Foreign Language Resource Centers
There are sixteen Foreign Language Resource Centers—each with a different focus—across the country that are funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The centers were established to improve and enrich the nation's capacity to teach and learn foreign languages. Of particular interest to preK-8 language educators are:
the National Capital Language Resource Center (NCLRC); the National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC) at Iowa State University, the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at the University of Minnesota, and the Center for Applied Second Language Studies (CASLS) at the University of Oregon.
Although the other centers do not all have missions that directly address preK-8 language instruction, they are included here because their cutting-edge work is either directly or indirectly related to early language teaching.
To search the workshops and materials offered by the Centers, pleased click here.
University of Arizona
Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language and Literacy (CERCLL)
The mission of CERCLL is to support the educational community and the nation by providing resources and research focused on culture, language and literacy in less commonly taught languages using new technologies.
Brigham Young University
National Middle East Language Resource Center (NMELRC)
The Center seeks to coordinate efforts aimed at increasing and improving opportunities for learning the languages of the Middle East. It undertakes and supports projects in areas such as teacher training, materials development, testing and assessment, integration of pedagogy and technology, study abroad, and K-12 programs.
University of California, Los Angeles
National Heritage Language Resource Center
The Center's work focuses on the development of effective pedagogical approaches to teaching heritage learners, first by creating a research base and then in pursuing curriculum design, materials development, and teacher education resources.
University of Chicago
South Asia Language Resource Center (SALRC)
The new language resource center is an umbrella under which the less-commonly-taught languages of South Asia are advanced through a coordinated program to improve the national infrastructure for language teaching and learning. The center provides key resources and professional development.
Duke University / University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Slavic and East European Language Resource Center (SEELRC)
The cardinal purpose of SEELRC is to improve our national capacity to teach and learn the languages of this world region through a variety of projects, including teacher training, research, material and technology development, and the establishment of a sophisticated, easily accessible information and dissemination network.
Georgetown University / George Washington University / Center for Applied Linguistics
National Capital Language Resource Center (NCLRC)
This center is of particular interest to early language educators, focusing on effective learning and teaching strategies, foreign language performance testing, the integration of technology in the foreign language classroom, and information collection and dissemination on the less commonly taught languages. It has an excellent monthly newsletter with many useful practical suggestions.
University of Hawai'i
U of Hawai'i National Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC)
This center engages in research and materials development projects and conducts summer institutes for language professionals. Drawing on the abundance of Asian-Pacific resources afforded by its locale, the center focuses its efforts on the less commonly taught languages, particularly those of Asia and the Pacific, recognizing that competence in these languages is increasingly vital to the nation's future.
University of Indiana
Center for Languages of the Central Asian Region (CeLCAR)
The goal of CeLCAR is to enhance U.S. national capacity for teaching and learning the languages and cultures of Central Asia and surrounding regions: Azeri (Azerbaijan); Kazakh (Kazakhstan); Kyrgyz (Kyrgyzstan); Pashto (Afghanistan, northwest Pakistan); Tajik (Tajikistan); Turkmen (Turkmenistan); Uyghur (Xinjiang Province, China); Uzbek (Uzbekistan) .
Iowa State University
National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC)
This center focuses on improving student learning of foreign languages in Grades K-12. The center's work is focused on the use of effective teaching strategies, administration and interpretation of foreign language performance assessments, and the use of new technologies in the foreign language classroom.
Michigan State University
Center for Language Education and Research (CLEAR)
This center's goal is to promote collaboration in foreign language research and teacher education across departmental, college, and institutional boundaries. The center accomplishes this goal through researching learning and teaching; developing methods and materials; developing second language assessments; linking to teachers and schools; and working with its College of Education.
University of Minnesota
Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA)
This center's mission is to study multilingualism and multiculturalism, to develop knowledge of second language acquisition, and to advance the quality of second language teaching and learning. This goal is accomplished by conducting and sharing high-quality research and action projects across disciplines and educational systems and applying this knowledge to the wider society.
Ohio State University
National East Asian Languages Resource Center (NEALRC)
This center explores ways to enable foreign language learners to develop advanced skills and cultural competence, focusing on East Asian languages. Among the resources generated and made available are learning materials (textbooks, workbooks, teachers' guides, audio and video recordings) for more than a dozen less commonly taught languages, pedagogy and program development resource and guide books, teacher training and intensive language summer institutes.
University of Oregon
Center for Applied Second Language Studies (CASLS)
This center is a research and development center supporting teachers of Japanese and other languages in their efforts to help students meet high proficiency standards. CASLS focuses on curriculum development; professional development; and student services. They have a free teaching materials archives for Japanese (K-12).
Pennsylvania State University
Center for Advanced Language Proficiency Education and Research (CALPER)
CALPER's particular focus is to improve the environment of advanced-level foreign language teaching and learning, and assessment. Resources, including Summer Institutes, are available in several languages, including Korean, Chinese, and Japanese.
San Diego State University
Language Acquisition Resource Center (LARC)
This center focuses on research, development, and training to improve language testing, to increase understanding of other cultures, and to improve language performance, all through innovative uses of technology.
University of Wisconsin
National African Languages Resource Center (NALRC)
This center is dedicated to the advancement of African language teaching and learning in the United States. Its mission is to serve the entire community of African language educators and learners by sponsoring a wide range of educational and professional activities designed to improve the accessibility and quality of African language instruction.
Updated
December 13, 2013
