Web Sites: Organization Sites

Adult Education Interest Section (AEIS)
Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Targets adults learning English, as well as EL instructors and administrators. Brings together adult education and EL knowledge, principles, and skills. Has five major purposes: increase awareness of the needs and roles of adult education; address priority areas through workshops, demonstrations, open forums, and discussion sessions; advocate on behalf of the organization's members; cooperate with members to address the needs of EL students and their families; and expand visibility of EL and adult education through research and communication. Makes available adult EL standards from Arizona, California, Maryland and Rhode Island.

The Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA) Network
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), CAELA helps state staff, teachers, and administrators build their capacity to promote English language learning and strengthen the academic achievement of adults learning English. Site provides research studies, instructional curricula, language acquisition resources, tools for professional developers, statistics and data, information about technical assistance opportunities, and more. For teachers, administrators, students, and researchers, offers a resource database of more than 100 ESL documents that can be searched and downloaded.

Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL)
Dedicated to promoting quality language instruction. Provides research, professional development, curriculum materials, technical assistance, program evaluation and publications for language teachers. Resources are available for adult EL literacy, bilingual education, refugee concerns, immigrant education, and language assessment.

Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly (CLESE)
A coalition of more than 40 agencies representing many immigrant groups and seniors. Involved in ongoing research to identify how older people learn English and to develop innovative ways for teachers to engage students. Working with language and literacy experts from the Aguirre Group to identify a range of strategies that not only improve English communication but decrease social isolation, and increase civics skills. Also offers learning materials, tips for teachers, and assorted papers of use to teachers, policy makers, and other researchers in the field.

Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS)
Nonprofit organization creates and distributes assessment, evaluation, and instructional materials for adult education programs. Validated by the U.S. Department of Education, learner-centered assessments appropriate for a variety of settings, including ABE, EL, workforce development, and corrections education programs. Assigns learners skill level descriptors. More than 160 standardized assessment tools available.

Computers and English for Speakers of Other Languages (CESOL)
New England Literacy Resource Center
Promotes the integration of technology in the ESL classroom. Instructors can find lesson plans, instructional materials, software ideas, links to helpful websites, and a reference list of related books, online articles, guides, and listservs.

National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational Programs (NCELA)
(Formerly the National Clearinghouse of Bilingual Education)
Provides information and analysis for pertinent issues in language instruction. Available resources include a weekly online newsletter, monthly electronic magazine, and an extensive list of publications.

Online Directory of ESL Resources
National Center for Bilingual Education (NCBE) and ERIC Clearinghouse on Language and Linguistics
An online information center of practical EL resources for learners and instructors. Sorts resources through an extensive search engine.

Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
TESOL provides professional development support to teachers of adults who seek to learn or improve their English skills. Services include workshops, online learning opportunities, publications, and Internet-based member communities.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TEOFL)
Measures the English ability of international students who wish to study in the United States, Canada, or other English-speaking countries. Information on English proficiency assessment services for students, instructors, and researchers.