MCAEL

09/09/2026

As children go back to school this fall, it is worth remembering that thousands of adults are also heading to the classroom to improve their English, often after a full day of work or caring for their families. Their determination is remarkable and inspiring. We have the responsibility to make sure that every adult who wants to learn English has the opportunity, support, and access to do so.

Read Gerard's full blog at the link: https://www.mcael.org/blog/executive-director-spotlight-its-back-to-school-for-adult-learners-too

09/02/2026

Have you read Gerard's latest blog about back-to-school season for adult learners? Read more here: www.mcael.org/blog/executive-director-spotlight-its-back-to-school-for-adult-learners-too

08/27/2026

Registration is open for MCAEL's 2026 Professional Development Conference!

Join us on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the BlackRock Center for the Arts for MCAEL's Adult ESOL Professional Development Conference.

This year's theme, Beyond Barriers: Support. Connect. Advance., recognizes that while challenges impact our learners, classrooms, and programs, we can draw on the collective knowledge, creativity, and experience of our community to find new ways forward.
Through interactive sessions, we'll explore practical strategies, innovative ideas, and lessons learned from adult ESOL professionals across the network. Participants will leave with practical takeaways they can apply immediately and new relationships that extend beyond the conference day.

📅 Saturday, October 24, 2026
📍 BlackRock Center for the Arts, Germantown, MD

Register today! https://MCAEL2026ProfessionalDevelopmentConference.eventbrite.com

08/19/2026

Call for Presenters Closing Soon: Share Your Experience at Beyond Barriers

Have you found a strategy, resource, partnership, or lesson learned that has helped you move beyond a barrier in your work?

The 2026 MCAEL Adult ESOL Professional Development Conference is an opportunity to learn from one another, and we'd love to hear from you. You don't need to be an expert to present—just a willingness to share an experience that could help another adult ESOL professional.

Selected presenters receive:
- A $150 honorarium
- 1-on-1 session design coaching
- Support refining their session ideas
- Proposal deadline: August 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Would you like to contribute to this day of learning and connection by sharing your experience?

Learn more & submit your proposal! www.mcael.org/professional-development-conference

06/11/2026

MCAEL is excited to announce that $1,550,000 in grants have been awarded to support local adult English language learning programs across Montgomery County!

The goal of the MCAEL grants program is to increase the availability of adult ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) services that support identified community needs and diverse populations, while also improving the quality of those services.

MCAEL thanks the panel of community members who donated extensive time and energy to review and evaluate the grant applications, as well as the Montgomery County Government for maintaining funding for capacity-building grants this year, as well as for their ongoing support of English language learning opportunities in Montgomery County.

To read the full press release and see which organizations and programs received grant awards this year, please visit us at: www.mcael.org/grants/grant-recipients

06/09/2026

On Friday, June 5, MCAEL hosted its End-of-Year Celebration & Sharing Session! 🎉

This event brought together program administrators, educators, and volunteers to connect, share experiences, meet new colleagues, and explore emerging topics in the ESOL field.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the day so special—we loved celebrating and learning with you! 🎉

05/18/2026

Still Buzzing About MCAEL’s 11th Annual Spelling Bee! 🐝
www.mcael.org/blog/still-buzzing-about-mcaels-11th-annual-spelling-bee

MCAEL is a community coalition of public, nonprofit, and business partners that support nearly 60 adult ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and literacy service programs in Montgomery County, Maryland

05/05/2026

The MCAEL Spelling Bee was a great success! 🐝🎉

When adults learn English, the impact extends far beyond the individual – it strengthens and benefits the entire community.

Congratulations to the winning team, Montgomery College (winning word: “funambulism”). And to all our teams: Burness, Bethesda Magazine & Bethesda Beat, TGB NextExecs, and the Greater Rockville Chamber of Commerce!

View our photo gallery and keep the buzz going! https://www.mcael.org/mcael-spelling-bee-gallery

04/17/2026

Our friendly bees have brought us a brand-new letter of the day! It’s not too late to become a letter sponsor and be part of something meaningful. 🐝 www.mcael.org/spelling-bee-tickets

04/15/2026

Two weeks to go! 🐝 Don’t miss your chance to be in the room where it happens! Come enjoy a lively night of food, drinks, community, and plenty of laughs as we cheer on our Spelling Bee teams.

Grab your tickets 🎟️: www.mcael.org/spelling-bee-tickets