Links for Studying English as a Second Language  

On this page, non-native English speaking university students can find links to information and activities that complement their efforts to improve their English proficiency for their academic work and everyday life. In fact, several of these links have been suggested by students. However, quizzes, activities, and information found on the web cannot substitute for the structure of an ELP course or tutorial or for guidance from a professional who is trained to evaluate and address the language needs of non-native speakers. For more information on how to improve your English skills, contact the Washington University ELP at 935-5910 or visit us at Stix International House, Room 203. 

Culture
General ESL Sites
Grammar
Idioms & Slang (see also Vocabulary)
International Teaching Assistants
Listening & Speaking
Online Dictionaries
Oral Presentations
Pronunciation
Reading
Source Use & Documentation
Vocabulary (see also Idioms & Slang)
Writing

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Culture

Articles of Intercultural Interest
CESL Customs and Cultures in the U.S.  

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General ESL Sites

Dave's ESL Web Guide  
English Student Resources (Ohio ESL)     

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Grammar

Advanced English Lessons
Business English Lessons  
English Structure for Academic Purposes  
Grammar Addicts (English for Medical Purposes)
GrammarONLINE   
Purdue Online Writing Lab Handouts: Main Index  

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Idioms & Slang (see also Vocabulary)

Commonly Used American Slang
ESL Slang Page
The Office Life: Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary
Self-Study Idiom Quizzes
Business English Vocabulary Quizzes and Exercises  

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International Teaching Assistants (ITAs)

Cultural Differences
Encountering Language Problems   
Intercultural Know-How (for students of ITAs)
ITA Discourse Within the Disciplines
Strategies for Non-Native English Speaking TAs  
The Teaching Center at Washington University  
Teaching Styles  
TESOL ITA Interest Section
Teaching Tips  
Tips for ITAs on Improving English Communication Skills
What We Have Here is a Failure to Communicate (live chat transcript, The Chronicle of Higher Education)

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Listening/Speaking

Sites marked with an asterisk (*) contain news stories whose transcripts can be obtained from Lexis-Nexis if you're at a WU computer-- here's how (this link will open in a new window).

Arlyn Freed's ESL/EFL Listening Resources
Forbes.com (Scroll down to Video & Audio on the left)
Frontline (Most recent shows can be viewed online; many have transcripts available on the site)    
History Channel--Speeches
International Dialects of English Archive
Interviewing Success  
Listening Booth--The Academy of American Poets    
Listening Skill Practice
*Marketplace: Business News From Public Radio
The Michigan Corpus of Academic Spoken English (MICASE)
*NPR Online  
The Online NewsHour (PBS)
Patient-Doctor Interaction (English for Medical Purposes)
Princeton University--Lectures
Pulse of the Planet @ nationalgeographic.com
Randall's ESL CyberListening Lab  
Scientific American Frontiers Video Archive (Click on "For Educators" to access viewing guides and quizzes)   
VOANews.com [Voice of America]

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Online Dictionaries
American Heritage Dictionary
Cambridge Dictionaries Online
Merriam-Webster OnLine  
Oxford English Dictionary (available from WU computers)
yourDictionary.com: Specialty Dictionaries

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Oral Presentations
Allyn & Bacon Public Speaking Website    
 

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Pronunciation
American English Pronunciation Practice     
English Pronunciation   
Kathleen Hanson's Word Stress Quizzes
Phonetics: The Sounds of American English
Pronunciation Web Resources     
Sounds of English  
TESOL Speech, Pronunciation, and Listening Interest Section

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Reading/Study Skills
Critical Reading Towards Critical Writing  
Dealing With the Literature (English for Medical Purposes)
How to Get the Most Out of Reading  
Legal Learning: Information Necessary for Law School Survival
Preparing an Effective Case Analysis (Business)
Taking Notes from Research Reading  

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Source Use and Documentation
American Medical Association (AMA) Style Guide
American Psychological Association (APA) Format
Basic Legal Citation (LII 2006)
Using CBE Style
Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Format
Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals
Avoiding Plagiarism
Plagiarism: What It Is and How To Recognize and Avoid It

Note for WU students: The various departments and schools at WU have established their own academic integrity policies. The policy applying to ALL undergraduates is available here. Policy statements applying to other students and other members of the WU community can be found by searching the WU web site with the term "academic integrity." When you have any question about the rules, consult your professor, your dean's office, or another authority in your department or school.

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Vocabulary (see also Idioms & Slang)
Academic Word List (AWL)
A Business Case Encyclopedia
Business English Hangman   
Common Errors in English
Greek and Latin Roots  
Greek and Latin Roots Skills  
Medical Topics    
The Office Life: Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary
Phrasal Verb Word of the Day   
Using the Academic Word List (AWL)
Business English Vocabulary Quizzes and Exercises  
Vocabulary: Collocations  

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Writing (See also Source Use & Documentation)
On these sites you will find general advice about academic and professional writing. The KYVL site lists links to advice on writing in a wide variety of academic fields. The Purdue site in particular offers information useful for non-native English speakers. Members of the WU community can get general writing help at The Writing Center and help specific to the needs of non-native English speakers through tutoring by ELP faculty on the Hilltop Campus. Students and faculty/staff at the Washington University School of Medicine can consult the Academic Publishing Services (APS) on the Medical Campus for help with their writing needs.

Grant Writing Help and Research Materials
InternationalStudent.com--Term Paper Writing Help
Kitty Locker: Business and Administrative Communication, 5th Edition  
KYVL [Kentucky Virtual Library] Writing
Barger on Legal Writing   
Online Technical Writing:  Online Textbook  
Purdue Online Writing Lab Handouts: Main Index  
Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals
Welcome to ResumeTutor  
Writing Argumentative Essays  
The Writing Center at Washington University
Writing Guidelines for Engineering and Science Students  
Writing a Scientific Research Paper
Writing a Successful Grant Proposal
   

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