Because I get so many questions, I decided to write this blog post, called guide to the English Language Fellow Program Currently, I am just completing my U.S. Department of State English Language Fellowship in Vietnam.
As a Fellow your project’s goal will be to assist the U.S. Embassies in delivering and maintaining quality English language programs around the world.
Although each Fellow’s project and assignment is different, as an English language fellow you will have opportunities to build relationships, embrace otherness and enact meaningful and sustainable ways that English is taught.
As a fellow, you collaborate directly with local teachers, students and academic professionals and other professions in the field to improve the quality of instruction around the globe.
My time as a fellow has been the craziest, humbling, challenging, remarkable, unbelievably awesome life-changing experience. Teaching me to be patient, flexible and ultimately putting my cultural competency to the test.
Not only did I interact daily with wonderful university students, but the English Language Fellowship program also provided professional development opportunities and resources to help even further build additional skills that has greatly enhanced my TESOL career.
Read more about my own personal journey as a U.S. Department of State English Language Fellow in south central Vietnam
Continue reading about the three U.S. Department of State English Language Programs that are awaiting your application:
English Language Fellow Program
The English Language Fellow is the flagship program of the U.S. Department of State’s English Language Exchange Program has been available for TESOL teachers for over 50 years.
The English Language Fellow is in-person and in-country for a 10-month assignment.
Major Qualifications to Apply as an English Language Fellow:
- Must be a USA Citizen.
- Must have at least a (Masters) degree in TESOL, Applied Linguistics, or another English Language Teaching degree as an M.Ed. ESL, TEFL.
- A minimum of 5 years – full time experience in education, including 3 years of full-time teaching experience in the English as a Second Language ESL or English as a Foreign Language EFL classroom.
- There are some English Language Fellowship projects that have other qualifications such as employment history, medical condition and conviction history to name a few.
- All English Language Fellow applications will need to get an approved health verification checkup within 15 days of acceptance.
- Fellows that are selected will have a 10-month in person assignment and project somewhere in the world.
- To Learn more about theU.S. Departement of State English Language Fellow Program click here:
The English Language Specialist Program
- The English Language Specialist Program is selected from TESOL-experts to high-level intensive in country and/or virtual projects.
- English Language Specialists must be available on short notice for in-country projects for 1-2 weeks up to 3 months.
- English Language Specialists can also have virtual (online) projects of varying lengths.
English Language Specialist’s Minimum Eligibility
- Must be a USA Citizen
- Must have a graduate level degree or Ph.D. in TESOL, applied linguistics or a related field in English language teaching.
- A minimum of 10 years of full-time, post bachelor’s degree teaching experience.
- Experience conducting English language teacher training.
- Must show experience presenting at professional conference in TESOL, applied linguistics or a related field in English language teaching.
Note: These are only the minimum requirements to qualify as an English Language Specialist
Selected candidates for the English Language Specialist Program are preferred to have:
- A Ph.D. or equivalent graduate level degree.
- Must have flexibility in schedule and be culturally adaptable and resourceful.
- Have extensive experience conducting teacher training.
- Experience delivering plenary addresses at professional TESOL conferences.
- Experience living and teaching abroad that includes teacher training.
- Have a leadership role in an English language teaching organization.
Candidates for the English Specialist Program must also have expertise and/or training in one of the following fields, et. al
- English Access Microscholarship Program
- English for Academic Purposes
- English for: aviation, climate change, journalism law enforcement. Border patrol, medicine, etc.
- Expert in Project Based Learning
- Expert in STEM
- Students with special needs, including deaf and blind students.
- Social Emotion Learning of English Language students
- Technology in the Classroom – Webinar design and facilitation, MOOC camps, Moodle, Google Classroom, etc.
- Expert in Vocational education
- Expertise in young English learners or the K-12 English Language population
- Curriculum Design, just to name a few
The learn more about the benefits of the U.S. Department of State English Langauge Specialist Program click here:
Virtual English Language Educator Program
The newest of the U.S. Department of State’s English Language Programs, is the Virtual Educator Program.
Virtual (online) Educator projects range in length from a few weeks to a semester of 16-20 weeks depending on the country.
Projects include online English language teaching, teacher training and virtual cultural exchange.
Virtual Educators have projects in countries to provide opportunities for teachers to develop novel approaches to teaching and online engagement.
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