SPIRAL International and American Councils for International Education make it possible for schools to host a fully-funded Arabic or Chinese teacher for 1-2 years, with additional partially-funded programs for up to 5 years. This program is open to any primary or secondary school, public or private.
The Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP), a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, is designed to increase the study and acquisition of important world languages in U.S. schools. This program enables primary and secondary schools to strengthen their teaching of Mandarin and Arabic by bringing teachers from People’s Republic of China (PRC), Egypt, Morocco, and Taiwan to the U.S. to teach their native languages and culture for an academic year. The exchange teachers receive on-going methodological observation and training opportunities, live and work in an immersive English environment, and receive a certificate of participation following their exchange (tclprogram.org).
We are looking for host schools that have an interest in building a long-term Chinese or Arabic language program, or strengthening an existing program. The host school will designate a mentor teacher to provide ongoing pedagogical support and help the visiting teacher acclimatize to the school. In addition to their teaching duties, teachers are expected to conduct community outreach in order to strengthen community interest and involvement in the language program. As the designated community liaison, SPIRAL International will work with the host school and visiting teacher to design these community outreach activities and build a sustainable language program.
Listen to interview with local TCLP teachers on Vermont Public’s Vermont Edition.
Get in touch to learn how this program can benefit your school!