Adult Literacy and Language Education

As an international leader in the education of adults who are acquiring English as an additional language, CAL focuses on the language and cultural skills that adults must develop to succeed in careers, continuing education, and the community. CAL’s expertise spans all proficiency levels, from ESL for adults beginning to learn English through English for business and professional purposes. In addition, CAL has begun work promoting equity and inclusion through plain language which is directly aligned with CAL’s mission and values. CAL works with federal, state, and local agencies; institutions of higher education; and non-profit and for-profit private sector organizations. Our work ensures that adults who speak English as an additional language have access to the educational opportunities they need to become fully engaged, empowered members of their community, including being able to use and understand public-facing communication.  

CAL grounds its work in state-of-the-art research on plain language, adult second language acquisition, adult learning outcomes, and best practices in the education of adults, following a research-to-practice approach for all projects. For adult language education, CAL provides multiple forms of technical assistance to ensure that program design, instruction, materials, assessments, and policies all maintain a consistent focus on adult English learners’ success in education, the workplace, and the community. For plain language work, CAL tailors workshops and trainings to the specific needs of the client while following the Federal plain language guidelines.  

CAL is an ESL strand partner with the Coalition for Adult Basic Education (COABE) and a member of the National Coalition for Literacy, two organizations leading the way in advocacy work for adult language learners. CAL is also a member of the Center for Plain Language and PLAIN International.