Deadline: 15-Dec-23
The U.S. Department of State’s Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic announces an open competition to design and implement a program to prepare at least 200 early-career English-language teachers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan (the C5) to teach quality English language programming for adult and youth audiences, including C5 + Opening Networks through English (C5 + O.N.E.) and other Department of State (DoS)-sponsored English programs.
The C5 + Opening Networks Through English Educator Workshop (C5 + O.N.E Ed) will bring together participants for a one-month, in-person intensive training conducted in English on best practices in English-language teaching and the curriculum and structure of C5 + O.N.E and other DOS English programs. The implementing partner will handle all administrative aspects of the program with input on content and participant selection from the Embassy, Regional English Language Officer, and current C5 + O.N.E. implementer.
To meet expected demand for additional C5 + O.N.E. teachers and to accommodate teachers’ schedules, the Workshop should take place in June/July 2024 in a C5 country with minimal travel and visa requirements for C5 citizens (likely Kazakhstan).
All participants, except those from the city where C5 + O.N.E Educators Workshop is held, should be resident for the entire in-person program and commit to speaking English with one another as much as possible. Taught by high-performing C5+ O.N.E. local teachers and American resource teachers, the Workshop should cover:
- The curriculum and structure of C5 + O.N.E. (primary focus) and other major DoS-sponsored English programs in the C5 (secondary focus)
- Best practices in teaching English as a foreign language, including communicative methodology, project-based learning, and student-centered teaching approaches;
- Classroom management techniques with youth and adult students, including social-emotional learning;
- Lesson planning and proficiency assessments;
The Workshop should also include:
- Networking and leadership practicums for all participants;
- Participant-led workshops and demo lessons;
- Remedial English-language lessons for participants who enter the program at the B1 level with the goal of attaining a B2 level in English-language proficiency by the conclusion of the program.
- Optional English-language extracurricular activities (movie club, book club, sports, etc.) and excursions.
In addition to training participants, the Workshop should facilitate the creation of a regional network of emerging educator-leaders. Workshop graduates are expected to hold professional development activities for teachers in their communities and be active participants in their national teacher associations (English Speaking Nation, Teachers without Borders, KG TESOL etc.).
Goal
- Improve the quality of English language instruction for diverse audiences across Central Asia by expanding the pool of qualified and motivated early-career C5 teachers.
Objectives
- Objective 1: Increase English language proficiency of participants to at least a B-2 level.
- Objective 2: Improve ability of early career English language teachers to instruct adult and youth audiences using student centered and communicative lessons. Topics may include: English language teaching best practices, lesson planning development, strategies for teaching English for professional and sector specific purposes, classroom management techniques, and English language vocabulary and phrases for teaching English
- Objective 3: Increase networking and collaboration between participants through creation of a C5 professional network of English language educators.
Expected Outputs & Outcomes
- Output: All participants complete the virtual coursework to prep for the one month long in-person workshop
- Output: By the Workshop’s conclusion, all participants can describe the structure and curriculum for C5 + O.N.E. and at least one secondary DoS-sponsored, English program.
- Output: All participants to conduct at least two professional development activities for their teaching community to take place within one year of the in-person Workshop.
- Outcome: By the Workshop’s conclusion, 100 percent of participants speak English at a minimum at the B2-level.
- Outcome: At least 80 percent of participants teach at least one cohort of C5 + O.N.E. or in a secondary DoS-sponsored English program in their country of residence within one year of completing the in-person Workshop.
- Outcome: 100 percent of participants have taught at least one cohort of C5+ O.N.E. or are teaching in a secondary DoS-sponsored English program in their country of residence within two years of completing the in-person Workshop.
Funding Information
- Total available funding: $1,500,000
- Number of awards anticipated: One award
- Length of performance period: Two years
- Anticipated program start date: January 10, 2024
Project Audience(s)
- 200 early-career English teachers – 40 from each C5 country – who meet all the below criteria:
- Must have at least a bachelor’s degree in education, pedagogy, English-language, or a related field;
- Must be ages 22 to 40 years old at the start of the in-person Workshop;
- Must have five years or fewer full-time English teaching experience at the secondary school or university-level;
- Must be a citizen of a C5 country;
- Must intend to return to and continue teaching in home C5 country after the Workshop’s conclusion.
- Must have a minimum B1 English level (verified through a placement test)
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations
- Civil society/non-governmental organizations
- Public and private educational institutions
- Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.
- Organizations must be registered to operate in the United States and/or at least one of the C5 countries (Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan).
For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic.