GC 511: English Fluency Development

Course Information

What is GC 511?

GC 511 is a 4-credit course designed for non-native English-speaking graduate students who want to communicate more clearly and effectively when speaking in both academic and casual settings.  While discussing a variety of topics, students will improve their overall spoken English fluency, refine their vocabulary and grammar, develop self-monitoring and academic conversation skills, and become more confident speakers of English.

While we recommend taking GC 510 before GC 511, this is not a requirement.  GC 510 is not a prerequisite for GC 511, and the two courses are completely independent of each other.

When does GC 511 meet?

This semester-long course meets for 2 separate 2-hour sessions each week.

In Fall 2026, 2 sections of GC 511 will be offered:

  • 2:00-3:50 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays (CRN 50837)
  • 12:00-1:50 PM on Wednesdays and Fridays (CRN 50838)

 

Course Objectives

This course is designed to help students:

  • communicate in spoken English more fluently and confidently in academic settings
  • expand their active vocabulary
  • improve the grammatical accuracy of their speech
  • develop language self-monitoring skills and independent practice strategies
  • complete the oral English certification process for ITAs (if needed)

Course Topics (subject to change)

  • taking turns in conversations
  • interrupting politely
  • making offers and requests
  • handing miscommunication
  • summarizing and paraphrasing
  • agreeing and disagreeing
  • asking follow-up questions
  • elaboration and narration

GC 511 Student Testimonials

It was the most awesome and fun class I took in UIC.

The most valuable thing I gained from this course is that now I know where my problem is and what I should do to make it better.

Overall this course is great.  It’s very helpful for me to participate a discussion.  The topic of America is hard for International Student to understand.

This class was the most helpful class at the UIC.  I could learn the way of discussion (clarification, elaborating) and polite way during discussion.  Also, I could learn about American history which I had never learned because if no opportunity.  I got more confidence in my class.