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Announcement Archive

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About CAL

Announcements

Evaluation Services
CAL offers evaluation and program design services to schools, districts, and other institutions that are planning or implementing programs for language learners. CAL’s services are rooted in research-based tools and approaches, and are tailored to meet your needs.
Learn more.
July 2013

SOPA Online Training Courses – Fall 2013
CAL offers innovative oral proficiency assessment instruments designed to allow young students to demonstrate their highest level of performance in oral fluency and listening comprehension. SOPA Online Training courses teach participants how to administer and rate students' oral language using the SOPA (Student Oral Proficiency Assessment) or the ELLOPA (Early Language Listening and Oral Proficiency Assessment).

Registration is now open through October 16, 2013, for the Moderated Introduction to the SOPA and the Moderated Introduction to the SOPA - Chinese online courses. Courses will open on August 15, 2013, and must be completed by November 30, 2013.
Learn more and register.
July 2013

CAL’s Two Way Immersion Directory – Updates in Progress
CAL has re-opened its Two-Way Immersion Directory to continue to gather information about dual language and two-way immersion programs around the country. It is important to include all programs in order to comprehensively promote bilingual, dual language, and two-way immersion education with policy makers and stakeholders.

Please help us keep the directory current by adding or updating your program.

Learn more and connect to the TWI directory.
July 2013

ILTA Best Article Award
CAL staff members Dorry M. Kenyon and David MacGregor are among the recipients of the International Language Testing Association (ILTA) Best Article Award. This award is given annually for an article that makes a significant contribution to the field of language testing. The winning article, “Issues in Vertical Scaling of a K-12 English Language Proficiency Test,” also includes authors Dongyang Li, who was an intern at CAL when he contributed to this article, and H. Gary Cook. It appeared in the July 2011 issue of the journal Language Testing (Vol. 28, No. 3).

Visit the ILTA website to learn more.
June 2013

New CAL-WIDA Website Launched
This new website provides information about CAL-WIDA collaborative activities and provides links to useful information from both organizations. Much of the focus of the website is in the assessment arena, where CAL combines its applied linguistics knowledge, commitment to linguistically diverse students, long and rich experience in language testing, and computerized testing expertise to help WIDA produce exceptional assessments of English language proficiency for national and international use. Browse the new website.
June 2013

The GO TO Strategies: Scaffolding Options for Teachers of English Language
Learners, K-12

CAL provided professional development and technical assistance focused on better preparing faculty at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Education and teachers in North Kansas City Schools to provide effective instruction to English language learners. The GO TO Strategies, an outcome of the project, is available for free download. Learn more.
June 2013

Welcome to the United States: Refugee Resettlement Welcome Package
The Welcome package includes Welcome to the United States: A Guidebook for Refugees (English) and Welcome to the United States: Refugee Guide to Resettlement Orientation Video (DVD, English).

Developed to provide refugees with information to help them adjust to life in the United States, these resources are also of interest to new immigrants, service providers, and receiving communities. Versions of the Welcome package in Arabic, Burmese, and Nepali are coming soon. Learn more.
June 2013

New CAL SIOP Website Launched
CAL SIOP has launched its new website designed to provide improved navigation and highlight the rich variety of SIOP resources available for educators. Ongoing work to expand content on the new website is underway.

Browse the new website.
May 2013

Free Webinar: Financial Literacy Materials for Adults With Limited English Reading Proficiency
May 30, 2013, 2:00-3:00pm EDT

Please join Deborah Kennedy and Miriam Burt of the Center for Applied Linguistics and Jennifer Leach of the Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection at this free 60-minute webinar. The presenters will share free, downloadable, instructional, and informational materials for practitioners working with adult learners with low literacy in English – both native and non-native English speakers. These materials can be used in classrooms, in one-on-one tutoring, or even by students themselves working online. This webinar is intended for all interested persons who have the instructional and informational financial literacy needs of adults in mind.

To learn more, register, and post a comment to the pre-activity discussion thread, visit the LINCS Community website.

View a sample resource for discussion.
May 2013

Language Immersion Education in Minnesota

View a video on the role of language immersion education in Minnesota featuring CAL Trustee Fred Genesee and CAL Senior Fellow Donna Christian. Visit the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) website to learn more and watch the video.
April 2013

The State of Applied Linguistics: Preliminary Results of a Nationwide Survey

What is being taught and learned in applied linguistics programs? What is the future of the field of applied linguistics? These are some of the critical questions being addressed by a CAL-funded survey of the state of applied linguistics. CAL staff are currently surveying faculty members and graduate students in applied linguistics and its subfields (e.g., Teaching English as a Second Language, second language studies) and will be presenting preliminary results at the Association of Applied Linguistics annual conference in Dallas in March.

Graduate students and faculty members in the field of applied linguistics are welcome to complete the survey. Furthermore, please forward the links to these surveys (provided in the link below) to any of your colleagues in the field–student or faculty. Broad participation is key to the generalizability of our findings. Learn more.
March 2013

Assessment Needs Surveys

The Center for Applied Linguistics is conducting online survey research on the assessment needs of language teacher educators and second language acquisition (SLA) researchers. This research seeks to define the current assessment knowledge and practices of language teacher educators and SLA researchers. We also hope to identify their needs and hopes for future resources that would provide assessment information and training.

CAL welcomes your contributions to this research and invites you to complete one or both of these surveys. The surveys are voluntary and anonymous, and will take about 15 minutes to complete. If you are interested in participating, please click on the appropriate link below. Each link will take you directly to the related survey.

Assessment Needs Survey: Language Teacher Educators

Assessment Needs Survey: Second Language Acquisition Researchers
March 2013

Multidisciplinary Approaches in Language Policy and Planning Conference
September 5 - 7, 2013
University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada

CAL is a proud sponsor of this international conference focusing on language policy and planning. Learn more.
March 2013

WIDA 2013 National Conference
Language Learner Success: Building on Strengths October 17-19, 2013
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

WIDA's annual conference will provide PreK through grade 12 educators of language learners opportunities for professional development, idea sharing, relationship building, and strategic collaboration. The theme for the 2013 Conference is Language Learner Success: Building on Strengths. This directly ties into WIDA's CAN DO philosophy, which emphasizes the assets, contributions, and potential of linguistically diverse students. Topics are expected to encompass four broad areas: academic language and literacy; effective instructional practices; program management, and; national initiatives. CAL is proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the WIDA 2013 Conference. Learn more.
March 2013

Professional Development Opportunities in Washington, DC

CAL is continuing to expand its successful series of professional development institutes focusing on key issues for educators. CAL Institutes provide research-based strategies and practical, hands-on tools to help you develop effective classroom activities, including meeting the demands of the Common Core State Standards. We invite you to visit our website to learn more about each institute and register.

Visit our website to learn more and register.
February 2013

SIOP in Action: Instructional Videos Featuring Complete SIOP Lessons at Three Grade Levels New!

Three videos, available on one DVD with a companion viewers’ guide, illustrate three SIOP lessons at different grade levels: second grade, eighth grade, and high school/GED. Designed to deepen understanding of SIOP Model implementation at the classroom level and to support professional development initiatives, these videos are also used in CAL SIOP professional development workshops and online learning.

Learn more and watch a video clip.
February 2013

SOPA Online Training Courses Set for February 2013

CAL offers innovative oral proficiency assessment instruments designed to allow young students to demonstrate their highest level of performance in oral fluency and listening comprehension. SOPA Online Training courses teach participants how to administer and rate students' oral language using the SOPA (Student Oral Proficiency Assessment) or the ELLOPA (Early Language Listening and Oral Proficiency Assessment).

Registration is open for the February Moderated Introduction to the SOPA and Rating the SOPA online courses.

Learn more and register.
February 2013

Assessment for Language Instructors: The Basics

CAL is offering a free online training course that teaches world language instructors about the fundamentals of assessment.

Learn more.
February 2013

The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics

This comprehensive reference work covers the highly diverse field of applied linguistics and is available online or as a 10-volume print set from the publisher, John Wiley and Sons. Bringing together historic and emerging areas of research within applied linguistics, the encyclopedia includes over 1,100 entries written by an international team of scholars from over 40 counties, including contributions from CAL staff and board members.

Browse the encyclopedia at the Wiley Online Library.
February 2013

CREATE Project Update

The CREATE team is pleased to announce the launch of an archival website that makes available information and downloadable resources from the CREATE project. The revamped website provides an overview of the multi-year program of research and describes individual research projects and a school-wide CREATE intervention. The website also includes summaries and resources from annual CREATE-sponsored conferences and provides access to publications and resources, including the downloadable CREATE Briefs and lesson materials.

With the end of this important 7-year project, the website is now considered historical in nature and will no longer be updated.

View the enhanced CREATE website.
January 2013

New CREATE Brief Available

Effective Practices for Increasing the Achievement of English Learners

This research brief highlights two schools’ efforts to improve the achievement of their students using the SIOP Model. These schools, one elementary and one secondary, have seen significant improvement in the performance of their English learners through the use of the SIOP Model of instruction, an approach that addresses both academic language development and access to content. The brief outlines how each school has implemented the model and supported teachers through job-embedded professional development.

Read the brief online or download the PDF.
November 2012

National Consortium of Language Program Databases

National Consortium of Language Program Databases The National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland, working under the auspices of the STARTALK project, has established the National Consortium of Language Program Databases hosted by CAL. The Consortium is pleased to launch the prototype for the Online Language Programs Directory as part of CAL’s work for the STARTALK project. Visitors to the website can search the directory for snapshot data from two of the Consortium partners, providing a proof-of-concept for possible future activities. Learn more.
November 2012

New CREATE Brief Now Available

CREATE: A Comprehensive Model for Instruction of Academic Language and Literacy in the Content Areas

This brief outlines a systematic school-wide intervention that consistently integrates content knowledge and language and literacy development in content area curricula. The brief first describes the elements of the intervention, including implementation, professional development, and coaching support in critical content areas. It then explains the instructional implications for teachers and administrators.

Read the brief online or download the PDF.
September 2012

Hot Topics in ELL Education Institute
December 3-5, 2012

Join CAL in Washington, DC, for 3 days focused on key issues facing educators working with English language learners. Hot topics featured in this institute will include oral language and vocabulary development, and skills and strategies for math and science instruction.
Learn more.
September 2012

Training of Trainers Institute on Teaching Reading to English Language Learners
November 12-14, 2012

This institute is designed for specialists who provide professional development to educators who teach reading in classes with English language learners. Spend 3 days in Washington, DC, at our What’s Different About Teaching Reading to Students Learning English? training of trainers institute.
Learn more.
September 2012

Arabic Oral Proficiency: A Guide for Students

This free online tutorial helps high school and university-level students of Arabic understand and improve their oral proficiency. It teaches students how oral proficiency is rated according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines so that they can self-assess and set language learning goals. The tutorial features authentic examples of students speaking Arabic at different levels, tips and resources to improve oral proficiency, and student descriptions of their experiences being assessed and then using their Arabic to communicate abroad. View this new online resource.
September 2012

Heritage Language Education Resources: Dissertation and Thesis Abstracts

Two resources containing comprehensive lists of dissertation and thesis abstracts on the topics of heritage language education and Spanish heritage language education are now available. These resources are a collaborative effort between the Alliance for the Advancement of Heritage Languages at the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, DC, and the National Heritage Language Resource Center at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Learn more about the heritage language education dissertation and thesis abstract collection.

Learn more about the Spanish heritage language education dissertation and thesis abstract collection.
September 2012

CAL Expert Supports Exemplary Bilingual Program in Federal Court

Dr. Beatriz Arias, Associate Vice President for Development at CAL, offered expert testimony in support of the exemplary bilingual education program at Elgin Area School District U-46 in Chicago, which has been defending itself against a lawsuit in federal court stemming from redistricting changes that started during the 2004-2005 school year. Dr. Arias testified that the Elgin school district’s bilingual program can serve as a model for other districts for their professional development plans. The curriculum for teachers and handbook for parents of English learners exemplify the district’s commitment to providing principals, teachers, and parents consistent information that helps to ensure a quality program for students.
Read more
September 2012

New CREATE Brief Now Available

Using Literacy Coaching to Promote the Teaching and Learning of English Learners in Content Areas
This brief describes the literacy coaching that was provided as part of the CREATE research project aimed at improving the teaching and learning of English learners in seventh-grade content areas. Coaching was intended to extend professional development and increase teacher capacity through multiple layers of support that included lesson demonstrations, observations with feedback, and guided teacher reflection and goal setting.
Read the brief online or download the PDF.
September 2012


Separate and Not Equal: The Implementation of Structured English Immersion in Arizona’s Classrooms

This article for the Teachers College Record addresses Arizona’s Structured English Immersion (SEI) four-hour model and the negative implications for English language learners. Students, who are subjected to a prescriptive model that has resulted from a convergence of major laws, mandates, and policy decisions of the past decade, are faced with receiving an education unequal to that of their mainstream peers. CAL contributors include Terrence Wiley and M. Beatriz Arias
Read the full article.
August 2012

In Memoriam

CAL is saddened by the passing of our cherished colleague and friend, Dora Johnson, on June 26, 2012. Dora joined CAL in 1964 and was at the heart of many of our activities for 45 years. She will be profoundly missed by all whose lives she touched.
Read more about Dora’s life and career.
June 2012

Spanish Literacy Institute:

Teaching Academic Language, Reading, Writing, and Content Concepts in Grades K-8

Lenguaje académico, lectoescritura, y desarrollo del conocimiento en los grados K-8
August 1-3, 2012

Join CAL at this summer institute designed for educators who provide instruction in Spanish. Featured presenters, Dr. Margarita Calderón, Dr. María N. Trejo, and Ms. Guadalupe Espino, will share research-based strategies and practical tools for teaching academic language and literacy in Spanish. The institute will also address the Common Core State Standards through Spanish instruction. CAL presenters Drs. Julie Sugarman and M. Beatriz Arias will provide guidance on developing effective bilingual programs. Learn more and register.
May 2012

Mark Your Calendars for the 2012 CREATE Conference
October 18-19, 2012 Orlando, FL

English Learners in Content Area Classes: Teaching for Achievement in the Middle Grades. Visit the CREATE website.
May 2012

Language Objectives: The Key to Effective Content Area Instruction for English Learners

In this article prepared for the Colorín Colorado! website, Jennifer Himmel, CAL SIOP Manager, provides an overview of how to use language objectives in content-area instruction for English learners. Read the article.
May 2012

Development and Validation of Extract the Base: An English Derivational Morphology Test for Third Through Fifth Grade Monolingual Students and Spanish-Speaking English Language Learners

This study, published in the journal Language Testing, describes the development and validation of the Extract the Base test, which assesses derivational morphological awareness. Scores on this test were validated for 580 monolingual students and 373 Spanish-speaking English language learners in third through fifth grade. CAL contributors include Valerie Malabonga, Dorry Kenyon, Mohammed Louguit, and Diane August. Read the article.
May 2012

Preparing Pre-service Teachers to Work With English Learners

The theme of the spring 2012 issue of AccELLerate!, NCELA’s quarterly review, is Preparing Pre-service Teachers to Work With English Learners. An article by CAL staff members Lisa Tabaku and Betty Smallwood, “The Development of a Framework to Integrate Content with ELP Standards,” discusses frameworks that may assist teacher educators in preparing teachers to differentiate instruction for English learners. Read the article.
February 2012

Institutes on Teaching Reading to English Language Learners–Summer 2012
Training of Trainers Institute: June 6-8, 2012
Direct Strategies Institute: July 11-13, 2012

CAL’s experienced staff specializes in using research-based, effective practices to improve educational outcomes for preK-12 English language learners. Spend 3 days in Washington, DC, at one of our What’s Different About Teaching Reading to Students Learning English? institutes. We can also work with you to offer these and other services at your location. Learn more.
February 2012

Introducing CAL's Hot Topics in ELL Education Professional Development Series
CAL is pleased to introduce Hot Topics in ELL Education, our new professional development series designed to address critical issues in ELL education. Each workshop uses authentic classroom videos and a workbook with practical strategies for teachers to help English language learners succeed in the classroom. The first offering in the series is Listening and Speaking: Oral Language and Vocabulary Development. Learn more.
February 2012

Hot Topics in ELL Education–Summer 2012 Institute
Hot Topics Summer Institute: June 27-29, 2012

Join CAL's experienced professional development staff in Washington, DC for 3 days focused on three key issues facing educators working with English language learners. Hot topics featured in our summer 2012 institute will include oral language proficiency, academic language, and sheltering math and science instruction.
Learn more and register.
February 2012

New Website for English for Heritage Language Speakers
CAL, working with its partner Georgetown University, has developed and launched a new logo and website for the English for Heritage Language Speakers Program. The new site brings together the material that was contained in the earlier CAL EHLS and Georgetown EHLS sites, presenting everything in an easy-to-navigate format designed to appeal to potential applicants to the program. The launch is timely, since recruiting for the 2013 program iteration has just begun.
Visit the new EHLS website.
February 2012

TIRF 2012 Doctoral Dissertation Grants Competition Announced
The International Research Foundation for English Language Education – is seeking applications from qualified doctoral candidates for proposals related to TIRF's research priorities. Awards are funded up to $5,000 and are open to students in doctoral programs from around the world. The deadline is May 14, 2012.
To learn more, visit the TIRF website.
January 2012

Qatar Foundation Announces Dora Johnson Scholarship at ACTFL 2011
A new scholarship program in honor of Dora Johnson, who retired from CAL in 2009 after almost 45 years of service, was announced by the Qatar Foundation at the 2011 ACTFL Annual Convention. A dozen teachers of Arabic were awarded this scholarship, which provided them with a travel allowance so they could attend ACTFL, many for the first time. CAL is pleased to have Dora’s contributions in the field of Arabic language education acknowledged.
January 2012

Using the SIOP Model: Professional Development Manual for Sheltered Instruction
This new edition of CAL SIOP's professional development manual is designed to assist teacher educators, staff developers, and leaders at the school, district, and state levels as they prepare teachers of English language learners to use the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model or its adapted version, the Two-Way SIOP Model. By incorporating these instructional models in their classroom, teachers can improve the language proficiency and grade-level content knowledge of their linguistically and culturally diverse students. Learn more.
January 2012

Newcomer Report Now Available: Helping Newcomer Students Succeed in Secondary Schools and Beyond
This report, based on a 3-year national research study funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, has been written for educators and policy makers to focus attention on newcomer adolescent English language learners at the middle and high school grades and to communicate promising practices for meeting their educational and social needs.
Learn more.
January 2012

Materials From the 2011 CREATE Conference Now Available: Educating Middle School English Language Learners for College and Career Readiness
CREATE's capstone conference highlighted current research on methods for building literacy skills and oral language development for English language learners across the content areas. PowerPoint presentations and handouts from the conference are now available.
Learn more.
January 2012

New CREATE Brief Now Available Online: The SIOP Model: A Professional Development Framework for a Comprehensive School-Wide Intervention
This brief first describes individual interventions that CREATE researchers tested in middle school science, social studies, and language arts classrooms with English language learners over the course of the 2005-2009 school years. The brief then explains how the SIOP Model was used as a professional development framework to unite the separate research studies into a school-wide, comprehensive intervention that was implemented in the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years to support English language learners across the core content areas.
Read the brief or download the PDF.
January 2012

Introducing the BEST Plus Test: USB Format
CAL is pleased to announce an enhanced delivery vehicle for our oral proficiency assessment for adults learning English–the BEST Plus Test: USB. This new tool has been designed to provide convenient USB access to the test and to enhancements designed to make using the test software even easier.
Learn more.
January 2012

Visit the announcement archive to view past announcements from CAL.