Students have the opportunity to assist in ELI classes by joining our team as English Speaking Assistants (ESAs) in the 4 credit hour ELI/LING 491 Practicum in College Teaching course. Assistants are given the opportunity to work closely with English language learners (ELLs) in the classroom, mostly through small group work, as well as converse and reflect with ELI instructors about teaching ESOL. ELI students benefit by having the opportunity to speak with native and non-native speakers, gather cultural information, and work on speaking and listening skills.
Participating in this course is a wonderful chance for all involved. If you are considering going into the teaching profession, being an assistant for an ELI course is a wonderful introduction to the joys of working with language learners. It is undoubtedly a great service to the students in the class as they work towards acclimating to the academic environment at Binghamton University.
