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Resource Corner

CAL Digest Series: English Language Learners
The digests in this series offer valuable information for anyone who is working with English language learners or who has an interest in the field of English language learning. Learn more.

CAL Services
Learn more about our professional development and technical assistance services.

  

English Language Learners

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, nearly one person in five (or 47 million U.S. residents age 5 and older) spoke a language other than English at home in the year 2000. The continued growth in the number of speakers of languages other than English is reflected in the rapidly increasing number of students in U.S. schools for whom English is a second language and in the growing number of adult English language learners across the country.

As the number of English language learners continues to grow, educators are seeking effective programs and instructional strategies to serve them.

CAL conducts projects and offers a variety of research-based resources related to the education of English language learners in a variety of settings:

  • Prekindergarten-Grade 12 programs

  • Universities and community colleges

  • Adult education programs

  • Workplace programs

To learn more about CAL’s resources for professionals working with English language learners, browse our subtopics within this section.

Projects

The Center for Applied Linguistics is involved in a variety of projects related to English language learners. Read more.

Quality Counts 2009: Portrait of a Population
How English-Language Learners Are Putting Schools to the Test
CAL worked with Education Week to create a downloadable PDF of selected articles from the recent Quality Counts 2009, the latest in a series of annual report cards tracking state education policies and outcomes.

This PDF features three articles from the report that reference CAL’s work on the education of English language learners. Learn more.

Researchers Urge Use of Stimulus Funds to Address the Needs of English Language Learners
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provides an extraordinary opportunity to improve educational outcomes for English language learners (ELLs), a rapidly growing, yet underserved population. The Working Group on ELL Policy, a group of researchers with extensive experience in the education of ELL students, has prepared a set of recommendations designed to guide discussion and decision-making on how to use ARRA funds to better serve English language learners in schools across the United States. Read the full report. 

ONPAR LogoComputer-Based Test of Science and Math for Beginning English Language Learners
CAL is working with the WIDA Consortium to develop ONPAR, an alternative test that allows students to demonstrate their content knowledge with a test instrument sensitive to their lower proficiency in English. CAL and WIDA recently launched the ONPAR Web site. Learn more.

Publications

Browse CAL's publications list for titles of interest to those teaching or working with English language learners. Read more.

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Visit CAL's 50th anniversary Web site which reflects on our rich history of improving communication through better understanding of language and culture.