TESL-L

THE ELECTRONIC DISCUSSION FORUM

FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES

What is it?

TESL-L is a 24 hour electronic communications resource for anyone interested in education of non-native English-speakers. TESL-L is available free to those with access to the BITNET or INTERNET telecommunications systems, which link TESL-L members in 159 countries.

What does it do?

TESL-L uses electronic mail to help members with similar teaching and /or research interests communicate fast and inexpensively to discuss items of mutual concern and simplicity, and power of electronic mail give ESL/EFL professionals around the world a quick and efficient way to remain in touch with what is happening in the field. Members can get the latest news and information about conferences, jobs, methods, and materials; and they can discuss all of these with their colleagues.

TESL-L is supported by a grant from the US Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) to develop an online database of TESL/TEFL materials and the creation of electronic branches for special interests. (See http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/~tesl-l/ for more information.)

How much does it cost?

Nothing! All you need is an electronic mail (email) account, usually provided at no charge through your university, college, or board of education. In this instance, part-time faculty normally have the same access to accounts as do fulltimers. You do not need to be a computer whiz and you do not need to have a computer and a modem at home (although it is easier and more fun if you do).

If you do not have a computer and modem at home, terminals found on most college campuses and at many schools will serve just as well to get on- line with TESL-L. Electronic mail does NOT normally require long- distance telephone calls, even if the user is communicating with colleagues thousands of miles away.

How do I join TESL-L?

First, you need to get an electronic mail user ID number. This address will be good for all electronic communications, not just TESL-L. Your institutional Academic Computing Services Department will provide you with the number. You can also get a commercial user ID nubmer through services like MCImail, Genie, Compuserve, and a variety of similar Internet servcices around the world which can link up with TESL-L. See overleaf for details of how to sign on once you have your email user ID.

To Join TESL-L:

Once you have an electronic (email) ID, you can join TESL-L by doing one of the following:

1. Send an electronic message to:

LISTSERV@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU or LISTSERV@CUNYVM.BITNET

The messages from TESL-L will be sent to the email address you send this message from.
The text of the message will simply be:

subscribe TESL-L (your first name) (your last name)

To subscribe to branches, simple replace the "TESL-L" above with the name of the branch you want to join. See the example below:

subscribe TESLMW-L (your first name) (your last name)
Note: You must first subscribe to TESL-L before you can subscribe to any branches. Clicking on the link above will create an email with the correct text in the body. Simply highlight [FIRST NAME] and type in your first name. Then do the same with [LAST NAME].

Once you are subscribed, the list manager will send you an email with instructions on how to search the archives and perform ther necessary functions.

As there are often dozens of messages posted on a list every day, you may wish to get only a digest version, which will summarize the main point of each message, allowing you to choose whether or not you want to see the entire message. To do this, add the following line (or send a separate message):

Set digest TESL-L (or the name of the branch)
Note: The digest option is not available on some branches.

2. Send a personal message to:

Anthea Tillyer ABTHC@CUNYVM.BITNET OR ABTHC@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU

3. If you run into trouble, you can (snail) mail to:

Anthea Tillyer
International English Language Institute
Hunter College
695 Park Avenue (10th Floor East)
New York. NY. 10021 USA

Tel: (212) 772-4290
Fax: (212) 489-3687

or go to http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/~tesl-l/

TESL-L Branches:

Members of TESL-L can sign up for any TESL-L branches, each of which focuses on one of the following specific area of special interest within our profession:

Computer Assisted Language Learning (TESLCA-L)
Fluency First and Whole Language (TESLFF-L)
Intensive English Programs and Administration (TESLIE-L)
Jobs and Employment Issues (TESLJB-L)
English for Specific Purposes (TESP-L)
Materials Writers (TESLMW-L)

TESL-L Workgroups:

Members of TESL-L are working on special (2) projects: TESL EJ (The first online ESL/EFL/SLA Electronic Journal) and CELIA (the international collaborative project to create an online archive of materials related to computer-assisted language-learning). As a member of TESL-L you will be able and encouraged to participate in theses activities.

TESL-L Job List:

subscribe TESLJB-L (first name) (last name)

TESL-L is an independent entity, supported by the City University of New York and the United States Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education. We maintain cordial relations with several professional organizations in the field of teaching English as a second or foreign language, including IATEFL (International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language) and TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages), but are not allied with any of them.

Ling. 678 Syllabus