Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

The Center for English as a Second Language (CESL) was established in 1964 as part of the Department of Linguistics. CESL's main purpose is to provide English instruction to non-native English-speaking students who wish to advance to undergraduate or graduate programs at SIUC or to other universities in the United States. CESL sits alongside another unit that provides academic training in TESOL and CESL within the Department of Linguistics, supervises graduate students' teaching experience, and contributes mainly to teaching methodology and research in this field. Students come to CESL from about 40 countries. Most are from Asia, such as Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, followed by students from the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and South America. Instructor Qualifications All full-time instructors are university faculty members. They are native English speakers who hold a master's or doctoral degree in teaching English as a second language or a related field. They have diverse teaching experience in the United States and abroad. Selected graduate students in the TESL master's program also teach classes under faculty supervision. Accommodation On-campus housing can be assigned according to students' needs. Living on campus is close to classrooms and convenient for taking part in campus activities. Since on-campus housing is limited, it is best to apply as early as possible. The school can also introduce off-campus apartments, but the decisions and procedures are the student's responsibility. For other matters, please contact the school directly using the Contact Address.

Southern Illinois University at Carbondale is located in Carbondale, Illinois, a city of about 30,000 people roughly 100 miles southeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Students enjoy the beautiful forests and lakes of the campus, hiking, boating, camping, baseball games, sports, and interaction with the friendly people of southern Illinois. Located right next to a 270,000-acre national park, with several nearby lakes for fishing and boating, Carbondale was introduced by the famous magazine LIFE as "the best small town in Illinois" among America's small towns. Situated in the heart of America, residents enjoy low living costs and easy access to major cities such as St. Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Nashville, allowing them to enjoy big-city culture as well.