The busy blazing blast of July (2026)
As the summer settles in, we warmly welcome the presence of lazy afternoons where we settle into a cafe, turn off our notifications, and indulge in a good book.
Must-Reads for the Summer
Summer is the perfect time to explore new perspectives on language, culture, and education. What better way to do it than with CALEC?
Recommended Reads
Perfect for bedtime, the classroom, bilingual families, and curious young explorers, Marsup the Little Australian Kangaroo is a sparkling invitation to discover nature, language, and friendship — one hop at a time. If that doesn’t sound enticing enough, get this: the book comes with a song!
French All Around Us Series
Stories and reflections highlighting multilingualism, identity, and cultural connection. A profound series that will deepen your understanding of how languages shape our identities.
Beyond Perfection
Moving beyond the often paralyzing “gold standard” of achieving native-like fluency, this volume seeks to celebrate the beauty of imperfect language learning, elevating how most multilingual individuals embody multilingualism with varying levels of proficiency across multiple languages.
A Bundle of Joy - Children’s eBook + Audio Read-Along
We’re excited to introduce a new collection of children’s ebook and audio read-along bundles on CALEC.fr.
Children learn in different ways. While some thrive through reading independently, others benefit from listening, repetition, visual cues, or a combination of multiple approaches.
We want to recognise that. We at CALEC believe in inclusivity, both in terms of the delivery of the content as well as its affordability. By pairing beautifully illustrated books with professionally narrated audio recordings, these bundles allow children to see, hear, and experience stories simultaneously, helping them develop stronger literacy skills while fostering a love of reading. These bundles carry our hopes of making different forms of education accessible to all young ones.
Upcoming Event Spotlight
13th Annual Community-Based Heritage Language Schools Conference
Date: October 2–3, 2026
Registration is now open for the 13th Annual Community-Based Heritage Language Schools Conference.
The conference brings together educators, researchers and community leaders committed to supporting heritage language education and multilingual communities.
Participants will have opportunities to:
Learn from leading experts in language education
Share best practices from community-based schools
Explore innovative approaches to multilingual teaching and learning
Connect with individuals from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds
CALEC will be hosting a panel discussion on our book Bridging Worlds, a profound read on how heritage languages shape identity, strengthen communities, and build more inclusive societies. Even more excitingly, we will be providing a free copy of the book to all registrants!
Register today to join in on the conversation and catch a copy of our book!
Global Multilingual Wins
The evolution of knowledge regarding bilingualism
A recent New York Times article has shone a light on the scientific evolution in studies relating to bilingualism.
Neuroscientists have long theorized that bilingual speakers must process different languages with separate patterns of brain activity[….] In a new study, however, researchers found that these patterns were more alike than had been expected.
In many countries, there is a common conception of categorizing languages into “first language/native language”, and secondary languages. This linguistic assignment of tiers is reflective of previous beliefs that bilingualism acts as a disruptive force to the speaker’s ability to process in their “native language”.
Over time, studies have reflected more positive benefits of bilingualism, highlighting better performance levels of bilingual speakers in terms of memory and concentration.
This new study published in JNeurosci suggests further that bilingualism might not be disruptive to one language for the sake of another.
Dr. Blanco-Elorrieta said in a news release that a single “grammatical engine” in the brain appeared capable of powering multiple languages at once.
This growing study on bilingualism is allowing more people to move past outdated myths and toward a richer appreciation of the benefits of bilingual experiences.
CALEC’s very own author, Ellen Bialystok, has also been making significant contributions to such discussions. As a distinguished neuroscientist and Research Professor at York University in Toronto, she is one of the world’s leading experts on bilingualism and cognitive development. Through decades of groundbreaking research, Bialystok has helped demonstrate that multilingualism is not an obstacle to overcome, but a valuable human resource that shapes how we think, learn, and engage with the world.
For those interested in learning more, we invite you to explore Bilingual Children: Families, Education, and Development, in which Ellen Bialystok examines what science tells us about multilingualism and its impact on children, families, and society.
The wonders of the human brain never cease to amaze us. Cheers to the advancement of bilingualism!
Artificial Intelligence Expanding Multilingual Access
Advances in multilingual AI and large language models are making translation, language learning, and multilingual educational resources more accessible than ever. New multilingual AI systems can increasingly support hundreds of languages, helping reduce barriers for learners, educators, and communities around the world.
Yet, many emphasise the necessity of the human touch in translation. The joy of learning a language and immersing yourself in its related culture and heritage is irreplaceable.
This ferocious discussion on artificial intelligence’s place in society is part of mankind’s courageous navigation into a new and unknown era. CALEC hopes to contribute to this conversation through our upcoming new publication: Bilingual Education in the Age of AI: Opportunities, Challenges, and New Directions. Look forward to a nuanced, insightful collation of perspectives on the use of Artificial Intelligence by our group of brilliant authors.
A Guide on How to Impress
Picking up a new language will always be the surest way to garner looks of admiration from your peers and family. Sounds even better when you’re fluent in the famed language of romance - French. The hardest part of language learning, however, is never knowing where to start.
That is why CALEC has readily prepared bundles of resources to help every aspiring French speaker. Through our partnership with language-learning platforms such as Gymglish (where we collaborated on their Frantastique learning series), subscribers can access engaging online programs designed to make language learning flexible, effective, and enjoyable. Here’s a secret: you can get one whole month of lessons for free!
Act on your summer goals now with the support of CALEC! Check out all our programs and resources here: New York in French
A note of gratitude - Raymond Verdaguer
As we anticipate the release of several new books, we would like to take the time here to thank our wonderful illustrator, Raymond Verdaguer, who has gifted us with so many unique cover illustrations that bring to life the meanings behind all of our publications.
His inspired and original pieces of artworks are done through wood engravings and linocuts. In these modern times where we are swept up by the curse of time, Raymond’s careful carvings enchants us to pause, and reflect.
Be on the lookout for our spellbinding Verdaguer covers with the upcoming publications of Beyond Perfection and Bilingual Education in the Age of AI: Opportunities, Challenges, and New Directions.
We know that these covers are not enough to satiate your desire for more Verdaguer aesthetics. Don’t worry, head down to Raymond’s blog to truly immerse yourself in his palace of imagination.
Join our team
Looking to build your professional experience while increasing educational accessibility?
Center for the Advancement of Languages, Education, and Communities (CALEC) is seeking your help in the creation and distribution of educational content to local communities!
As an organization dedicated to multilingual education, our family is equally as diverse and international. Find a project that you’re interested in and be part of this movement to make language accessible for children in underserved communities!
Our Teams:
Development: Power our financial sustainability via grant qualification and B2B school partnerships
Tech: Maintain our digital ecosystem across calec.org, calec.fr, and our proprietary ri2l.org platform
Content: Design bilingual curriculum paths, language-learning games, and native-speaker read-aloud modules
Distribution & Outreach: Build pipelines into global library networks, independent bookstores, and school districts
Publishing: Manage the end-to-end editorial and design lifecycles of our scholarly essays and cultural-history book series
We collaborate asynchronously and shared workspaces, giving you the freedom to execute entirely on your own schedule.
Ready to make a difference? Click the button below to submit your application today!
Help Us Keep Languages Thriving
At CALEC, we believe that every language carries stories that deserve to be preserved and shared. As a nonprofit organization, we work to support multilingual families, educators, and communities through our various educational initiatives.
If our work has inspired you, please consider making a donation. Your support helps us continue creating resources, fostering dialogue, and championing multilingualism for future generations.
Every gift helps keep languages - and the communities behind them - thriving.
Stay Connected
Follow CALEC for upcoming events, new publications, educational resources, and multilingual stories from around the world.
Instagram: @calecny
Facebook: CALEC.ORG
LinkedIn: CALEC
Thank you for being part of our multilingual community.