English as an International Language Guide
Location of Materials | Call Numbers | Online Language Learning Tools | Article & Journal Databases | Websites
Location of Materials
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign contains many useful resources for the study of and research in the teaching and learning of English as a second, foreign, or international language. These resources are primarily located in the Social Sciences, Health, and Education Library (SSHEL) and the Literature & Languages Library. The Curriculum Collection in SSHEL maintains a small number of textbooks and classroom resources to aid the beginning English learner, particularly those in the elementary or secondary grades. These materials are located under the call numbers 428.24, 428.34, or 428.64, preceded by the prefixes TEXT or CURR. In addition, the Department of Linguistics maintains a specialized library facility, the TESL Library. The TESL Library, located in Room 3046 of the Foreign Languages Building, is an excellent source of information on English language education. It houses textbooks, reference material, journals, and AV equipment.
The location SSHEL RCC indicates the item is in the SSHEL Reference Circulation Location. The Location Lit & Lang refers to the Literatures and Languages Library.
Call Numbers
Call numbers are groups of numbers and/or letters that classify library items by subject. Items are arranged on bookshelves by call number. The Social Sciences, Health, and Education Library (SSHEL) uses both the Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress classification systems.
If you would like to browse bookshelves for materials about English as an Second/International Language, material with Dewey call numbers in the 420s and 428s or with the Library of Congress call numbers starting with PE will yield the best results. Again, the Social Sciences, Health, and Education Library (SSHEL) and the Literatures & Languages Library have the most relevant material. However, the Communications Library may house some materials. In addition, older materials are often located in the Main Stacks on the Library’s second floor or Oak Street Library (request these items through the Library Catalog). The following is a breakdown of the linguistics and English language call number range. For more information about call numbers, see the Find on the Shelf Guide.
Online Language Learning Tools
Rosetta Stone Advantage
Language training software which includes American English, British English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Spanish (Spain). Learning programs are also suited to user needs, as the software offers Complete Beginner, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels. Authentication is required.
Article & Journal Databases
Databases are structured sets of information, stored in print or online. Often, databases are online collections of journal article citations and full-text. Find articles about a specific topic by using keywords, subject headings, authors, and more.
In addition to general and social science-related databases, the following resources provide citations to articles and other items on English as an international language:
Education Full-Text. 1983-Present.
This database indexes articles from English-language periodicals and yearbooks published in the United States and elsewhere. Books relating to education are also indexed. Coverage begins in 1983 with full-text coverage starting in 1996. Complemented by Education Index Retrospective (1929-1983).
ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) .1966-Present
ERIC is a national education database sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. Presently the largest education database in the world, ERIC contains over 1,000,000 citations covering research documents, journal articles, technical reports, program descriptions and evaluations, and curricular materials in the field of education. It also includes abstracts, citations and selective full-text.
Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA). 1973-Present
Contains article abstracts from over 1,500 journals in linguistics and related disciplines. Also includes abstracts of books, book chapters, and dissertations
Modern Language Association International Bibliography (MLA). 1921-Present
(Print); 1926-Present (Electronic).
Provides a detailed bibliography of journal articles, books, and dissertations. Dates back to the 1920s with over 2.3 million citations.
Websites
Most of these sites offer general information as well as pages for both English teachers and students of the language. Therefore, teachers and learners are encouraged to visit each of the sites. The websites are arranged into categories indicating their primary focus. The sites contain insight into English-language topics, activities for learning the language, general interest reading in English, teaching tools such as lesson plans, related links to additional sites, and much more.
For English Learners
- Activities for ESL Students – Quizzes, tests, exercises and puzzles to help practice English as a Second Language. This is a project of The Internet TESL Journal and is fueled by thousands of contributions from ESL teachers.
For English Teachers
- CARLA: Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition – From the University of Minnesota, CARLA’s missions is to study multilingualism and multiculturalism, to develop knowledge of second language acquisition, and to advance the quality of second language teaching, learning, and assessment.
For Both Teachers and Learners
- Dave’s ESL Café – Designed as a place for ESL/EFL learners and teachers to meet and share information about English, culture, TOEFL, international teaching experiences, and many other ESL related topics.
- EF Resources for Learning English – Education First’s English teaching and learning section.
- National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA) – The Department of Education’s website dedicated the education of English language learners. Contains demographics and data, information on grants and tools for both students and teachers.
- Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)’s ESL Section – Provides thorough guides to parts of speech as well as a rundown on plagiarism and academic integrity, guides to workplace writing, and practices and exercises.