The Queensborough Community College Center for English Language Learners (CELL)

Location:  H-Building, Room 237 (inside the Basic Skills Learning Center)
Contact Information: 

Who can use this center?
The Center for English Language Learners at Queensborough Community College has been established to assist Non-Native English Speaking (NNES) students enrolled at the college with any language-related difficulties that they may be encountering in their academic assignments.

Tutors working with NNES students across the disciplines should also make use of the CELL.  Any tutor wishing to receive extra insight into how to work effectively with English Language Learners is encouraged to view the center as a resource.

 What services does the Center for English Language Learners provide for students?
The Center for English Language Learners offers students the opportunity to enhance their English grammar, reading, and writing skills through the use of the E-resource Center  website specifically designed for CUNY students  by teams at Queensborough and at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.  Students may access this website both on-site at the CELL and off-site as suits their schedule.  In addition, there is an on-site tutor to work with students at the CELL, available for walk-ins and by appointment.

 What services does the center provide for tutors?
The CELL provides materials on the CELL website for tutors to peruse both on-site at the CELL and off-site as suits their schedule.  Copies of a  guidebook entitled Tutoring Non-Native English Speaking Students: A Resource for Tutor Training and Support are available at the CELL and at other tutoring centers across campus.  An on-site CELL tutor-trainer can address tutors’ concerns; tutors may speak with her during designated walk-in hours or by appointment.  The tutor-trainer also holds periodic training sessions at other tutoring centers across campus in order to further assist tutors of NNES students.

What services does the center provide for faculty?
Workshops for Queensborough faculty are offered once a semester by faculty members who have extensive experience working with English Language Learners.  The goal of these workshops is to help faculty better understand the challenges faced by NNES students as they adapt to an English-speaking academic environment.  An on-line faculty helpdesk will soon be established, through which faculty will be able to e-mail a specialist with specific questions related to teaching ELLs.  Online faculty training modules are being developed at this time.  These will inform faculty about second language acquisition, differences in learning styles, and instructional strategies for improving English learners’ experiences in the classroom.