The English Language Fellow
Program is a short-term program open to English language professionals at two
different levels (junior and senior) to assist with the improvement of English
teaching capability in selected institutions around the world, and to aid U.S.
embassies overseas in their goals of promoting mutual understanding,
facilitating democratic institution building and encouraging participation in
the global economy. The program is funded by the Department of State, Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the State's Federal Assistance Support (FSA),
the and USAID's Support for Eastern European Democracy (SEED).
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Grants are awarded to recent (junior)TEFL/TESL master's degree graduates
(within the last five years) to serve as full-time teachers of English as a
foreign language. They may teach up to 20 classroom hours of English per a
week and also participate in or organize additional activities such as
curriculum and materials development, in-service training, workshops and
seminars. Experienced EFL professionals, preferably with overseas teaching
experience (seniors) engage in teacher training and also participate in
broad-reaching activities such as designing curricula, organizing and
conducting workshops and seminars, conducting program evaluation, needs
analysis and English for Specific Purposes (ESP). They are placed in host
countries at local ministries of education, universities, teacher training
institutions and other ESL educational institutions. Grants, specifying terms
and conditions to meet the program goals are recommended by a grant review
panel and approved at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs before
award. Individual grants generally include basic stipend, round trip
transportation, living allowance, medical insurance, miscellaneous and book
allowances.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: Individuals with the following qualifications:
(1) U.S. citizenship at the time of application; and (2) M.A. or Ph.D. degree
and experience in TESL/TEFL or a closely related field.
Beneficiary Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are willing to teach for a
year according to the needs of the overseas host institution.
Credentials/Documentation: Individuals with the following
qualifications: (1) U.S. citizenship at the time of application; and (2) M.A. or
Ph.D. degree and experience in TESL/TEFL or a closely related field.
Pre-application Coordination: Not applicable. This program is excluded
from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure: Persons who meet the eligibility requirements
and who wish to receive information and an application form should contact World
Learning, Inc./School for International Training, Kipling Road, P.O. Box 676,
Brattleboro, VT 05302-0676. Telephone: (802) 258-3311, elf.info@sit.edu.
Award Procedure: Final selection and approval of grantees are made by
the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Deadlines: Subject to change, but generally applications are to be
submitted by May 31. Deadlines can be waived under very special circumstances
such as an inadequate number of qualified candidates for specific awards. After
deadlines, applicants should contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs to determine the availability of awards.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Applicants are notified promptly
if they are ineligible. Final notification of selection for an opening occurs in
3 to 6 months.
Appeals: Not applicable.
Renewals: Extensions are granted for an additional year in the same
country. Extensions beyond 2 years must be requested and approved by the Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements: This program has no statutory
formula.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Up to 1 academic year.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Grantee provides quarterly statistics and program reports and
a final evaluation report by September 30 of the grant year.
Audits: In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133,
(Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and
Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial
assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal Awards will have a single or a
program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend
less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit
requirements for the year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records: None.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification: 19-0201-0-1-154.
Obligations: (Grants) FY 01 $3,151,000; FY 02 est $3,290,000; and FY
03 est $3,290,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance: $35,000 to $60,000.
In fiscal year 2001, EL Fellow Program awarded 59 grants to qualified teachers
of TEFL/TESL to teach in 33 countries. In fiscal year 2002, approximately 55
grants will be awarded. This program enables grantees who teach English as a
foreign/second language to acquire overseas teaching experience while
providing the host institutions with professional expertise in current methods
and theory of English teaching; by providing specially designed courses for
targeted high level groups, such as members of parliaments, and their staff,
judiciary officials, and leading finance and business officials.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
Annual announcement placed at the Employee Clearinghouse service at the annual
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. Conference for
recruitment of applicants for the English as a Foreign Language Fellow
Program.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office: None.
Headquarters Office: World Learning, Inc./School for International
Training, Kipling Road, P.O. Box 676, Brattleboro, VT 05302-0676. Telephone:
(802) 258-3311.
Web Site Address: http://exchanges.state.gov/education/engteaching/fellows.htm
EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
Fellows teach English language skills/techniques, American culture, English
for specific purposes in fields such as economics, banking,
business/management, and law. They arrange and conduct conferences, and
workshops/seminars, worked in communities assisting the local educational
institutions in developing and maintaining resource centers. They also
established teachers associations and organizations.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
1) The extent to which the proposal is feasible, practical and
cost-effective; and 2) the extent to which the proposal is responsive to ESL/EFL
language priorities and objectives.
