“Beyond the Life Boat: Improving Language, Citizenship, and Training Services for Immigrants and Refugees” 
by Heide Spruck Wrigley, Literacywork International. This paper is a chapter in a forthcoming boo: Belzer (Ed.), Toward defining and improving quality in adult basic education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
“Real World Research: Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Research for Adult ESL” by Larry Condelli, American Institutes for Research, Washington, DC, USA and Heide Spruck Wrigley, LiteracyWork, San Mateo, CA, USA.
Proceedings from the 2005 conference were compiled into a book that can be reviewed and purchased through one of the following two websites: http://linguistlist.org/issues/17/17-2913.html or http://lotos.library.uu.nl/index.html
Procedings from the 2006 conference were compiled into a book that can be purchased by contacting Nancy Faux at Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center, Virginia Commonwealth University. Please contact her by email at: nfaux@vcu.edu.
Adult Literacy Research in Ontario – This website provides access to bilingual (French and English) research publications and to information that demystifies the process of doing literacy research. Adult Literacy Research in Ontario connects to Ontario-based adult literacy research. Like NALD, this site links to national and international sites outside of Ontario, but only to those sites relevant to research in adult literacy. (http://research.alphaplus.ca/)
ERIC – The Education Resources Information Center, a US-based, federally funded website, produces a database of journal and non-journal education literature. The ERIC online system provides the public with a centralized Web site for searching the bibliographic database of more than 1.1 million citations going back to 1966. More than 107,000 full-text non-journal documents (issued 1993-2004), previously available through fee-based services only, are now available for free. (http://www.eric.ed.gov/)
Illiteracy Map of the World – Teachers and others may find this illiteracy map of the world dated 1999 useful in presentations, publications, and other print and interactive media and materials. For more information and to request authorization to reprint visit: http://www.mapsofworld.com/thematic-maps/world-illiteracy-map.htm. German language readers may search for maps through the Deutsch web portal: http://www.mapsofworld.com/deutsch.
LINCS – the Literacy Information aNd Communication System – is a US-based online information and communications network for adult and family literacy and it contains information regarding technologies in the context of literacy instruction and a rich database of local, regional, and nationally developed materials. (http://www.nifl.gov/lincs)
MPI – Migration Policy Institute is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank based in Washington, DC dedicated to the study of the movement of people worldwide. The organization's website houses the Migration Information Source, an online database that offers current and authoritative data on international migration, as well as analysis from migration experts around the world. (http://www.migrationpolicy.org/about; http://www.migrationinformation.org/datahub)
The following Web sites are listed in alphabetical order by country name. Additional links to helpful literacy websites may be added. Please submit your website ideas to one of the LESLLA members found on the Contact Us page.
Australia
ACAL – The Australian Council for Adult Literacy promotes adult literacy and numeracy policy and practice. The Web site provides information and links to publications, state sites, other links, and interactive live webpages for information exchange. (http://www.acal.edu.au)
ALNARC -The Adult Literacy and Numeracy Australian Research Consortium represents a national collaboration between five university-based research centres. Major features of consortium activity have been the development of a 'visible culture' of research in Australian adult literacy and numeracy - including research conversations, increased documentation of research projects, sponsoring practitioner researchers to investigate their own practice, and collaboration with state literacy and numeracy councils to foster debate about the links between research policy and provision. (http://www.staff.vu.edu.au/alnarc/)
Indigenous Learners and Language - The mission of this website is "improving the educational outcomes of Indigenous students through a focus on the Aboriginal English/ESL interface." The site offers information, publications, studies and research, teaching resources and ideas, and other links. (http://www.tesol.org.au/esl/index.html)
NCELTR - The National Centre for English Language Teaching & Research is the centre for English language at Macquarie University. The Resource Centre offers bibliographies and research guides including a bibliography of resources for teaching adult literacy. (http://www.nceltr.mq.edu.au/)
SAALT - Suppoprting Adult & Applied Learning & Teaching delivers professional development and projects which support adult and applied learning and teaching. The site offers professional development resources, information, readings, and additional links. (http://www.saalt.com.au/links.html)
Canada
Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks - The Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks is the centre of expertise in support of the national standards in English and French for describing, measuring and recognizing second language proficiency of adult immigrants and prospective immigrants for living and working in Canada. (http://www.language.ca)
NALD - The National Adult Literacy Database Inc. is a Canadian-based, federally incorporated, non-profit service organization that fills the need for a single-source, comprehensive, up-to-date and easily accessible database of adult literacy programs, resources, services and activities across Canada. It also links with other services and databases in North America and overseas. (http://www.nald.ca/)
International
UNESCO - Founded in 1945, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is today composed of 191 Member States. UNESCO deploys its action in the fields of Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, Communication and Information. Goal 4 of UNESCO is to Improve Adult Literacy by 50 Per Cent-this goal calls for a certain level of improvement in adult literacy by 2015 - it says that it should be 50 per cent better than it was in 2000. The needs of women should receive particular attention. In addition, all adults should have opportunities to go on learning throughout their lives. (www.unesco.org)
United Kingdom
National Association for Teaching English and other Community Languages to Adults (NATECLA) - NATECLA is the national forum and professional organization for ESOL practitioners in the United Kingdom. Individual members work in colleges, adult education centers, and in the community as teachers, managers, examiners and assessors, inspectors, and teacher trainers. For over 26 years NATECLA has shared expertise and participated in new developments in this specialized field. NATECLA holds an annual conference, which has been an established event in the ESOL calendar for many years. (http://www.natecla.org.uk)
NIACE – The National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education is a non-governmental organisation in the UK working for more and different adult learners. NIACE both represents and advances the interests of all adult learners and potential learners – especially those who have benefited least from education and training. (http://www.niace.org.uk/)
NRDC – The National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy is a national centre dedicated to conducting research and development projects in the fields of adult literacy, numeracy and ESOL. The UK-based NRDC is a consortium of partners, who are specialists in the fields of literacy, numeracy and ESOL. (http://www.nrdc.org.uk/index.asp)
United States
CAELA – The Center for Adult English Language Acquisition was created to help states within the US to build their capacity to promote English language learning and academic achievement of adults learning English. This federally funded website provides an ESL resource database, which categorizes and annotates over fifty documents of interest to teachers, administrators, students, and researchers interested in adult ESL. When available, the database links directly to documents online. In addition, the site provides a web page on statistics and data related to adult English language learners and is currently developing a set of annotated links that deal specifically with research in adult ESL and adult education. (http://www.cal.org/caela/)
Glossary of Second and Primary Language Acquisition Terms – This is a useful list of terms and definitions used by ESOL/ESL/ELL teachers, teacher trainers, and researchers. (http://www.earthrenewal.org/secondlang.htm)
The Literacy List – This website contains a large collection of free Adult Basic Education and English language ELL/ESL/ESOL Web sites, electronic discussion lists (“listservs”), and other Internet resources for adult basic skills learners, teachers, and tutors. The resources have been suggested by adult literacy and ELL practitioners. (http://alri.org/literacylist.html)
MPI – Migration Policy Institute is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank based in Washington, DC dedicated to the study of the movement of people worldwide. The organization's website houses the Migration Information Source, an online database that offers current and authoritative data on international migration, as well as analysis from migration experts around the world. (http://www.migrationpolicy.org/about; http://www.migrationinformation.org/datahub)
NCSALL - The National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy is a US-based, federally funded research and development center focused solely on adult learning. NCSALL's efforts are dedicated to improving practice in educational programs that serve adults with limited literacy and English language skills, and those without a high school diploma. (http://ncsall.net)
Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center (VALRC) – The VALRC provides adult education and literacy resources, publications, and training for teachers of adults in Virginia. (http://www.valrc.org/)
ALE Wiki – The Adult Literacy Education Wiki was created in November 2004 for practitioners, researchers, and learners to present and answer important questions in adult literacy education practice. We hope it will help teachers, tutors, administrators and other practitioners to easily find professional wisdom and research regarding specific practice questions. We also hope researchers will share and discuss their findings here and learn about key questions, experience and knowledge from the field. (http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Main_Page)
What is a Wiki?
Inter-sections ? This blog discusses topics of migration, past and present, in all its forms including refugees, diasporas, exile, return, temporary, labor, and tourists, and related issues of identity and community organization. The blog is a moderated forum for sharing ideas, impressions, commentaries, reactions, and announcements from scholars alongside community voices. (http://intersections.wordpress.com/)
What is a blog?
Illiteracy Map of the World - Teachers and others may find this illiteracy map of the world dated 1999 useful in presentations, publications, and other print and interactive media and materials. For more information and to request authorization to reprint visit: http://www.mapsofworld.com/thematic-maps/world-illiteracy-map.htm. German language readers may search for maps through the Deutsch web portal: http://www.mapsofworld.com/deutsch.
Bringing Literacy to Life: Issues and Options in Adult ESL Literacy This book, authored by Heide Spruck Wrigley and Gloria J. A. Guth for the US Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, provides a combination of background information, advice for teachers, and examples of good teaching. A blend of theory and practice, this book is meant to help practitioners and programs make informed decisions about teaching literacy in their own particular context. The ten curriculum modules, written by teachers in the field, are meant to illustrate some of the best practices that adult ESL literacy has to offer.
LESLLA welcomes ideas for inclusion of various international funding sources. Please submit your information for consideration to any of the LESLLA members listed on the Contact Us page.
LESLLA welcomes topics for the Call for Papers web page. Please submit your information for consideration to any of the LESLLA members listed on the Contact Us page.
AILA 4th Seminar on Language and Migration
28-29 January 2010 (Thursday-Friday)
The fourth AILA Language and Migration Research Network Seminar focuses on the relationship between language, migration flows and labor processes. The conference will explore the complex relationship between the economic and cultural capital of migrants and its use or exploitation by power institutions in a globalized labor market. The focus will be on the role of language in access, selection, social mobility and gate-keeping processes. For more information, see:
http://www.institute-multilingualism.ch/en/AILA-Seminar
Mobility Language Literacy: An International Conference, 19-21 January 2011, Cape Town, South Africa.
A Call for Papers is now available for this conference, which aims to bring together a group of established and emerging researchers in applied language and literacy studies who are interested in the transnational, translocal and global movements of people, language and literacy in relation to social practice.
