The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1959 and headquartered in
Washington, DC
)
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. Its mission is to promote language learning and cultural understanding. Its president and chief executive officer is Joel Gómez.
The organization carries out its mission by working in the fields of
bilingual education
In bilingual education, students are taught in two (or more) languages. It is distinct from learning a second language as a subject because both languages are used for instruction in different content areas like math, science, and history. The ...
,
English as a second language
English as a second or foreign language is the use of English by speakers with different native languages. Language education for people learning English may be known as English as a second language (ESL), English as a foreign language (EFL ...
, world languages education, language policy, assessment, immigrant and refugee integration, literacy dialect studies; and the education of linguistically and culturally diverse adults and children.
[Peterson, E. 2004. ''Center for Applied Linguistics''. ESL magazine. Chicago: Modern English Publishing. pp. 18–22.] Staff members conduct research, design and develop language assessments and instructional materials, provide technical assistance and professional development, and disseminate information and resources related to language and culture.
History
In the late 1950s, issues of language diversity, interest in language policy, and the emergence of English as a world language created a demand for information about world languages and for expertise in linguistics and language training. In the United States, reactions to the launch of Sputnik and the continuation of the Cold War led to concern about the ability of US schools to train students in mathematics, the sciences, and foreign languages. CAL was created in this environment of increased interest in language issues by
Dr. Charles A. Ferguson, a pioneer in the field of applied linguistics. Through a grant from the
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...
to the
Modern Language Association, CAL was established in 1959 to serve as a liaison between the academic world of linguistics, and the practical world of language education and language-related concerns.
[Spolsky, B. 1999. ''Research centers''. In: Spolsky, B. (ed.), Concise encyclopedia of educational linguistics. Amsterdam: Elsevier. P. 734-739.][Troike, R. 2008. ''Center for Applied Linguistics, initial focus''. In: Gonzalez, J. (ed.), Encyclopedia of bilingual education. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications. pp. 117–120.] The original mandate of CAL was to improve the teaching of English around the world; encourage the teaching and learning of less commonly taught languages; contribute new knowledge to the field by conducting language research to resolve social and educational problems; and serve as a clearinghouse for information collection, analysis, and dissemination and as a coordinating agency to bring together scholars and practitioners involved in language-related issues.
Current activities
Since its inception, CAL has played a leading role in conducting research on language use, language learning, and effective teaching methods, and translating research into practical applications to help language learners succeed.
[Christian, D. 2008. ''Center for Applied Linguistics, recent focus''. In: Gonzalez, J. (ed.), Encyclopedia of bilingual education. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications. pp. 120–123.][Berns, M. & Matsuda, P. K. 2010. ''Applied linguistics''. In: Berns, M. (ed.), Concise encyclopedia of applied linguistics. Amsterdam: Elsevier. p. 9.] Among the populations that CAL serves are language educators of children and adults who are learning foreign languages and English as a second language; immigrants and refugees in the United States and the agencies that provide services for them; schools, school districts, and other educational institutions in need of curriculum development, professional development, and assessments; and policy makers who need information about language and culture to address the important issues of the day.
See also
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Applied linguistics
Applied linguistics is an interdisciplinary field which identifies, investigates, and offers solutions to language-related real-life problems. Some of the academic fields related to applied linguistics are education, psychology, communication rese ...
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English as a foreign or second language
English as a second or foreign language is the use of English by speakers with different native languages. Language education for people learning English may be known as English as a second language (ESL), English as a foreign language (EFL ...
*
Foreign language education
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Language assessment
Language assessment or language testing is a field of study under the umbrella of applied linguistics. Its main focus is the assessment of first, second or other language in the school, college, or university context; assessment of language use ...
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Language education
Language education – the process and practice of teaching a second or foreign language – is primarily a branch of applied linguistics, but can be an interdisciplinary field. There are four main learning categories for language educatio ...
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Linguistics
Linguistics is the science, scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure ...
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Multilingualism
Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. More than half of all E ...
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Second language acquisition
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TOEFL
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL ) is a standardized test to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers wishing to enroll in English-speaking universities. The test is accepted by more than 11,000 universities a ...
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World languages
In sociolinguistics, a world language (sometimes global language, rarely international language) is a language that is geographically widespread and makes it possible for members of different language communities to communicate. The term may also b ...
References
External links
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{{Authority control
Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.
Organizations established in 1959
Applied linguistics
Linguistics organizations