math 1
This course helps learners work with numbers found in visual data. Learners interpret
information in charts, graphs, and tables, and decide which operation to use (addition,
subtraction, multiplication, or division) to solve real-world math problems.
Advanced SkillBuilder: Math 2
This course reviews how to interpret and use information from simple and complex forms,
charts, tables and graphs. Along with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, learners
practice converting a percent to a decimal to solve real-world math situations.
Advanced SkillBuilder: Math 3
This course helps learners integrate all the skills learned in previous sections to review visual
data and decide whether to add, subtract, multiply, and divide to solve problems. In addition,
learners practice calculating percentages using everyday contexts.
Advanced SkillBuilder: Charts, Graphs, and Tables 1
This course gives learners strategies to read charts, graphs, and labels. Learners review visual
information used in real contexts (ads, maps) and identify keywords and text features to locate
specific information in the texts.
Advanced SkillBuilder: Charts, Graphs, and Tables 2
This course introduces learners to more complex charts and documents about common topics
(temperature, health). Learners practice skills to locate, compare, and synthesize multiple
pieces of information, and develop critical thinking by making inferences about information
found in texts.
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Educational Opportunities
Intro to Educational Pathways
This course guides learners with key information on the various pathways available to obtain a
diploma, vocational training and/or certification. Through real-life examples, learners reflect on
their own interests and reasons for continuing their educational journey, identify the benefits of
career tests, examine ways to overcome barriers to achieve their goals, and evaluate options
for their future.
Financial Aid
This course provides learners with information on how to pay for education. By reviewing
real-world scenarios, learners understand the different financial aid options (grants, loans, work
study), identify common terms and steps to complete the FAFSA, review resources and steps
when applying for scholarships, examine key vocabulary related to student loans, and evaluate
the risks and benefits of different student loans.
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Early Childhood Development
Building Future Readers: Tips for Parents and Caregivers (ENG) / Construyendo futuros
lectores: Consejos para padres y guardianes (SPA)
Developed in partnership with the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy
This course was designed in collaboration with the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family
Literacy. The course helps parents, caregivers, and early childcare providers understand literacy
strategies to support the literacy development of children ages 3-8. Through real-world
scenarios, learners review how and when literacy begins, identify questions to ask before and
during reading, and recognize examples of positive praise. Self-reflection questions help
learners visualize and plan how they can apply strategies to their lives.
Preparing Your Child for School Success (ENG) / Preparando a su hijo para el éxito escolar
(SPA)
Developed in partnership with the Acelero Learning
This course helps parents, caregivers, and early childcare providers to support the development
of executive function skills of children ages Birth to Five. This course uses self-reflection
questions and scenarios to help learners visualize and plan how they can use everyday
interactions to help their child to be ready for school.
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