CILIA-T
Content-Integrated Language Instruction for Adults with Technology Support
Integrating US History and Civics Content with English Instruction for Adult Learners
Welcome to CILIA-T
CILIA-T stands for Content-Integrated Language Instruction for Adults with Technology Support. Funded by the Institute for Education Sciences, this five-year project will build and pilot a standards-aligned, 16-module curriculum designed for intermediate-level adult English learners to broaden their academic vocabulary, morphological skills, and critical thinking application while engaging U.S. history and civics content through a thematic lens. Students will also build and practice digital literacy skills using this resource, which will be teachable in person and via hybrid and remote delivery models, both on computers and mobile devices.
The best news for educators: the entire curriculum will be available online for free.
On this website you can learn more about the curriculum and keep up with news about the project and the team developing it.
Keep up with our project via this website and by following us on social media. Feel free to share your favorite resources and teaching ideas using the hashtag #CILIAT.
The work of CILIA-T is supported by the Institute of Education Sciences at the U.S. Department of Education through AWARD R305N210032 to the University of Minnesota (PI: Durgunoglu). The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent the views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.
What's New
Piloting of the 16 modules of CILIA-T has started
February 5, 2024
The piloting of CILIA-T has started. We are working with four teachers to implement the curriculum and to see how effective and usable it is. Thank you teachers: Jitka Sebek, Laurie Patton, Steve Hunt and Jill Ashley-Grochowski
(left to right) Erin Cary, Jitka Sebek, Aydin Durgunoglu, Laurie Patton, Steve Hunt and Jill Ashley-Grochowski
New citizenship law means big changes for Minnesota's foreign-born
Recently a member of our team, Mya Shaftel, was interviewed by Minnesota Public Radio as part of a story on how changes to the US Citizenship Exam could hurt test takers of lower levels of English proficiency.
Listen to the story here. (Transcript also available)
New citizens wave flags after taking the oath of citizenship at the state Capitol in St. Paul. Brian Bakst | MPR News 2020
Aydin Durgunoglu presents on Empowerment Program for Young Women in Turkey
The CILIA-T Principal Investigator, Aydin Durgunoglu, presented at the 22nd European Conference on Literacy, which was jointly organized by the Federation of European Literacy Associations and The Literacy Association of Ireland. The conference took place in Dublin, Ireland from July 4th to July 6th, 2022, alongside the 46th Annual Conference of the Literacy Association of Ireland.
See Aydin's presentation at this link
CILIA-T featured in "Inside IES Research" Blog Post
July 5, 2022
In FY21, IES awarded a research grant, Content-Integrated Language Instruction for Adults with Technology Support (CILIA-T), to develop and pilot a curriculum that aims to strengthen English language proficiency, knowledge of U.S. history and civics, and digital literacy. This project, which is part of the CREATE Adult Skills Research Network, is the first field-initiated research project IES has funded for adult English learners or adult civics.
Greenberg Named 2022 Literacy Champion
May 11, 2022
Distinguished University Professor Daphne Greenberg has been named a 2022 Literacy Champion by Atlanta-based nonprofit Literacy Action, Inc.
Literacy Action, Inc. teaches adult learners important literacy, life and work skills that empower them to reach their highest potential.
This year, Greenberg is one of nine people selected as Literacy Champions, who were celebrated for their commitment to adult literacy at an April 13 luncheon hosted by Georgia Public Broadcasting.
CILIA-T at COABE
April 12, 2022
At the 2022 COABE Conference, CILIAT-T's Theresa Sladek and Elizabeth Tighe presented as part of a CREATE Adult Skills Network panel discussion titled "Adult Skills & Technology Research: What Adult Educators and Researchers Need to Know." The session introduced the Network's six coordinated projects and provided opportunities for participants to learn from and inform project plans.
