Topics
English Language Learners
Foreign Language
Testing / Assessment
Literacy Education
Dialects
Refugee Integration
International Development
Research
Resources
Projects
Services
About CAL
Join Our List
Featured Publication
Enhancing English Language Learning in Elementary Classrooms
Email this page
Print this page
Spotlight

Children in classroom

Teacher Tools
Learn more about CAL's tools for teachers.

The Working Group on ELL Policy

VIAS

The Working Group on ELL Policy, an independent group of ELL researchers, academics, and policy experts, address current policy issues affecting English language learners.

Learn more.

Resource Corner

CAL Digest Series: English Language Learners
This digest introduces the topic of coaching language teachers in a way that is responsive to the complex, varied, and dynamic landscapes of language classrooms, describes three dimensions of coaching discourse that can shape dialogues among coaches and language teachers, and presents some general advice for coaches. 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.

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.