TESL
From Simmons Library Research Guides
We have selected these resources to help you find relevant information on your research topic. Please contact a librarian for help using the resources listed in this guide or for help with your research process.
Contents |
Reference and Background Information
Use the Simmons Eresource called [http://0-refuniv.odyssi.com.library.simmons.edu/ Reference Universe] to search for information about your topic in all of our Reference sources.
or, search for Reference sources that contain information about your specific research topic here:
You may also consult the resources below for overviews of the topic that you have chosen to research. Use these resources to help you to put your topic in context and give you the big picture of what information exists about your topic. These resources may have bibliographies at the end of each entry that can help further your research.
- Dictionary of Multicultural Education
Level 1 Reference LC1099 .D53 1997 and Simmons Eresource
This dictionary explains important terminology in the field of multicultural education by providing both the literal and contextual meanings of each word. Most entries include examples of the term in real situations along with differing points of view on the topic.
- Educator's Desk Reference (EDR)
Level 1 Reference LB1028.27.U6 F74 2002
This print resource will help anyone who is conducting Master's and PhD level educational research. It is divided into six sections Print Reference Materials, Internet Information sources, Professional Publishing sources, Computer Software, Research Designs complete with Statistical Procedures and Sampling Techniques and a Directory of Organizations.
- Educator's Reference Desk
Free Online
Use this free web page to find subject specific lesson plans, read questions submitted by educators, find web pages and other resources related specifically to an educational interest, such as counseling or home schooling, and much more.
- Encyclopedia of Bilingualism and Bilingual Education
Level 1 Reference LC3707 .E53 1998
The overall aim of this encyclopedia is to "raise awareness about language diversity, to help reduce the prejudice and stereotyping that surrounds language minorities, and to communicate the beauty of bilingualism." To that aim, it provides a detailed examination of important terms, ideas, and events in bilingualism and bilingual education. The contents are divided into four distinct areas: Individual Bilingualism, Languages in Society, Languages in Contact in the World, and Bilingual Education.
- Encyclopedia of American Education
Level 1 Reference LB17 .U54 2001
This comprehensive three-volume encyclopedia covers most broad topics in American education, including administration, court decisions, important figures, history, reform, and pedagogy, among others. This is a particularly useful resource for students of education, although it can provide useful background information for anyone interested or working in the field.
- Encyclopedia of Education
Level 1 Reference LB15 .E47 2003
An eight volume encyclopedia with extensive entries on famous educational figures, educational principles, terminology, recommended readings arranged by topic, and much more, with detailed analysis and discussion.
- English as a Second Language: Teacher Resource Handbook
Level 2 Curriculum Collection PE1128.A2 E4724 1995
This resource provides a practical step-by-step guide to ESL education, including student needs assessment, program funding, testing, and curriculum guidelines, along with a list of educational materials and a discussion of philosophies and ideologies related to curriculum planning.
- ESL Standards for Pre-K-12 Students
Level 2 Curriculum Collection PE1128.A2 T435
This is an informative and useful resource for understanding, implementing, and using the ESL standards. It includes a detailed discussion of the standards, along with excellent suggestions for using them as a framework for curriculum planning.
- Not for ESOL Teachers: What Every Classroom Teacher Needs To Know About the Linguistically, Culturally, and Ethnically Diverse Student
Level 2 Books LC3731 .A824 2006
As the title suggests, this book is a useful tool for anyone planning to teach in a school with a diverse student population. It contains "the essential concepts needed to educate English language learning students" outside of the ESOL classroom, with specific information about language acquisition, family-school interactions, and special considerations for curriculum design.
- Random House Webster's Dictionary of American English
Level 1 Reference PE1628 .R2943 1997
An ESL Dictionary for learners of English as a Second Language.
Finding Articles
Below are suggested databases and indexes for articles on the topic that you have chosen to research. These databases include articles from newspapers, magazines and scholarly journals. Articles are shorter and more narrowly focused than books or reference materials so you should use them after you have narrowed your topic.
- Education Abstracts and Fulltext Journals
Simmons Eresource
Indexes over 500 scholarly and trade publications from the Education literature.
- Education Professional Development Collection
Simmons Eresource
Contains 700 journals and over 200 reports on education topics, many of them full text. Coverage: 1965 to the present.
- Educator's Reference Complete
Simmons Eresource
Drawing from journals, reports, and reference sources, Educator's Reference Complete provides information for educators on educational principles, child development and psychology, and best practices in education.
- ERIC
Simmons Eresource and Free Online
ERIC is the largest database of scholarly and non-academic literature on the field of education.
- Open Access Journals in the Field of Education
Free Online
Maintained by the American Education Research Association Special Interest Group, this list provides links to electronic journals that are scholarly, peer-reviewed, full text, and accessible without cost. Also listed are professional magazines that are largely not refereed and commercial journals that may only allow access to a very limited number of articles as an enticement to buy. This is not a searchable database.
- Academic Search Complete
Simmons Eresource
Academic Search Complete is a great place to start your search for both popular and scholarly articles, no matter what your topic is! It contains journals from almost every topic and is designed specifically for academic institutions. It provides more than 5,300 full-text periodicals, 4,400 of which are peer-reviewed journals. This resource also features content as far back as 1865.
- Academic Onefile
Simmons Eresource
Academic Onefile contains 8,000 academic journals, the majority in full-text, available in HTML and PDF formats. In addition it contains hundreds of podcasts and transcripts from NPR, CNN, and the CBC.
- Expanded Academic ASAP
Simmons Eresource
From arts and the humanities to social sciences, science and technology, this database meets research needs across all academic disciplines. Access scholarly journals, news magazines, and newspapers - many with full text and images. Updated daily.
TIP: Use the Advanced Search for a more precise search!
Searching the Web
Tips for Searching the Internet:
- Use the advanced search function, which is available from most search engines:
- Google - See also "Advanced Search Tips"
- Ask - Click "Advanced." See also "Advanced Search Tips"
- Live (MSN) - See also "Options"
- Exalead - See also "Exalead FAQ"
- Yahoo! Search
- Limit your search to .edu and .gov sites. These often provide quality research, statistics, and commentary. Sites ending in .org often have good information, too, but are likely to espouse a strong stance or bias on the issues they cover and may not be objective.
- Try Scandoo, which presents search results from Google, Yahoo! Search, or Live (MSN) with an evaluation about the objectivity, credibility, and overall reliability of the site.
- Consider using a directory of pre-screened, annotated sites:
Writing Style and Citation
For more information on style and citation for this discipline, please contact the Simmons College Writing Center
You may also consider consulting these resources:
- Writing Resources
Free Online
The Writing Center provides online resources for citing your research. If you are unsure of which citation style to use, consult your professor and consider the following:- Use APA (American Psychological Association) when your topic is in the Social Sciences
- Use ASA (American Sociological Association) when your topic is in Sociology
- Use MLA (Modern Language Association) when your topic is in the Humanities
- Use Chicago/Turabian when your topic is in Literature, History or the Arts
- Use CSE (Council of Science Editors) when your topic is in the Sciences
- RefWorks
Simmons Eresource
RefWorks is a great program for organizing articles, books, and other materials you need for research. You can also use RefWorks to create bibliographies, create in text citations in your paper (Write-N-Cite), and share your research with others. Access RefWorks from the A-Z list of resources on the library's web page, and then follow the instructions to create your own username and password. We hold RefWorks Clinics throughout the semester. For more information, ask a reference librarian
