Projects
English for Heritage Language Speakers (EHLS)
Funder: U.S. Department of Defense, National Security Education Program
September 2005 – August 2010
Many
sectors of the U.S. government have expressed an urgent need
for individuals with high levels of proficiency in both English
and any of several critical languages. In response, CAL’s
English for Heritage Language Speakers project aims to help heritage
speakers of critical languages develop their English proficiency
to high levels, with a particular focus on language skills specific
to the federal workplace. CAL assists in the recruitment of heritage
language speakers to participate in the program, helps to develop
the curriculum for specially designed intensive English programs
at two universities, monitors the progress of the students, and
evaluates the success of the programs and participants. This
project is funded by the National Security Education Program.
CAL is managing and helping two partner universities to develop an intensive program to enable heritage speakers of critical languages to develop their English proficiency to high levels, with particular focus on language skills specific to the federal workplace. The first cohort of 21 participants graduated in August 2006 from the EHLS program at the University of Washington in Seattle or the program at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. The second cohort began instruction in early 2007.
Visit the EHLS Web site or
contact Deborah Kennedy for
more information about the program.
Project background
The National Security Education Program (NSEP) announced the startup of a new Congressionally mandated program to provide opportunities for U.S. "heritage" populations -- who have expertise in critical languages but whose first language is not English -- to dramatically improve their English proficiency. NSEP and the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) are working to develop and implement this program. CAL conducted a feasibility study to locate communities of qualified speakers of critical languages, determine their English language needs, and identify possible models and locations for a pilot program of English language development. The report is available in pdf format and can be downloaded by clicking the link below.
Read the report's executive summary
Download the full report