Language & Culture in Society
Although there are psycholinguistic characteristics that all humans share, language learning and teaching is always embedded in cultural and social structures. Languages die out, their uses in a speech community shift over time, and new languages emerge. An individual may lose or gain fluency in a language, or several languages, over their lifetime.
These events are rarely because of conscious individual choice. Implicit or explicit language policies shape individual language use. The prestige or stigma attached to a particular language in a society will usually reflect power hierarchies in that society. Globalization creates demand for fluency in some of the dominant world languages, while at the same time it opens up opportunities for speakers of small languages to communicate easily over distances and use technologies to maintain or revitalize their languages
To learn more about CAL's work and resources about this topic, browse the subtopics within this section.
Projects
Native American Language Revitalization Legislation in the 113th Congress
The Center for Applied Linguistics supports the Linguistic Society of America and its Committee on Endangered Languages and their Preservation (CELP) to raise awareness within Congress about the importance of Native American Language Revitalization.
Ghana - Improved Quality and Access to Basic Education
CAL partnered with the Education Development Center (EDC) on a USAID-funded project to improve access to primary education, especially literacy learning, for children in Ghana. The project, Education Quality for All (EQUALL), operated in 20 districts.
Do You Speak American? Teacher Development Materials
Made for the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and for DVD release, Do You Speak American? takes viewers on a journey through the United States, exploring how the language we use can define us, unite us, or separate us.
Resources
News & Events
Best Practices for Addressing Social and Emotional Learning in World Language Classrooms (On Demand Practice-Oriented Paper)
CAL Tapped to Develop Career-Focused Resources for STARTALK Initiative
STARTALK has awarded the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) with a multi-year grant to create publicly accessible web-based resources that highlight U.S. federal government career pathways for heritage language learners in high school through college.
CAL Board Member Tackles Climate Change Discourse in New Book
There is an ideological war of words waging in America. The Power of Narrative: Climate Skepticism and the Deconstruction of Science, released October 1, 2020 by coauthors are Raul P. Lejano and CAL Board of Trustee, Shondel J. Nero, pulls from science and technology studies, narrative and discourse theory, and public policy to examine the strength of climate skepticism as a story, offering a thoughtful analysis and comparison of anti-climate science narratives over time and across geographic boundaries.
CAL Celebrates its 60th Anniversary
In 2019, CAL celebrates its 60th anniversary. This milestone presents a unique opportunity to focus on renewed attention on the significant role of language and culture in today's global society. CAL's 60th anniversary theme of Valuing All Voices represents our long history of supporting language and culture diversity and serves as a guide for activities during our anniversary year and beyond.
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) 2018 Annual Convention
In Memoriam: Olga Kagan
CAL is saddened by the passing of our valued colleague and friend, Dr. Olga Kagan, one of the country's leading specialists on second language acquisition and heritage language teaching.