ESL Team at Sacred Heart University

Skype in the Classroom

In most ESL classrooms, there is a mix of student ages and native languages. A typical classroom enjoys instruction, conversation and peer interaction. Students will enjoy time with peers, correcting each other work, engaging in conversation in big groups and smaller groups. 

The exposure in the classroom also allows the students to work with other ESL students from other countries. 

Here at Sacred Heart, students spend time every semester, on an international Skype conference call with an ESL program abroad. Countries we have visited via Skype include Russia, Costa Rica and China. 

The students always enjoy this adventure in the classroom. Students are expected to prepare questions that they can ask their fellow international Skype Students. We learn so much from each other and Skype is a great tool in the classroom. 

 

Snow and ESL today

Despite the snow and the fierce cold, students are warm dry inside the classrooms at the English Language Institute here in Fairfield CT. 

There are many days we are struggling to get to the campus and we are all getting tired of shoveling. 

Thankfully, Connecticut has some very fun winter activities to offer it's residents including skiing, ice hockey, snowboarding etc. 

We hope you spend some fun time outside during these winter months and we have many students who have now seen snow for the first time. 

 

Holiday Fun

Our very own Edgerton Theatre offers many exciting and entertaining holiday events. 

Stop by our campus and enjoy what the Holidays at SHU has to offer. 

 

http://www.edgertoncenter.org/

 

TOEFL - all roads lead to TOEFL

For expert advise on TOEFL testing, we invite you to look at the following resource - an invaluable guide that many of our students use while preparing for TOEFL. 

 

http://toeflpro.blogspot.com/

 

What Interests you?

In case you are one of those students who uses Pinterest - search for ESL. 

There are wonderful resources for ESL available for all students and teachers. 

If you haven't used Pinterest - give it a try.

It's fun.

 

www.pinterest.com

 

What's the difference?

Many students may wonder about the differences between their first language and English. The following website is a helpful tool for students to investigate what the primary differences are between their first and second language. 
Enjoy!

 

http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/langdiff/

 

 

How long will it take...?

Many times we are asked how long it will take students to learn English. While there are many websites that offer answers to this question, I would like to refer you to a website whose author has a solid reputation in ESL. 

Judie Haynes, a well known ESL teacher and researcher helps address this question on her website recently. 

Enjoy! 

http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/_long_does_take_learn_english_55843.php

 

 

International Education Week

A wonderful event will be celebrated in many schools, colleges and universities around the USA in November - International Education Week. 

Sacred Heart is proud to participate in this celebration. 

http://eca.state.gov/programs-initiatives/international-education-week

See the link attached for the history of the recognition and celebration of all things international right here in the USA. 

The trouble with Idioms

Idioms are the most tricky things to cope with when living here. If you have not learned the idiom specifically, it is very difficult to figure out the meeting. 

Idioms, when translated literally, hardly ever indicate what the colloquial meaning is. 

Take a look at this list of idioms, and imagine what the definition would be to a non-native English speaker if they looked up the words individually in the dictionary. 

Tongue-in-Cheek

Get in Someone's Hair 

Leave someone high and dry 

Feel like a million dollars

Let the cat out of the bag

Drive someone up the wall 

Jump the gun 

Lose one's shirt 

Pay through the nose 

Play it by ear

Bite the dust

 

Now imagine explaining what these idioms really mean! 

 

Safety on Campus

Safety on campus grounds is extremely important. The Public Safety department at Sacred Heart perform so many different services. See the website for more details. 
If in doubt, always ask a public safety officer. They are here to help! 

 

http://www.sacredheart.edu/officesservices/publicsafety/servicesprovided/