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1. What is the National Research Center on English Learning & Achievement?
 
The National Research Center on English Learning & Achievement (CELA) is one of several university-based research centers working on the nation's education research priorities. The Center is operated by the University at Albany, State University of New York  in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Additional research is conducted at the Universities of Georgia and Washington.

2. What is your mission?

The mission of the center is to improve the research of teaching and learning of English language arts, including oral and written language and literature.

3. How do you accomplish your mission?

We provide information about how best to develop the high literacy skills that heighten student achievement in English and other content areas, as well as how achievement in the content areas can strengthen literacy skills. Our research and development activities are complemented by an extensive outreach program that draws together teachers and scholars in active discussions of critical issues both online and face-to-face.

4. Why English?

English is the course most likely to be mandated for all students during each year of school, K-12. As a course of study in its own right, it is the place where we expect students to acquire high literacy skills. Those skills in turn open the gates to success in other academic learning, job demands, and everyday life.

5. What about the other content areas?

While success in academic coursework requires that students be successful in English, they also learn important literacy skills within their other subject area classes. Therefore, our research also seeks to understand how to strengthen high literacy through content area studies, such as social studies, mathematics, and science.

6. What do you mean by high literacy?

We use the term high literacy to indicate that our focus is on much more than just the basic ability to read and write. By high literacy we mean the ability to use language, content, thinking, and conversation to make sense of, extend meanings about, and communicate to others concerning one's knowledge and experience.

7. Why is high literacy important?

Part of learning to be highly literate is learning to use reading, writing, language, and content knowledge in purposeful ways and being able to apply that knowledge to new situations. Such new situations include content courses in high school, college, or beyond; or they might occur in the workplace or community. In short, the literacy skills students learn through English are available for use in any new situation.

8. What about the role of technology in developing high literacy?

One major strand of our research will provide information about the new forms of literacy that today's electronic media entail, how children develop literacy through their interactions with electronic media, and how classrooms can use technology to maximize the development of high literacy.

9. What students are you concerned about?

CELA's work applies to all students. A major emphasis is on learning the special features of programs that are effective in helping the variety of students in our nation's schools achieve high academic performance. Some studies examine the ways in which communities and schools support the acquisition of literacy skills for students for whom English is not the first language. Others take a close look at differences in language and culture and provide options to ensure high standards. Still others take into account students' knowledge and abilities and identify provocative and engaging instructional environments that support excellent language and literacy learning.

10. What do you expect to learn?

We hope to learn what works in developing high literacy, for what students, and under what conditions. We are identifying the essential components of effective curriculum, instruction, and assessment and sharing that information with teachers, schools, and communities so that they can select the best approaches for preparing their students for the demands of future studies, work, and family and community life.

11. How old is your Center?

In March 1996, the eight-year-old National Research Center on Literature Teaching and Learning at the University at Albany was awarded a new five-year research grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI). At that time we broadened our scope and focus, acquired additional research partners, and changed our name to the National Research Center on English Learning & Achievement.

12. Who guides your work?

The Center's five-year research agenda was funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum, and Assessment in 1996. We also seek advice from a National Advisory Board drawn from the leadership of the nation's foremost professional associations for educators.
13. How can I become involved in your work or learn more about it?
 
To receive our newsletter and publication catalogues, send us e-mail or provide your contact information on our mailing list.

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The National Research Center on English Learning & Achievement