Language Resource Centers (84.229)

 

Program

84.229 Language Resource Centers

 

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Education
Office: Office Of Postsecondary Education

 

Authorization

Higher Education Act, as amended, Title VI, Part A, Section 603.

 

Program Number

84.229

 

Last Known Status

Active

 

Objectives

To improve the Nation's capacity to teach and learn foreign languages effectively by supporting the establishment, strengthening, and operation of language resource centers at institutions of higher education.

 

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

 

Uses and Use Restrictions

Funds may be used to carry out activities to improve the teaching and learning of foreign languages. These activities may include: (a) The conduct and dissemination of research on new and improved methods for teaching foreign languages, including the use of advanced educational technology; (b) the development and dissemination of new materials for teaching foreign languages to reflect the results of research on effective teaching strategies; (c) the development, application and dissemination of performance testing that is appropriate for use in an educational setting to be used as a standard measurement of skill levels in foreign language; (d) the training of teachers in the administration and interpretation of foreign language performance tests, the use of effective teaching strategies and the use of new technologies; (e) the publication of instructional materials in the less commonly taught foreign languages; (f) the widespread dissemination of research results, teaching materials, and improved pedagogical strategies to the postsecondary education community; and the operation of intensive summer language institutes to train advanced foreign language students, to provide professional development, and to improve language instruction through preservice and inservice language training for teachers. Equipment costs may not exceed 15 percent of the grant total.

 

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Accredited American institutions of higher education or combinations of such institutions may apply.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Institutions of higher education or combinations of such institutions and individuals will benefit.

Credentials/Documentation

No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

 

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Eligible institutions may submit applications for funding when the announcement of a new competition is issued in the Federal Register. Application forms and guidelines for the submission of applications are available from the Advanced Training and Research Team of the International Education Programs Service

Award Procedure

Final recommendations are made to the Secretary following advice from a panel of consultants.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Approximately 90 days.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Higher education institutions selected to receive funds for the four year phased program may submit annual performance reports for the continuation of support. Renewals are subject to the availability of funds.

 

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

This program has no matching requirements.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Grants are awarded for up to a 48-month period. Continuation awards are subject to the submission of satisfactory progress reports and are subject to the availability of funds. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer.

 

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Funded centers must provide final reports upon completion of the 48 month program. No cash reports are required. No progress reports are required. No expenditure reports are required. No performance monitoring is required.

Audits

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-133. All fiscal records will be subject to audit by the Department of Education at any time within three years after expiration of the grants.

Records

All records supporting claims under grants or relating to the accountability for awarded funds must be available upon request: (1) For 3 years after close of the fiscal year in which the grant expired or (2) until the grantee is notified of the completion of the Federal financial audit, whichever is later.

 

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: Fifteen continuation grants are were awarded in FY 2008. Fiscal Year 2009: Fifteen continuation grants are expected to be awarded in FY 2009. Fiscal Year 2010: Fifteen new awards are expected to be awarded in FY 2010.

 

Financial Information

Account Identification

91-0201-0-1-502.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $4,949,670; FY 09 est $5,025,000; FY 10 est $5,025,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

to be determined.

 

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

34 CFR 655 and 669, and the Education Department General Administrative Regulations.

 

Related Programs

84.015 National Resource Centers Program for Foreign Language and Area Studies or Foreign Language and International Studies Program and Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship Program; 84.016 Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Programs; 84.017 International Research and Studies; 84.018 Overseas Programs_Special Bilateral Projects; 84.019 Overseas Programs - Faculty Research Abroad; 84.021 Overseas Programs - Group Projects Abroad; 84.022 Overseas Programs - Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad; 84.153 Business and International Education Projects; 84.220 Centers for International Business Education

 

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Cynthia Dudzinski International Education Programs Service, Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, District of Columbia 20202 Email: cynthia.dudzinski@ed.gov Phone: (202) 502-7589

Web Site Address

http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpslrc/.

 

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: (1) The Georgetown University/Center for Applied Linguistics, George Washington University National Capital Foreign Language Resource Center, is continuing its research and training activities, building upon achievements made during the last funding cycle. The School of Languages and Linguistics at Georgetown serves as a field site for some research activities, as do local school systems in Maryland and Virginia. The Center is training teachers in the administration and interpretation of foreign language performance tests; training teachers in foreign language teaching and learning strategies; training teachers in the use of technology in foreign language teaching; conducting foreign language learning strategy research; and developing foreign language tests. (2) San Diego State University's Language Acquisition Resource Center (LARC) is building upon the foundation laid in the first cycle of Federal funding by continuing research and development in the areas of language testing, strategies for teaching and learning languages, and advanced uses of technology. LARC has shifted its focus during the second funding cycle to the development and implementation of a national training model that incorporates previous research and development. The training is designed to impact language instruction in K-12 and postsecondary institutions. During this cycle, LARC is: Developing a national model of language teacher training; conducting research, development and training in alternative language testing; developing and training educators in effective strategies for teaching and learning languages; and training educators in strategies for integrating technology into language curricula. (3) The University of Hawaii is also building on the existing structure and accomplishments of the currently funded Center. Although the Center focuses particularly on languages of Asia and the Pacific in its training, curriculum, and research activities, it also includes German, Russian, and other European languages in its efforts. The Center is organized around six component areas: pedagogy and psycholinguistics; sociolinguistics and cross-cultural pragmatics; materials and methods development; language testing; technology and telecommunications; and resource provision for foreign language researchers. Projects at the Center are carried out by a project team and generally cut across areas of emphasis, including several of the components listed above. The following types of programs are currently underway: National Foreign Language Fellows; A program of National Foreign Language Interns; Dissemination of materials and research results, including print, video/audio, and electronic media; A series of summer institutes in teacher training and materials preparation; and Research and materials development projects. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

 

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Applications for awards will be evaluated competitively in accordance with the selection criteria published in 34 CFR 655.31, 669.21, and 669.22. The Secretary will weigh criteria using points indicated in the application package or in a notice published in the Federal Register.