English Access Microscholarship (Access) Program in Guatemala

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Deadline: 3-Jul-23

The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala through this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) seeks proposals for the implementation of a professional development project under the English Access Microscholarship (Access) program.

What?

• The Public Affairs Section (PAS), U.S. Embassy, Guatemala City, is interested in collaborating with Access implementing partners in good standing to develop, implement, and evaluate an Access professional development project that equips Access teachers and other teachers that are part of the larger Access program community (namely former Access teachers
• and English teachers at schools from which Access students are recruited) with task-based, communicative learning approaches and learn service-learning appropriate pedagogical skills.
• The project consists of three components:
  • Teacher Training Sessions (TTS) is English teacher training for in-service English school teachers. Via online instruction participants develop awareness of, and appreciation for, task-based, communicative learning approaches and learn service-learning appropriate pedagogical skills. TTS provides top-notch teaching tools to Guatemalan English teachers to achieve better results in their classrooms and improve the learning process for hundreds of students. TTS is facilitated by internationally certified teacher trainers.
  • The Teacher Assistant Certificate (TAC) program aims to provide pre-service and in-service English teachers with a solid foundation to carry out assistant teacher duties through work focused on language for class development, exposure to standard teaching principles, and application of effective lesson planning and delivery frameworks.
  • The TESOL Best Practices (TESOL BP) program, guided by World Learning trainers, helps participants enhance their abilities to deliver effective EFL instruction entirely in English with greater confidence and skill and to articulate their understanding of what helps and hinders learning in a learning-centered, communicative English language classroom.

Why?

• Guatemala´s education system requires English Language for secondary level. Most private schools and some public schools have also included English as mandatory for the primary level.  Most English teachers who teach at this level usually have an elementary level of English and use the traditional method of teaching (using translation as the primary source of learning the language.) Task-based, communicative learning approaches and service-learning appropriate pedagogical skills are not common in Guatemala, despite the urgent need for students to understand, first-hand, community-based issues. PAS seeks to equip a core group of English language instructors with the resources, tools, and hands-on experience they need in order to improve their own practice as well as equip other teachers in their communities with the same resources, tools, and support.
• TTS course will provide up to 200 educators with an opportunity to:
  • Review communicative, learner-centered approaches such as collaborative language learning, task-based learning, and project-based learning.
  • Expand their understanding of Service Learning, especially as it relates to environmental awareness.
  • Explore how to integrate the above-mentioned content focuses and approaches into their classroom practice and extracurricular activities.
  • Understand how to guide learners to create and implement local action plans.
  • Incorporate critical thinking, leadership, digital literacy, and civic awareness skills into plans, where relevant.
  • Create a range of lessons and activities in order to include basic, intermediate, and advanced level students.
  • All aspects of the project should model a communicative, project-based approach in order to maximize interaction among participants, in English.
• TAC program aims at providing 21 beginner English Teachers with a foundation to carry out assistant teacher duties through work focused on language for the class development, exposure to teaching principles, and application of lesson planning and delivery frameworks.  This objective will provide participants with opportunities to improve their social mobility and will lead them to create economic opportunities that are going to improve their communities.
• TESOL BP program will give an international certification to 15 participants. They will become experts in planning, executing, and reflecting upon student centered classes with a communicative approach.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: 24 months
• Number of awards anticipated: One (1) award.
• Award amount: Award is a maximum of $105,000.
• Total available funding: $105,000.
• Anticipated program start date: February 2024
• Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 24 months or less. The actual instruction period runs from March 2024 to December 2025.

Participants

• TTS participants are early to mid-career Access teachers and other English language educators that are part of the larger Access program community (namely former Access teachers and English teachers at schools from which Access students are recruited). The maximum number of teachers is 200 and the minimum number is 150.
• TAC participants are early to mid-career Access teachers and other English language educators that are part of the larger Access program community (namely former Access teachers and English teachers at schools from which Access students are recruited). The maximum number of teachers is 21.
• TESOL BP participants are early to mid-career Access teachers and other English language educators that are part of the larger Access program community (namely former Access teachers and English teachers at schools from which Access students are recruited) who have successfully passed the TAC program. The maximum number of teachers is 15.
• The team of facilitators internationally certified World Learning teacher trainers. They also recommend that the partner choose 3-5 future local Access coordinators to support with the recruitment of English teachers.
• Where possible and relevant, the partner should include guest experts that can add to the overall quality of the experience and introduce new content and perspectives.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organizations are eligible to apply:
  • Local not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations
  • Local public and private educational institutions
• For-profit or commercial entities are NOT eligible to apply.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.