English as a Second Language: ESL Resources

• In Overdrive, we have  54 downloadable books to help you:
  • beginner's guides to English language and writing,
  • Bilingual dictionaries,
  • and audiobooks teaching English for speakers of  
    • Arabic,
    • Brazilian Portuguese,
    • Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese,
    • French,
    • Haitian Creole, 
    • Hindi,
    • Korean,
    • Persian/Farsi,
    • Russian,
    • Spanish,
    • Vietnamese.

We have guides to learning English on CD, DVD, and Playaway audio. You can choose general English lessons, or lessons for people whose first language is Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin, Hindi, or Korean. 

The library also has books to help learn words and vocabulary, guides to writing, and dictionaries.

All these "learning languages" resources are in the Nonfiction area, numbers 420 to 499. 

If your child goes to a North Andover public school, they may qualify for free extra help with learning English. The help can include personal tutoring or a small group with a teacher.

To find out if your child qualifies, call the Program Coordinator:  Kristen Ando, at 978-794-1503 X 41313.

USA Learns is a website with free lessons for learning English. They have videos telling you how to register and how to use the lessons. USA Learns is a service for adults who live in the United States. It is provided by a county government in California.

Literacy Volunteers offers free one-on-one tutoring in some towns.  They say:

"LVM can help you learn to speak English. You will work with a tutor. You and the tutor will work privately. The tutor will work with you for 2 hours every week. The tutor will teach you to speak and understand English. The tutor will help you to reach your goals."

For Methuen, call Grace Spaulding at 978-686-4080, extension 32, or email literacy@nevinslibrary.org

For other towns, call 888-466-1313 or choose from the contacts list.

• English At Large runs conversation groups in some nearby towns (Andover, Wilmington, North Reading, Billerica). These are for people who can speak some English already, who want to practice more. They are free, but you need permission to join. 
  To ask to join, fill out the Conversation Group Interest Form at https://forms.gle/bRRGrVBJHCCkhAzZ7 
  If you have other questions, call 781-395-2374 or email learn@englishatlarge.org
• In Lowell, Literacy Volunteers offers conversation groups for newer speakers of English to connect with native speakers in a safe, interactive setting. Currently, an intermediate/advanced level group meets Friday mornings from 10:30 until 12:30 online via Zoom. 
  For more information, contact Sarah Miller, Adult Literacy Program Director, at 978-674-1541 or smiller@LowellLibrary.org. 

LAWRENCE:

• The International Institute of Greater Lawrence offers free classes in English, in the mornings or in the evenings. The Institute is located at 125 Amesbury Street, Lawrence, MA 01840. To find out more about the classes, call (978) 687-0981 or fill the contact form. 
• Notre Dame Education Center offers free classes in English as a Second Language. Call 978-682-6441 to arrange a meeting. At the meeting they will help find the right class to fit you, and add you to the waiting list.
• Northern Essex Community College offers free classes in English as a Second Language. To find out more, call (978)-655-5840 or email CAE@necc.mass.edu.
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METHUEN:

• The Methuen Adult Learning Center offers free classes in English as a Second Language, Monday through Wednesday in the mornings or in the evenings. For permission to join these classes, call (978) 722-6066/ (978)772-6067 to arrange a meeting; or fill their online application and they will call you back.

LOWELL: 

• The Pollard Library sponsors a beginning English class. For more information, please contact Sarah Miller, Adult Literacy Program Director at 978-674-1541 or smiller@LowellLibrary.org. 

• If you live in Amesbury, Haverhill, Lawrence, Merrimac, Methuen, Newburyport, or Salisbury, then Community Action Inc. offers free classes in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). You can call to find out more, 978-373-1971 between the hours of 9 am to 3 pm Monday-Thursday (9am-1 pm Friday). Closed on weekends.

TO LOOK FOR OTHER ENGLISH CLASSES, call the Massachusetts Adult Literacy hotline at 800-447-8844.

THESE CLASSES COST MONEY.

• Merrimack Valley Immigrant and Education Center offers classes  two mornings or evenings per week. Depending on the course, it will cost $125 or $75. For more information,  call 978-683-7316 or email the coordinator at karensheridan@mviec.org. (Lawrence)

• The English Learner Institute at Middlesex Community College offers "basic English and other skills - including technology, life and social skills - that are essential to American culture." Classes are $300 per course. For more information, call Katy Gentile at 978-656-3212 or email gentilek@middlesex.mass.edu. (Lowell)

• Lawrence Community Works offers beginner and intermediate English classes twice a year. Sessions run January-May or August-December.  $115 per course. For more information, call Johanna Mata at 978-722-2623 or email jmata@lawrencecommunityworks.org.  (Lawrence)