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ESL Resources at the Austin Public Library!

Teachers -- do you ever want to refer your students to places they can practice their English outside of class? Well, the city of Austin has a wealth of opportunities! The New Immigrant Project at the Austin Public Library was an eye-opener. They have a wall full of brochures for classes around the Austin area, including English conversation practice in the library. They also have a substantial collection of Pimsleur books, Inglés Sin Bareras, and many other audio-books, DVDs, dictionaries. You can use it in the library on their computers and tape-deck, or you can check them out with a library card. How does your student get a library card? IT'S EASY! I got one today; all you need is a photo ID and a proof of residence in Austin (could be a bill that was delivered to your address, for example -- I printed my UT address information from the computers upstairs; the librarians are extremely helpful!). Also, if you want the library to carry a text book that you use in your clas...
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Revisiting Improvisational Group Story Telling and TPRS

One of my first posts was on collaborative story telling as used in language classrooms under the name TPRS.  I shared  Blaine Ray's site about TPRS and TPRStories.com and mention how people promote it as relating to Dr. Stephen Krashen's Input Hypothesis, which suggests that we learn languages receptively through high-interest, meaning-focused input that is just a little more difficult than we can produce (i + 1). Since then, I've come across this series of blog posts about TPRS , and here's a link to my colleague and friend Nancy Meredith's blog with a great video of a second rehearsal of a story that her students composed together using aspects of TPRS. Try it out in your class!  It's good stuff, especially when combined with other styles and techniques of teaching!
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FREE (and almost-free) ESL Classes in Austin

Learning a new language is hard.  If you have money to devote to learning English, I highly recommend you study where I work!  UT ESL is awesome! However, sometimes paying for courses is not possible.  Austin provides many free or almost-free opportunities to learn English.  Here is an incomplete list.  The Austin Public Library has a great list of ESL Classes around town.  I will replicate it in part below, with my own commentary, but their list is more complete. UT hosts a free ESL course that is taught by master teachers and practicing teacher interns.  They provide a free class that the students can practice teaching, and ESL students can get an excellent, challenging free classes, Monday through Friday from 5:00 - 7:00.  Space is very limited, so watch the website or get on the e-mail list for information on how to register. Manos de Cristo provides almost-free ($20/semester) classes with morning and evening schedules.  They...
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