English as a Second Language: A Research Guide for Teachers: Getting Started

NOTE: If you have found this page from Google, or other search engine, and are looking for classes from the ELS Center at St. Thomas, please call 651-962-5990, or visit the website below. (Please don't call or email me--I am not connected to this program and cannot assist people with it.)

Library Hours

O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library
651-962-5494 (Circulation)
651-962-5001 (Reference)
651-962-5400 (Hours)
2115 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105
Directions & Parking

Charles J. Keffer Library
651-962-4642 (Circulation)
651-962-4664 (Reference)
651-962-4640 (Hours)
MOH 206, 1000 LaSalle Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Directions & Parking

This guide includes a number of helpful resources for teachers of English as a second language and/or teacher education students planning to teach in this field.  Use the tabs above to explore these resources.

• Getting started -- where you are now
• Core resources -- the really essential research resources; it's a good idea to start here
• Finding books -- search for print or electronic books, located in a library or online
• Finding articles -- good places to start if you are searching for journal articles
• Reference sources -- Encyclopedias and research handbooks; good for a summary of research on a topic
• Websites for research -- use these sites to supplement your library research
• Websites for the classroom -- these sites have resources for teachers to use in the classroom
• Citing sources -- help for completing the bibliography of your paper/project

You may find that resources on ESL are in different locations at St. Thomas.  Here's a rundown of where you'll find things.

• Keffer stacks--books that are more research-oriented, and generally published after 1990.
• Curriculum collection at Keffer--books and other materials that are more classroom-oriented.  
• O'Shaughnessey Frey Library--books that are a bit older in age; but may be helpful for historical or background information.  It also has a number of resources on linguistics that are not at Keffer Library.
• You also have access to other libraries in CLICnet.  You may go to any of them directly and borrow items with your UST ID card.  You may request that circulating items at those libraries be sent to a St. Thomas library.
• Finally, you can request items not found in CLICnet through interlibrary loan.  See the next section for more information about this service, which is especially helpful for off-campus cohorts outside the metro area.

Visit these pages for more information on Interlibrary Loan.  Also check out the video tutorial (and other links) on the left side of these pages.