| CAL Staff
CAL
staff have expertise
in languages and linguistics, education, measurement and evaluation,
psychology, and sociology.
CAL History
At the close
of the 1950s, issues of language diversity, language policy, and the
growing importance of English worldwide created a demand for access to
information about world languages and for expertise in linguistics and
language training. In addition, the beginning of the space race, with
the launch of Sputnik, raised public concern about the ability of
American schools to train students in mathematics, the sciences, and
foreign languages.
It was in this
environment of increased interest in language issues that CAL was
founded by Charles Ferguson with funding from the Ford Foundation in
1959. Its mandate, according to Mel Fox, then a program officer with the
Ford Foundation, was to be a "resource base for English as a second
language (and to become) a national resource for the application of
linguistics and of new methods generally to the teaching and learning of
second languages."
CAL was the
first organization of its kind to focus on the identification and
training of qualified personnel and the development of linguistically
sound materials for English as a second language (ESL) and foreign
language instruction.
In the decades
since its founding, CAL has directed major research projects; published
extensively; convened educators, researchers, and policymakers to
discuss language issues and set new directions; developed curricula,
texts, assessments, and standards; built databases of language
resources; disseminated information via print and recently, via the
Internet; provided professional development for thousands of educators;
and conducted needs assessments, instructional design projects, and
program evaluations.
Whether
working with national governments abroad or small groups of teachers in
this country, CAL's focus has been on strengthening the ability of all
individuals to use language effectively and to realize their
educational, vocational, social, and professional goals.
CAL has
reacted to emerging language issues rapidly as world events called for
rapid responses, and at the same time it has pursued sustained agendas
for research and development that cannot be buried. In the process, CAL
has earned an international reputation for its contributions to the
following areas:
- English
as a second language (ESL)
-
Immigrant education
- Foreign
language education
- Language
proficiency assessment
-
Bilingual and vernacular language education
- Refugee
education and services
- Language
policy and planning
-
Cross-cultural communication
Over the years,
CAL has adopted new approaches and new technologies to further its
mission and enhance its work. Here, on the threshold of a new century,
when issues of language diversity and language policy continue to assume
a central role in public life, CAL will continue to incorporate the most
promising advances in theory, practice, and technology into its work.
Here's how
you can reach us:
Center for
Applied Linguistics
4646 40th Street,
NW
Washington, DC
20016-1859
Tel. (202)
362-0700
Fax (202)
362-3740
E-mail: info@cal.org |