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 Publications

Meskhetian Turks Cover Image
Email this page
Print this page
Spotlight

COR center logo
Browse the COR Center
Web site

CO for Refugees coverCultural Orientation for Refugees: A Handbook for U.S. Trainers
This new publication provides lesson plans, information, and training resources for U.S. cultural orientation. Read more about the handbook.

Resource Corner

Cultural Orientation Workshops
CAL supports the development of orientation programs for refugees newly arrived in the United States. CO services can be customized to meet your needs and include

  • Developing refugee orientation materials and curricula

  • Preparing service providers to work with refugees

  • Conducting workshops to enhance staff development in refugee orientation

  • Designing, developing, or restructuring a refugee orientation program

  • Assessing the impact of refugee orientation programming

  

Refugee Integration

Publications and Resources

The United States accepts approximately 50,000 refugees each year from diverse regions of the world. The Cultural Orientation Resource (COR) Center specializes in the development of materials that help refugee newcomers understand fundamental aspects of life in the United States. Our publications include culture profiles and phrasebooks designed to build cultural and linguistic understanding between newly arrived refugees and their American communities. Some of these publications are described below.

Iraqi CoverRefugee Backgrounders
Refugee backgrounders provide key information about new refugee groups for U.S. resettlement workers and include sections on the need for resettlement of the group to the United States, cultural attributes of the group, and resettlement considerations, as well as a one page statistical summary. Learn more about our Refugee Backgrounders, including Refugees from Iraq, our newest publication.

Welcome guide coverWelcome to the United States: A Guidebook for Refugees
This resettlement guide is given to all refugees overseas once they have been approved for resettlement to the United States. The Guidebook provides refugees with information about fundamental aspects of life in the United States. Learn more about the guidebook.

Culture Profiles
Culture profiles are designed for service providers and individuals assisting newcomers to the United States. They provide a basic introduction to the people, history, and culture of different refugee groups. Learn more about culture profiles.

Refugee Families and Refugee Youth Videos
These two videos, packaged on one VHS or DVD, were created to help refugees and refugee providers learn about the issues faced by refugee families and refugee youth as they adapt to their new lives in the United States. Learn more.

Current Refugee Orientation Practices in U.S. Resettlement Agencies
This report includes a review of the current orientation practices of resettlement agencies and the identification of emerging program models. Learn more.

Phrase Books
The English phrases provided in these easy-to-use books have been selected both for their brevity and their usefulness in daily activities of American life. More information and a listing of the available languages can be found at our online store.

Visit our online store to browse our complete collection of publications.