ESL – Educational Modules

Notre Dame Seminary ESL marshals the resources of the seminary community and the cultural opportunities afforded by the metropolitan area of New Orleans. ESL seminarians participate in several educational modules as part of their intensive English instruction

Class Instruction:

Seminarians enrolled in ESL receive 15 to 17 hours a week of in-class group instruction. The core elements of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing are extensively covered in the curriculum and systematically tested.

Individual Sessions:

Those enrolled in ESL, both full-time and part-time, have scheduled sessions with certified ESL instructors. These sessions provide topical attention, with emphasis on correct pronunciation and accent reduction.

NDS Peer Tutors Program:

Exceptional seminarians are chosen from the community and briefed on ESL teaching strategies. They are then assigned to an ESL seminarian for regular tutoring sessions, assisting them with conversation and writing skills.

The Host Family Program:

Local families volunteer to sponsor the ESL seminarians, coming to the seminary for conversation and assisting in cultural acclimation. Often, these families take the seminarians on short cultural experiences in New Orleans.

NDS Language Co-Op:

ESL runs a “Co-Op” between native students who are learning Spanish for pastoral reasons and Spanish speakers learning English. Supervised and guided by the ESL Director, these students meet and teach one another their native languages to their mutual benefit.

Cultural Excursion Program:

Twice a semester, ESL seminarians exit the confines of the seminary as a class and participate in activities in and around the city of New Orleans. This affords the seminarians the opportunity to learn more about American culture and the rich history surrounding the city. All the excursions are lesson-based.

Educational Technology:

The ESL lab is equipped with several educational computer and internet-based programs. Among these are the ELLIS program by Pearson Education, Rosetta Stone, and the Mango Language Program. These programs assist ESL seminarians in language acquisition and provide interactive audio and visual lessons.