U.S. Embassy & Consulate
in Kazakhstan

The Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (Fulbright TEA) Media Literacy Cohort is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The Fulbright program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by former United States Senator William Fulbright of Arkansas. Fulbright grants are awarded to students, scholars, teachers and other professionals from the United States and to foreign nationals to study, teach, or conduct research. Since its inception in 1946, more than 390,000 “Fulbrighters” have participated in the Fulbright program.

Teachers are nominated to participate in the Fulbright TEA Media Literacy Cohort based on their educational and professional experience, academic training, and leadership. The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) is an independent, presidentially appointed board that has oversight responsibility for all Fulbright academic exchange programs and will make a final decision on program participants.

An independent review committee will be convened to select participants for the program through merit-based competition.

The Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) Program Media Literacy Cohorts will provide approximately 44 secondary school teachers from Eastern Europe and Central Asia with a unique opportunity to participate in a six-week non-degree, non-credit academic program at a U.S. university. The international participants will travel to the United States for one of two six-week professional development programs in either January 2023 or September 2023.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS 

Teachers who are selected to participate in the Fulbright TEA Media Literacy Cohort will:

1) Take part in advanced tailored graduate-level seminars at a U.S. host university.

2) Observe classes, co-teach, and share their expertise with U.S. colleagues in U.S. secondary schools.

3) Engage in an online professional learning community with other participants to share best practices and other elements of the U.S. and Kazakhstan educational systems; and

4) Take part in other educational and cultural activities while on program in the United States.

Upon returning home, teachers will share the knowledge and experience gained on the program with teachers and students in their home schools and communities.

UNIVERSITY COURSEWORK 

Weekly Seminars: Teachers will participate in weekly seminars at their host university featuring presentations and discussions led by university staff, faculty members, and invited educational experts. The Fulbright TEA Media Literacy Program provides academic seminars focusing on new teaching methodologies, student-centered learning, content-based instruction, lesson planning, and instructional technology training for teachers. The Media Literacy Cohorts will offer additional academic seminars and content specific coursework with a focus on media literacy, recognizing bias/propaganda, stereotypes, and misinformation; strategies for improving students’ critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills; how media literacy promotes civic engagement / the role of media in society; and fostering cyber safety and digital citizenship in the classroom. Please note that the program is designed to accommodate participants with an interest in the topic of media literacy but with minimal experience, as well as those more versed in the field.

U.S. School Placements: The program will also include a practicum of at least 40 hours with a U.S. partner teacher of English, social studies, history, civics, communications, journalism, math, or science in a secondary school near the host university to actively engage participants in the U.S. classroom environment. Cultural enrichment, mentoring, and support will be provided to participants throughout the program.

Online Professional Learning Community: Each Fulbright Media Literacy teacher will participate in a virtual community with other international educators to collaborate and share best practices about education and leadership in the participating countries.

Recommendation: Please don’t approach any educational centers, consultants, and program alumni to seek help with essay writing. Every application will go through a thorough screening. Candidates seeking help with application filling and essay writing will be immediately disqualified from the program upon finding that he/she violated academic integrity rules, and from that moment their applications will not be considered for any other USG exchange programs. if you know that the Fulbright TEA Media Literacy applicant didn’t provide the essay written on their own, please send us an email at Nur-SultanInfo@state.gov

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AND TIMELINE

• Deadline: February 19, 2022 before 18:00 Almaty time
• Applicants go through virtual interview and take TOEFL testing in April 2022
• Applicants will be notified about final decision in August 2022
• Pre-Departure Orientation: Prior to arrival in the United States, the U.S. Embassy or Fulbright Commission will conduct a Pre-Departure Orientation for Spring 2023 teachers in November-December 2022. Participants will attend the six-week program in January – March 2023
• Pre-Program Departure Orientation: Prior to arrival in the United States, the U.S. Embassy or Fulbright Commission will conduct a Pre-Departure Orientation for Fall 2023 teachers in July-August 2023. Participants will attend the six-week program in September – October 2023

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must:

• Be current secondary school-level, full-time teachers of English, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Kazakh and Russian languages, and literature, social studies, civics, history, global studies, media studies, communications, journalism, law, math, science, or related fields at institutions serving primarily a local population; 
• Secondary-level teachers include both middle and high school teachers serving students between approximately 12 and 18 years of age. Teachers responsible for teaching additional grade levels must teach middle or high school students more than 50% of their work time in order to be eligible for the program;
• The most competitive applicants will have shown evidence of leadership in their schools or districts;
• Have experience or demonstrated interest in the field of media literacy and critical thinking;
• Have earned a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent;
• Have completed at least three years of full-time teaching by the start of the program, with a preference for those who have completed at least five years of full-time teaching;
• Be a current citizen and resident of Kazakhstan at the time of application and of program participation;
• Good knowledge of the English language. At the time of application, applicant don’t have to have available TOEFL iBT score. After an interview, if selected, applicant will receive a TOEFL iBT voucher that will allow the individual to take TOEFL iBT test at no cost. Applicants must achieve a minimum 61 TOEFL iBT score out of possible 120;
• Demonstrate a commitment to continue teaching after completion of the program; and
• Have submitted a complete application.

INDIVIDUALS IN THE FOLLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE FULBRIGHT TEA MEDIA LITERACY PROGRAM:

1. U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the United States;
2. Applications are not accepted from individuals who had already studied in the U.S. or abroad either for short-term or obtained degree;
3. Educational administrators (such as representatives or officials of the Ministry of Education) and school administrators who do not teach at least fifty percent of their time, full-time teacher trainers, university faculty, private English Language tutors, and teachers from schools primarily serving expatriates are not eligible.
4. Local employees of the U.S. missions abroad who work for the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); employees are also ineligible for one year following the termination of employment;
5. Immediate family members (i.e. spouses and children) of U.S. Department of State and USAID employees; family members are also ineligible for one year following the termination of employment;
6. Current IREX employees and their immediate family members.

THE FULBRIGHT TEACHING EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT MEDIA LITERACY PROGRAM PROVIDES:

• J-1 visa support
• Roundtrip airfare
• Accommodations, meals, and incidentals for the duration of the program
• Accident and sickness medical coverage (supplementary to participant’s existing insurance)
• An end-of program workshop in Washington, D.C.
• Professional development and cultural activities.

Online application is available here https://fulbright.irex.org/ until February 19, 2022 by 18:00 Almaty time.

Please visit program website to learn more: www.fulbrightteacherexchanges.org

If you have any questions, please send them to SmithSE2@State.gov