In 1990, the U.S. Department of Education embarked on a mission to fund the nation’s most promising foreign language institutions. Known as Title VI Language Resource Centers (LRCs), these groups are housed within universities across the nation and share the aim of developing resources and opportunities for teachers, instructors, and students of foreign languages, helping to make the United States more culturally- and linguistically-savvy. Below you will find information about these 15 centers, which are listed in alphabetical order.
The Center for Advanced Language Proficiency Education and Research (CALPER) at Pennsylvania State University
Established in 2002, CALPER focuses on advanced-level foreign language fluency by supporting teacher training and quality assessment. The center works to develop teaching materials and assessment procedures, conduct research and compile results, and offer workshops for language educators.
For more information, see http://calper.la.psu.edu/
The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at the University of Minnesota
Established in 1993, CARLA’s mission is to amass knowledge on second-language acquisition with the aim of fostering the quality of instruction, learning, and assessment. The center engages in research and workshops.
For more information, see http://carla.umn.edu/
The Center for Applied Second Language Studies (CASLS) at the University of Oregon
Established in 1994 by a group of Japanese teachers, CASLS received Title VI funding in 2001 and expanded its language programs. Today, the center aims to support teachers through research, consulting, and innovative technologies.
For more information, see http://casls.uoregon.edu/
The Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language & Literacy (CERCLL) at the University of Arizona
Established in 2006, CERCLL focuses on less commonly taught languages in order to improve the nation’s capacity to produce high-quality instruction. The center emphasizes innovative pedagogies, materials, and products, as well as professional development and community workshops for instructors of every grade, from kindergarten through college.
For more information, see http://cercll.arizona.edu/
The Center for Languages of the Central Asian Region (CeLoCAR) at Indiana University
Established in 2002, CeLoCAR is the only LRC with a focus on Central Asian languages like Dari, Kazakh, Mongolian, and Uzbek, among others. The center aims to foster interest in and knowledge of these languages and cultures through teacher training and intensive language courses.
For more information, see http://www.indiana.edu/~celcar
The Center for Language Education and Research (CLEAR) at Michigan State University
Established in 1996, CLEAR engages in foreign language teacher training, the development of tools and materials for teachers, and professional development opportunities for instructors in the field. The center currently has a number of projects dealing with web-based learning.
For more information, see http://clear.msu.edu
The Center for Open Educational Resources & Language Learning (COERLL) at the University of Texas at Austin
Established in 2010, COERLL focuses on producing Open Educational Resources (OERs) like online language courses and assessment tools in order to breed a culture of collaboration within the realm of foreign language education. The center emphasizes applied linguistics, outreach, and K-12 initiatives, among other methods of disseminating information.
For more information, see http://www.coerll.utexas.edu/coerll/
The Language Acquisition Resource Center (LARC) at San Diego State University
Established in 2009, LARC aims to support and develop the study of foreign languages with the aid of research, technology, and researched publications. The center emphasizes cross-cultural studies, explores teacher credentialing, and stresses less commonly taught languages like Arabic, Persian, and Pashtu.
For more information, see http://larc.sdsu.edu/
The National African Language Resource Center (NALRC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Established in 1999, NALRC strives to improve the quality and accessibility of African language instruction. The center provides resources and training in African language pedagogy, maintains ties among teachers of African languages through teacher associations, and disseminates information and teaching materials.
For more information, see http://nalrc.wisc.edu/
The National Capital Language Resource Center (NCLRC) at Georgetown University
Established in 1990, NCLRC focuses on teacher training and professional development, testing, technology and methodology, and the instruction of less commonly taught languages. Through workshops, summer courses, and exchange opportunities, the center aims to provide teachers with tools for success.
For more information, see http://www.nclrc.org/
The National East Asian Languages Resource Center (NEALRC) at Ohio State University
Established in 1993, NEALRC contributes to initiatives aimed at advancing fluency and cultural competence in East Asian languages. The center works on materials development, testing and assessment, teacher training, and K-12 education.
For more information, see http://nealrc.osu.edu/
The National Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC) at the University of Hawaii
Established in 1990, NFLRC focuses particularly on languages of Asia and the Pacific, while also offering materials on over 30 world languages. The center works to develop teaching materials and assessment procedures, conduct research and compile results, and offer workshops for language professionals.
For more information, see http://nflrc.hawaii.edu/
The National Heritage Language Resource Center (NHLRC) at the University of California, Los Angeles
Established in 2007, NHLRC’s mission is to aid heritage language learners by devising and developing appropriate pedagogical approaches, curriculum designs, tools, and materials. The center sponsors summer language classes, composes guides and handbooks, and organizes conferences, among other projects.
For more information, see http://www.nhlrc.ucla.edu
The National Middle East Language Resource Center (NMELRC) at Brigham Young University
Established in 2002, NMELRC seeks to increase opportunities for learning Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish. The center’s projects focus on coordinated efforts in professional development, assessment, and evaluation.
For more information, see http://nmelrc.org/
The Slavic and East European Language Research Center (SEELRC)
Established in 1999, SEELRC focuses on improving and expanding Slavic and East European language education in the United States. The center engages in undergraduate and graduate exchange programs, conferences, seminars, technology solutions, and public outreach programs.
For more information, see http://slaviccenters.duke.edu/
Maria Khodorkovsky covers research at the intersection of language, psychology, and society for ALTA Language Services. Her work has appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Curbed, and on the websites of the Terminology Coordination Unit of the European Parliament and the National Museum of Language. Maria studied Russian Translation at the Monterey Institute of International Studies.