The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) is pleased to announce the
opening of the Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA).
CAL has received funding from the U.S. Department of Education, Office
of Vocational and Adult Education to operate this center for three years
(October 2004-September 2007). 

The purpose of the Center is to assist states with emerging populations
who are learning English as a second language (ESL). Center staff will
work with state representatives so that they will have the capacity to
promote the English language learning and academic achievement of adults
learning English. 

The Center and its partners-- Abt Associates, American Institutes for
Research (AIR), and World Education/National Center for Adult Learning
and Literacy (NCSALL) -- will develop state capacity by

*	Building a training infrastructure through workshops held
annually for state teams of ESL professionals and through development of
a toolkit of training materials for professional developers

*	Providing ongoing technical assistance to the states involved in
the trainings through distance learning, mentoring, study groups, and
other methods appropriate to the needs of the states

*	Disseminating research-based information and resources to states
regarding effective English language instruction for adults. The Center
will collect, publish, and disseminate curricula, program standards,
reports, and findings from research and make them easily available on
the Center's Web site

*	Maintaining a Web site where research documents, information on
professional development activities and opportunities, training
materials, and links to other useful Web sites will assist practitioners
as they seek to improve their practice

*	Hosting an electronic discussion list for adult ESL
practitioners

CAELA will replace the National Center for ESL Literacy Education
(NCLE), also housed at CAL, which (since 1989) has provided information
and technical assistance to professionals who work with adult English
language learners. CAELA's Web address, as of December 1, 2004, will be
www.cal.org/caela. Until then, for information about adult ESL resources
and services, go to www.cal.org/ncle, or call (202) 3620-0700, extension
200.


Miriam Burt
Center for Applied Linguistics
4646 40th Street NW
Washington, DC 20016
(202) 362-0700
(202) 363-7204 (fax)
miriam at cal.org