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ESL Learners
Let us help you learn English or improve your literacy skills with a variety of learning tools, services, and resources. Need additional assistance? Call Adult Services at (847) 725-2171.
Audiobooks and eBooks
English as a Second Language eBooks
by Hoopla Digital
Try these lessons and guide books to help you speak English like a native. Includes easy grammar lessons, vocabulary books, writing exercises, and more.
Language Learning Audiobooks for Kids
by TumbleBooks
Read along with talking, animated picture books and chapter books for kids available in French, Spanish, and other world languages.
Pimsleur Program Audiobooks
by Hoopla Digital
Learn to speak and understand English as a Second Language with Pimsleur. Digital courses are available for speakers of the following world languages:
- Chinese (Cantonese)
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- French
- German
- Haitian Creole
- Hindi
- Italian
- Korean
- Persian (Farsi)
- Portuguese (Brazilian)
- Russian
- Spanish
- Vietnamese
Online Learning Resources
Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos
A Spanish-language database by World Book that contains videos, selected articles, and a visual dictionary to allow ESL and Spanish students the chance to learn.
Try Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos
Gale Courses
Gale Courses is an online learning platform that offers courses on many subject, including grammar and writing for ESL.
LOTE4Kids
LOTE4Kids offers 5,750+ children's books in 80+ languages with English translations, accessible online or via mobile app.
Mango Languages
Mango is an interactive language learning system that helps you develop everyday conversational skills and offers beginning and advanced student coursework and ESL courses.
Muzzy Online
Muzzy Online is a fun and interactive way for children to learn new languages.
Read It!
Short, nonfiction articles for adults who want to build their English reading skills. Topics include history, civics, citizenship requirements, life skills, science and more. The articles can be translated into 35 languages and have a "Read Out Loud" text to speech tool.
Rosetta Stone
An interactive and immersive language-learning program available in nearly 30 different languages with over 200 hours of instruction per language. Registration with a valid email is required.
Local ESL Services
Arlington Heights Memorial Library
Offers free ESL classes, one-on-one tutoring, a conversation club, and an ESL book club.
Elgin Community College
Provides free online and in-person ESL classes for both residents and non-residents.
Oakton Community College
Offers free ESL and citizenship classes, as well as additional paid supplemental courses.
Schaumburg Township District Library
Provides free ESL classes, tutoring, a conversation club, an ESL book club, and citizenship services.
School District 211
Hosts adult ESL night school programs for community members.
School District 214
Offers ESL classes and family literacy programs to support English language learners and their families.
William Rainey Harper College
Provides free ESL classes for local residents at multiple community locations.
Recommended Websites
BBC Learning English
BBC Learning English provides multimedia English language teaching materials to meet the needs of learners around the world. It features a range of long-running features such as 6 Minute English, The English We Speak, and Lingohack.
ESL Cyber Listening Lab
Online English listening comprehension quizzes and activities for ESL and EFL learners of all levels.
Let's Learn English
Practice and improve your American English by listening to news and read along videos.
Storyline Online
A free online literacy, educational, and teaching tool for children, parents, caregivers, and educators worldwide that offers over 80 children's books to stream on demand. Each book is read by a variety of celebrated actors and includes accompanying illustrations and curricular resources that aim to strengthen comprehension, verbal, and written skills for English-language learners.
Voice of America (VOA): Learning English
This special English website is an excellent tool to practice and improve your American English. Listen to news and read along.