CAL Web Site Provides Links to Information
Navigating the huge amount of information available about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), often referred to as the economic stimulus package, can be challenging and time consuming. For your convenience, CAL has developed a Web page with links to relevant Web pages of federal agencies and other key stakeholders that you can visit for ARRA information and updates. Learn more.

Researchers Urge Use of Stimulus Funds to Address the Needs of English Language Learners
The Working Group on ELL Policy, a group of researchers with extensive experience in the education of English language learners, has prepared a set of recommendations designed to guide discussion and decision making on the use of ARRA funds to better serve English language learners in schools across the country. Read the full report.

Maryland Takes Lead in Developing Strategies to Preserve Heritage Languages
The state of Maryland has taken a strong leadership role to capitalize on the diverse language skills of its population. The Task Force for the Preservation of Heritage Language Skills in Maryland is the first state-sponsored task force on heritage languages in the United States. Read the report of the task force.

Heritage Voices Collection
Read the new online series designed to allow heritage language speakers and programs to share their unique voices with visitors to our Web site. Visit the Alliance Web site to view the initial offerings of the collection.

New CAELA Network Briefs Now Available Online
Teaching Grammar to Adult English Language Learners: Focus on Form This brief describes the focus-on-form approach to language teaching, provides research-based evidence for drawing learners' attention to form while remaining focused on meaning, and offers examples of instructional activities to raise learners' awareness of grammar.
Supporting and Supervising Teachers Working With Adults Learning English This brief describes a model of collaborative supervision and discusses the knowledge and skills that administrators need in order to support and supervise teachers of adult English language learners.
Observing and Providing Feedback to Teachers of Adults Learning English This brief addresses three types of observations that may be used by teacher supervisors: formal, walk-through, and alternative. Each type is described and examples are provided for implementation within a collaborative approach to adult ESL teacher supervision.

Visit the CAELA Network Web site to download these resources.



Civic Engagement Online Course Now Available
EL/Civics Online offers free professional development opportunities for ESL, EL/civics, and citizenship teachers and volunteers. One of a series of free online courses, the new Civic Engagement Course shows teachers how to facilitate students’ awareness about their communities. View the course.

Direct Strategies Institutes on Teaching Reading to English Language Learners
Direct Strategies Institutes are designed to help teachers provide effective reading instruction for English language learners. The institutes are based on CAL’s professional development program, What’s Different About Teaching Reading to Students Learning English?
The option to earn graduate credit is also available.

Two Direct Strategies Institutes will be offered in Washington, DC, this summer:
June 23 – 25, 2009 • July 21 – 23, 2009   Visit our Web site to learn more and register.

SOPA Online Training Courses Starting Soon
New Moderated Introduction to SOPA and Rating the SOPA courses will be starting in May and June 2009. Learn more.