English as a Second Language > Frequently Asked Questions
ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who can use the English as a Second Language Program services?
ESL classes and tutoring are open only to graduate students currently enrolled at Northwestern, or staff, visiting faculty, or post-doctoral fellows. We do not offer classes for the general public, undergraduates, or spouses of NU affiliates.
There are conversation courses for spouses offered by the Community Council for International Students. In addition, the ESL for Professionals Series in the School of Continuing Studies at Northwestern, and the Speech and Language Clinic in the School of Communication are both open-enrollment programs. We also have a list of private tutors who work with the general public for a fee.
How do I register for ESL for Graduate Students classes?
If you are a graduate student, you may officially register for the class on CAESAR during the Change of Registration Period. We strongly encourage you to register with the P/N (Pass/No Credit) option. If you are a postdoctoral fellow, a staff member, a School of L aw student, a Medill student, or a Kellogg Graduate School of Management student, you will need to audit the course (see below).
Most Ph.D. programs provide tuition support for students who wish to register for courses. If you are a master's student, please contact your director of graduate studies before you register to find out if your department will provide tuition support for our ESL courses. If no support is provided, you can still audit our courses (see below).
ESL courses follow http://aquavite.northwestern.edu/cal/pp/acadcal.cgiThe Graduate School's academic calendar, with classes in the fall, winter, and spring quarters. No classes are held in the summer quarter. Check the university's academic calendar for information on registration dates and the start date for the current quarter.
What is 'auditing' and how do I audit ESL courses?
Auditing students participate in all of the class activities, but do not receive a grade. A course which is audited will not appear on a student's offcial transcript. Many students need to audit our courses rather than officially registering through CAESAR, especially visiting scholars, faculty, staff, and students from Kellogg or the School of Law. ALL of our services are free for auditors.
Graduate students, faculty, staff, and visiting scholars may audit an ESL course if space is available. To audit a course, please come to the first class session and speak to the instructor to find out if the class has room for auditors. Our courses are limited to 15 students each to give the maximum amount of attention to each student. Registered students are given priority over auditors if the class is over-enrolled.
How can I get a tutoring appointment?
We hold a sign up session for graduate students at the beginning of the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters. The sign-up session is almost always scheduled on Thursday during the first week of classes. Students must come in person to choose their appointment, or may have a friend sign up for them in person. If appointments are still available after the graduate student session on Thursday, a separate session will be held the next day for visiting scholars, post doctoral fellows, research associates, faculty, and staff. Please see our tutoring page for more details and specific dates.
Do you need volunteers?
If you are interested in volunteering as a tutor, instructor, or a conversation partner, please contact the Community Council for International Students. CCIS has a number of ways to volunteer and can always use additional help.
Do you have teaching positions available?
All of the positions for instructors and tutors in our program are staffed by graduate students in the Department of Linguistics. However, if you are interested in teaching ESL at Northwestern, you may apply for a part-time position with the the International Summer Institute or the ESL for Professionals program. To apply, please send a current CV/resumé with a cover letter and names of at least two teaching references to the following address:
Julia Moore, Director
English as a Second Language Program
Department of Linguistics at Northwestern University
2016 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208-4090
You may also send your materials electronically to <jmm "at" northwestern.edu>. Preference is given to applicants with a master's degree or Ph.D. in Linguistics or TESOL, and experience in teaching adult learners at the intermediate level and higher.
