ESL, or English as a Second Language, is a course specialized for non-native speakers of English in order to help students improve their oral skills and proficiency in reading and writing.  This course is designed  for English Learners to develop reading, speaking, writing, and thinking skills in English through a literature based approach.  Instruction is based on curricula differentiated to that student's level of English learning and involves no use of the native language.  For English Learner students, many are also placed in "sheltered" classes for the other content areas, or "mainstreamed" into all English speaking classrooms for the other content areas, based on their English level.