English as a Second Language - ESL
opportunities available in our community
Urbana-Champaign is especially rich in offerings for people starting their study of English and for advanced students improving their conversational skills. Likewise, native English speakers hoping to expand their horizons can find many opportunities here to interact with the local international community.
Online Resources
BBC: Learning English
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish This site is intended to help improve English
language skills and contains a wide variety of short
courses, quizzes, grammar, vocabulary, audio,
and videos.
BYKI Online
urbanafreelibrary.org/data_index.php Cardholders from The Urbana Free Library have
free access to this language-learning site, which
features more than 70 languages. The service
provides multiple exercises as well as blogs, words
of the day, Facebook and Twitter groups, and more.
EngVid
www.engvid.com
Learn English for free with 165+ video lessons by
experienced native-speaker teachers. New classes
are added every week, covering grammar,
vocabulary, pronunciation, TOEFL, and more.
LearningExpress Library
urbanafreelibrary.org/data_index.php
Cardholders from The Urbana Free Library also
have free access to this educational site, which
features numerous English grammar, vocabulary, and
spelling practice tests as well as TOEFL listening,
writing, and speaking exams.
Livemocha
www.livemocha.com
Livemocha is described as the world’s largest
online language learning community, offering free
and paid online courses in 35 languages to more
than six million members in over 200 countries
around the world.
New York Public Library
bit.ly/aoRYPF
NYPL has compiled a comprehensive list of free
services, sites, and online communities that are
useful to ESL and other language learners.
Yappr.com
en.yappr.com
Learn English by watching videos from native
speakers about music, celebrities, news, American
culture, and more. Videos include transcriptions,
translations, and a dictionary, on topics that
interest you. New videos are added daily.
Conversation Groups
These are informal groups of ESL students and native English speakers who meet on a regular basis both to practice speaking English and to make new friends. Some of these groups are affiliated with the University of Illinois but ALL local residents are welcome at their gatherings.
Conversational Partners Program
(for native English-speaking volunteers)
University of Illinois Intensive English Program
phone: 217-333-6598
email: convopartners@uiuc.edu
web: www.iei.uiuc.edu/involvement
Cosmopolitan Club, Coffee Hour
1001 South Wright Street, Champaign
phone: 217-372-2218
email: davide.motta3@gmail.com
web: www.cosmohouse.org
English Corner: Conversational English Practice
810 West Oregon Street, Urbana
phone: 217-344-5711
email: englishcornerui@gmail.com
web: www.englishcornerui.com
Global Partners
A volunteer organization offering practice in English
and an opportunity for the open exchange of ideas
between the international and native communities.
email: uiucglobal@gmail.com
International Hospitality Committee
Conversation Classes
phone: Vivienne Mackie 217-328-1569 (evenings)
email: vivienne.mackie@gmail.com
Friendship Groups
phone: Vivienne Mackie 217-328-1569 (evenings)
email: vivienne.mackie@gmail.com
International Women’s Connection
Twin City Bible Church
810 West Michigan Street, Urbana
phone: Ruth Krehbiel 217-384-3085
email: rkrehbiel@isiwebnet.net
Wesley Foundation, International Coffee Hour
1203 West Green Street, Urbana
phone: 217-344-1120
Formal Classes in English as a Second Language
Fee-based Classes
The English Center
University YMCA
1001 South Wright Street, Champaign
phone: 217-344-3310
email: staff@EnglishCenterUSA.com
web: www.englishcenterUSA.com
Parkland College International Center
2400 West Bradley Avenue, Champaign
phone: 217-351-2890
web: www.parkland.edu/international
University of Illinois Approved Private Tutor list
4080 Foreign Language Building
707 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana
phone: 217-333-3438
email: Patti Watts
pawatts1@illinois.edu
University of Illinois Intensive English Institute
1205 West Nevada Street, Urbana
phone: 217-333-6598
web: www.iei.uiuc.edu
University of Illinois Special English Class
(for non-UI Students)
4080 Foreign Language Building
707 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana
email: Jenna Frydman
frydman2@illinois.edu
Free Classes
International Women’s Connection
Twin City Bible Church
806 West Michigan Avenue, Urbana
phone: 217-344-0641
Parkland College Adult and Workforce Education
2400 West Bradley Avenue, Champaign
phone: Mary Burwell 217-351-2580
email: mburwell@parkland.edu
web: www2.parkland.edu/awe
Urbana Adult Education
211 North Race Street, Urbana
phone: 217-384-3530
web: www.usd116.org/adult/
Other Resources
East Central Illinois
Refugee Mutual Assistance Center
302 Birch St., Urbana
phone: 217-344-8455
web: www.ecirmac.org
This organization offers a full range of services for the international community. While they do not offer ESL classes, they are a good starting point for up-to-date information on classes, tutors, and translators.
The Urbana Free Library
210 West Green Street, Urbana
phone: 217-367-4405
web: urbanafreelibrary.org
The library has books, book and CD sets, and
films to help with the study of English as a second
language. All materials about this topic start with
the same call number:
428.24
Meeting rooms for group study or tutoring sessions are also available and may be reserved in advance.
For more information, contact Adult Services at 217-367-4405.
Contact Information
Circulation Services (renewals)
phone: 217-367-4057
fax: 217-531-7089
email: circulation@tufl.info
Adult & Teen Services
TTY for hearing-impaired patrons
phone: 217-367-4405
email: reference@tufl.info
Children’s Services
phone: 217-367-4069
fax: 217-531-7077
email: childrens@tufl.info
Champaign County Historical Archives
phone: 217-367-4025
fax: 217-531-7088
email: archives@tufl.info
Administrative Offices
phone: 217-367-4058
fax: 217-367-4061
email: administration@tufl.info
Library Hours
Adult, Teen, & Children’s Services
9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Thursday
9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Friday – Saturday
1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday
Champaign County Historical Archives
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Saturday
1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday
Closed major holidays.
10/06/11
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