Projects
The Center for Applied Linguistics participates in a wide variety of service-related projects, from professional development to technical assistance, such as needs assessment and program evaluation. The following provides an overview of our current and recent projects.
Assimilating Hispanic Students into the Mainstream
CAL works with The Georgia Project to provide technical assistance and professional development on improving the academic achievement of English language learners in school systems and communities in Georgia.
Buhrer Elementary Two-Way Immersion Project
CAL provides technical assistance to an elementary two-way immersion school in three areas: program design and implementation, professional development, and program evaluation.
Chinese American International School: Immersion Program Evaluation
CAL conducted a program review of the Mandarin immersion program at the Chinese American International School, prekindergarten through Grade 8. The review included observations in English and Chinese classrooms, a review of the English and Chinese curricula, and interviews with staff members, parents, and students.
Curriculum Development Work Group
In this project, CAL partnered with the Massachusetts Department
of Education to facilitate their English as a Second Language/English
Language Development Curriculum Development Work Group. With CAL's
guidance, the Work Group will develop a document template, exemplars,
or other appropriate
framework
to
guide schools
systems
in the development of an ESL/ELD curriculum at the district level.
Enhancing English Language Learning in Elementary Classrooms
These projects each entail conducting four 30-hour courses for mainstream elementary teachers. The training is designed to teach the skills and knowledge required to shelter content instruction and work successfully with limited English proficient students. Completion of this training fulfills a part of Massachusetts Department of Education required professional development. This course provides an option to earn graduate credit through Cambridge College with additional assignments including an online session.
Enhancing English Language Learning in Elementary Classrooms—Training
of Trainers
This training entails conducting a 30-hour course, Enhancing English Language Learning in Elementary Classrooms—TOT, to prepare the participants to deliver this training in their school districts or across the state.
Enriching Content Classes for Secondary ESOL Students
This project entails conducting three 30-hour courses for mainstream secondary teachers. The training is designed to teach the skills and knowledge required to shelter content instruction and work successfully with limited English proficient students. Completion of this training fulfills a part of Massachusetts Department of Education required professional development. This course provides an option to earn graduate credit through Cambridge College with additional assignments including an online session.
International Charter School Technical Assistance
CAL identified grade-level language and literacy benchmarks
in English and Spanish, as well as developed assessments to determine
progress toward those benchmarks.
Parent Time Curriculum for Adults Learning English
In collaboration with National Center for Family Literacy, CAL staff developed Parenting for Academic Success, a collection of curriculum units to be used in family literacy programs and in programs for adults learning English. Learn more.
Project Reach: Technical Assistance on Scientifically Based Reading Approaches
CAL is providing information and technical assistance to National
Center for Family Literacy project staff, training staff, and schools
on working with students learning to read in English.
South Carolina Student Oral Proficiency Assessment
CAL is administering the Student Oral Proficiency Assessment (SOPA) annually in French, German, and Spanish in Rock Hill School District, South Carolina, to assess the listening and speaking skills of elementary school children.
SOPA Online Training
This project entails the development and delivery of a Web-based SOPA familiarization
training course for foreign language educators wanting to assess speaking
and listening skills of students. Learn more.
Teaching Reading and Writing in the Content Areas
CAL provided a series of four workshops for paraprofessionals
working in school systems across the state of Kansas. These workshops
focused on the teaching of reading and writing in the content areas.
They were part of a multi-year initiative to train paraprofessionals
working in Grades K–12 in Kansas.
Technical Assistance for Program Planning
CAL is working with the National Institute for Literacy, MPR
Associates, and World Education to convene groups of adult ESL experts,
conduct
a literature
review on adult ESL education, participate in a review of services
provided for adults learning English, and write background papers on
topics in adult ESL education.
Training for All Teachers
CAL provides staff development to middle school teachers in Montgomery County, Maryland, on standards-based sheltered instruction for English language learners.
What's Different About Teaching Reading to ELLs? Revised for 2007
This project entails conducting three 20-hour courses for reading teachers and reading specialists. This training is designed to teach the skills and knowledge required to teach reading skills and comprehension to English language learners. Completion of this training fulfills a part of Massachusetts DOE required professional development. Learn more about the updated What's Different? materials and professional development workshops utilizing them.
Contact CAL Services
services@cal.org
202-362-0700
