Research Resources for English as a Second Language
Journal Articles
Student
Research Center
(Directions: Follow the link for EBSCOHost, then choose the
Student Research Center from the bottom of the list.)
Use this EBSCO product to find interesting, readable articles at your reading level. Use the Lexile Reading Level select feature to find articles that you will enjoy reading as you boost your reading comprehension in English.
Identifying Books in the
library catalog
To find ESL readers, do a Word search for either penguin readers or oxford readers and keywords related to your interest. For example:
- Penguin readers and titanic
- Oxford readers and sports
Reference Books
Available online through Oxford Reference Center
The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar. Sylvia Chalker and Edmund Weiner. Oxford University Press, 1998. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.
This accessible and comprehensive dictionary comes to the aid of both the general reader and the student or teacher, offering straightforward and immediate access to 1,000 grammatical terms and their meanings.
Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. Ed. Tom McArthur. Oxford University Press, 1998. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.
Based on the acclaimed Oxford Companion to the English Language, this is the most compact, authoritative, and up-to-date source of information about the English language.
The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms. Ed. Judith Siefring. Oxford University Press, 2004. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.
The volume takes a fresh look at the idiomatic phrases and sayings that make English the rich and intriguing language that it is. The text explores the meanings and origins of such well-known idioms as 'set the world alight', 'cost an arm and a leg', 'once in a blue moon', and 'the tip of the iceberg'.
Web Sites
The Special English Web site is an excellent tool to practice and improve your American English. VOA Special English radio programs are broadcast every day of the year on the VOA network. Each broadcast starts with world news, followed by a short feature report and a 15 minute feature. Special English writers use short, simple sentences that contain only one idea. They use active voice. They do not use idioms. Special English broadcasters read at a slower pace, about two-thirds the speed of standard English. This helps people learning English hear each word clearly.