Very good initiative Michael. I am sure this will be a great tool for researchers. My best wishes to the ESL network.

Looking forward for the forum. Excellent idea Michael.

I think eveyone can express his thoughts and then check spelling and grammer using microsoft programmes

Congratulations ! Waiting to hear more about it :)

We look forward to your constructive accomplishments, Michael, with much anticipation and pleasure!

Excellent idea Michael.

Can also non-native speakers of English try to support ESL somehow?

Michael, you have contacted RG, and got blessings for this project? I will do my best for the folks in my network who have been so helpful to me, if I can.

Hi Michael! ;D

Just added to my topic. Not actually what is generally categorized as "Native Speaker" but I do help others revise and edit their work on a regular base. Good idea and good luck with getting RG's approval.

Looking forward to the implementation...

@All, thank you so much for your encouraging words. It's not MY project, though, it's yours ;). Of course, also non-natives who feel up to the task and can spend some time are very welcome.

I do see this endeavor (OUR endeavor) in the light of the Wikipedia - self-organized by interested peers. The only thing we really need from 'outside' is the handle to get mentors and mentees into contact: the topic.

Wikipedia: you couldn't find a better parallel.

A big thank to Michael sir and RG.

Dear All,

I hope ESL Mentoring Network will operate soon. Many thanks, Michael.

I've just sent a topic request regarding 'ESL Mentoring Network' to RG, please see attachment. Keep also posting there to support this initiative if you feel it is worth it. Thank you all.

https://feedback.researchgate.net/responses/new-topic-esl-mentoring-network

Very nice idea Michael, Iam looking forward to see this..

Thx

Recently an 'editor' has changed the text of the original question. It seems that they have changed the topics and added a new one: 'ESL Mentoring' (so without Network), which hadn't existed before.

So, it seems we've got what we wanted and can thank RG for the prompt reaction. I'll revise the original question accordingly.

Congratulations and big thanks Michael. This is really a big help to us non-native english speakers.

Would it be possible to add "ESL Mentoring" to your skills and expertise too?

Endorsing people for their ESL mentoring work could be a way to reward people for the efforts they put in the mentoring process.

Yes, Wim - great idea as always. Just added it as a skill, hoping to keep up with this.

Well done!

Great Initiative sir.

It will be a lot helpful for me.

Thanks.

Followers of this thread may find recent research on the zone of proximal development (ZPD) interesting. ZPD is the locus of social negotiations about meanings. In the context of schools and second language acquisition, ZPD is a place where teachers and pupils may appropriate one another's understandings. For this reason, ZPD is thought of as a place where cognitive change occurs.

It is thought that cognitive change takes place when there is interaction between persons with different goals, roles and resources. For more about this, see the attached pdf containing

M. Johnson, A Philosophy of Second Language Acquisition, Yale University Press, 2004, chapter 6.

Dear friends, there are a few sites like this one.

http://esl.about.com/u/sty/writinginenglish/improve_writing_tips/

Hi Michael

Despite my surname, I'm not an English native speaker.

I have a lot of difficulties finding a partner with whom I can practice my spoken English. Maybe it would also be a good idea to create a network or community of Researchgate members willing to establish contact through Skype to improve their English skills.

What do you think about it?

Best regards

Alex

Alejandro, I've thought about this before - not only related to ESL but also for project work here on RG, by which peers could collaborate. We should actually have a tool for video chatting here, ready to exchange ideas more spontaneously on a professional basis. This, then, would also be useful for ESL Mentoring, I agree. Can we convince RG?

Another platform could be G+ offering the feature of free of charge video conferencing for up to 10 webcams (=groups), which I occasionally use for teaching.

Hi

I have googled the words and there's nothing about Skype for MD or scientists.

I don't really know what's G+ but anyway it appears to be a great idea.

I agree, a video tool would be great.

Oh, I mean Google Plus. Sorry for my computer speak, Alejandro.

I am totally into this idea. Bruckner if you could make the lead, we could organise a workshop on this under RG support. May be, we could have a try?

I am happy for the opportunity to collaborate. I am a native American English speaker and writer. I am currently pursuing a Master's in Adult Education and Training, and look forward to teaching and learning with you.

Welcome on board the ESL Mentoring Network, Vicki! Please, add 'ESL Mentoring' to your skills list, so that ESL speakers can find you and you can follow this topic if tagged.

I love the opportunity to work on an ESL network. I have been teaching ESL for more than 20 years and presently work with foreign students who hold a degree from their own country. We prepare for the graduate exams to enter graduate school in the United States. I hold Master's degrees in both comparative literature and English and certification in ESL and language arts.

Aysha Bey

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Let me introduce myself from the professional point of view. I've been teaching English as a foreign language for more than 30 years now. I've got experience in teaching students of tertiary education -university level. I hold M.A. in English linguistics and also Ph.D. - in linguistics, specializing in ecology of language and communication. As English became a lingua franca we all can treat it as a second language and that's why I treat myself as an ESL teacher. English for Specific purposes (medical English) is my specialty.

Hi! My name is Maggie. I'm a college student from China. I just got transferred from the college of Nano Science and Technology to English major. Although I am only a senior right now, I have the experience of teaching seven students from Kansas State University Mandarin (using English) and I'm also interested translating and interpreting, from English to Chinese and vice versa. My total amount of translation work should add up to about 10,000 words until now. Currently, I'm occupied in translating a novel called Catalyst written by my American friend and also writing my thesis which is about the translation of Modern Chinese poetry and its reception in the west. Anyway, I'm more than willing to help if there is anything I can do.

Best wishes to this activity!

Hi, This is a great idea and I’m happy to help out in any way possible.  I am a masters level graduate student in geology and a native English speaker.  Please let me know if I can be of assistance.

I visited Hawai'i in 2005 for an ESL short training workshop. This network/mentoring will really help connect us from diffrent parts of the ESL world.

Hi,  count on me. I fully surpport this workshop. I'm currently teaching English for Intensive English Program (IEP) for ESL/ESL learners before they proceed to do their major courses.  Most of the students are from Middle East, China, kazakhstan,Uzbekistan, Tajikstan and some French Speaking countries in Africa.

This idea is great! Although English is my second language, I supervise PhD students from Libya, Iraq, Jordan, Bangladesh and Malaysia. To some of these students, English is a foreign language. But they need to write their thesis in English. Would it be possible for them to join this group? Much appreciated. 

I wold like to be a part of this excellent initiative...Dr Lakshman Sockalingam,,[email protected]  lecturing at King Abdul Aziz University...Jeddah in Saudi Arabia

i would like to join. Pl advise me as to the proceedings.

Joe, Laksham, Saadiyah and Renuka -you are all very welcome.

As an ESL teacher for 25 years and a former director of an intensive English program, I am very interested in offering assistance.

All peers that have offered their assistance recently are very welcome. Please, have a look at the original question and follow the steps 1-4 mentioned there. Thank you so much for your generosity.

Interested to know of any ongoing activities? Lots of support was manifested, however, how is the action applied?

I am interested to become member in the ESL to improve my writing skills. Despite of previous answers though i am not sure how can i joined in ESL community to improve writing skills. I would appreciate if you can explain the process of joining in the ESL community. I am looking forward to hear from you. 

I´m very interested in that. I am wishing to go to Englan for a Masters Degree or some learning experiences on my specialty.

@Victor, please post your specific questions here on RG and add 'ESL Mentoring' as a question topic. This will be monitored and found by peers who are willing to help.

Another way is to ask followers of this topic (should only be those who are native or near-native speakers of English) directly for help.