U.S. Department of State (RELO Tallinn & PAS Moscow) Grant for English Language Immersion Camps for Russian University Students

The U.S. Embassy’s Regional English Language Office based in Tallinn (RELO Tallinn) and Public Affairs Section in Moscow (PAS Moscow) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out the “FY22 English Language Immersion Camps for Russian University Students,” a program to create intensive English language immersion camp opportunities for Russian university students to learn English in context, interact with other students, counselors, and teachers using authentic language, and develop cross cultural competency as well as improve speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. The immersion setting should be tailored for Russian speakers in a retreat-like setting to maximize the short-term learning for participants and be two weeks in duration with typical daily activities starting at breakfast and continuing through evening activities. The audience for the immersions should be focused on university students who are motivated to improve their language skills in an intensive format and with small group (class) sizes. Multiple levels of groups will need to be offered either in the same immersion or separate immersion cohorts. One or more groups should be dedicated to working with future English language teachers enrolled in university programs who would benefit from advanced language and cultural study. The implementer should plan to provide a placement test in its management of the recruiting and selection phases and also design an experiential curriculum that maximizes opportunities for authentic language use, cross-cultural opportunities to learn about U.S. culture, and modern methodologies in classroom and out-of-classroom activities. Russian university students should be recruited from geographically diverse regions, and camps may be held in regional hubs in Russia to maximize participation, particularly from regions with fewer English learning opportunities. Finally, the grant recipient should include a marketing plan for recruitment, selection, and placement, including social media or other means of distributing the program announcement to Russian universities and university students. The grant recipient will work closely with RELO Tallinn and PAS Moscow to select participants and content, develop, and promote the immersion camp programs.