Financial Resources for Instructors

Description & Objectives

The objective of the BLC Fellowship Program is to support language lecturers and graduate students in the completion of a research project to further their professional development in the interdisciplinary fields of second language acquisition (SLA), applied language studies, and world languages pedagogy.

Research projects combine theory and practice in the creation of instructional materials for any level of language / culture instruction. This might include: developing new course syllabi; designing curricular innovations and/or assessment plans; completing an empirical project on an aspect of language/culture learning/teaching; exploring research methods in the fields of SLA/applied language studies/world language pedagogy (e.g., participatory action research; evaluation studies; qualitative investigation) with the goal of engaging in future research; and/or developing innovative uses of technology. 

Fellows will present their instructional materials to the campus community at the end of semester Fellows Forum. The goal is that the materials will have a direct impact on language instruction at UCB, in the form of offering new or revised courses; implementing the instructional materials or assessment plans; and/or sharing materials with departmental colleagues at meetings or in other shared spaces and/or online. Additionally, fellows will receive support during the program to share their projects beyond Berkeley in the form of conference presentations or manuscript preparation, such that they may contribute new knowledge to the fields of SLA/applied language studies/world language pedagogy. 

Summary of Goals:

• Disseminate instructional materials formally and informally in language departments and across campus 

• Contribute to the production of new knowledge in the fields of SLA/applied language studies/world language pedagogy 

• Develop professional expertise in specific subarea/s of SLA and/or applied linguistics

• Bolster teaching portfolios with concrete examples of course syllabi and teaching materials 

Additional Benefits

• Gain experience with a backward design approach to curriculum design

• Explore traditional and alternative assessment methods

• Connect dissertation research with classroom practice

• Build community among and between instructors of different language programs

"I appreciated all the helpful feedback and support from other language instructors. There was a genuine sense of community." - past BLC Fellow

"This fellowship helped me become better equipped with important expertise in integrating technology into
curriculum design." - past BLC Fellow

Details & Responsibilities

The projects will be undertaken in collaboration with the Executive Director and the Associate Director. Regular attendance at the weekly research fellows’ meetings is required. The fellowship culminates in a presentation to the UC Berkeley language community. Lecturers teaching any language at UC Berkeley are eligible to apply. Those teaching less commonly taught languages are particularly encouraged to apply. If you are interested, we strongly encourage you to discuss your research project proposal prior to submission with either Kimberly Vinall (kvinall@berkeley.edu) or Emily Hellmich (eahellmich@berkeley.edu).

Application

Please complete the fellowship application form, and include a two-page description of your project (see specifications on the application form), a current CV, and a letter of recommendation by the chair of your department, explaining how your project benefits the teaching and research mission of your department and/or your professional development. 

BLC Fellowships are funded by the Dean of Arts and Humanities. Lecturers in departments outside of Arts and Humanities should seek funding with their department chairs and/or dean before applying. This has been possible in the past, but is decided on a case-by-case basis and the availability of funds.

Download Lecturer Fellowship application as a PDF.

Submit application and documentation via email (o_garcia@berkeley.edu) or mail to:

BLC Fellowship Program
Berkeley Language Center
B-40 Dwinelle Hall #2640

Next Application Deadline: Monday, February 3, 2025

Description & Objectives

The objective of the BLC Fellowship Program is to support language lecturers and graduate students in the completion of a research project to further their professional development in the interdisciplinary fields of second language acquisition (SLA), applied language studies, and world languages pedagogy.

Research projects combine theory and practice in the creation of instructional materials for any level of language / culture instruction. This might include: developing new course syllabi; designing curricular innovations and/or assessment plans; completing an empirical project on an aspect of language/culture learning/teaching; exploring research methods in the fields of SLA/applied language studies/world language pedagogy (e.g., participatory action research; evaluation studies; qualitative investigation) with the goal of engaging in future research; and/or developing innovative uses of technology. 

Fellows will present their instructional materials to the campus community at the end of semester Fellows Forum. The goal is that the materials will have a direct impact on language instruction at UCB, in the form of offering new or revised courses; implementing the instructional materials or assessment plans; and/or sharing materials with departmental colleagues at meetings or in other shared spaces and/or online. Additionally, fellows will receive support during the program to share their projects beyond Berkeley in the form of conference presentations or manuscript preparation, such that they may contribute new knowledge to the fields of SLA/applied language studies/world language pedagogy.

Summary of Goals

• Disseminate instructional materials formally and informally in language departments and across campus 

• Contribute to the production of new knowledge in the fields of SLA/applied language studies/world language pedagogy 

• Develop professional expertise in specific subarea/s of SLA and/or applied linguistics

• Bolster teaching portfolios (and for graduate students, application materials) with concrete examples of course syllabi and teaching materials 

Additional Benefits

• Gain experience with a backward design approach to curriculum design

• Explore traditional and alternative assessment methods

• Connect dissertation research with classroom practice

• Build community among and between instructors of different language programs

"The fellowship was a jumping off point for me in the pivot from a literature track to language teaching. My [Fellowship] work has figured as a central part of my teaching philosophy and helped me significantly on the job market." - past BLC Fellow

"The thing I appreciated the most about the fellowship was the the peer review/discussion of my work/project." - past BLC Fellow

Details & Responsibilities

This fellowship provides the opportunity for concentrated study and research without additional work responsibilities. As a recipient of this fellowship, you should not hold additional employment. Fellowships are for one semester and include a $14,500 stipend and payment of tuition and fees, not including NRST.

The projects will be undertaken in collaboration with the Executive Director and the Associate Director. Regular attendance at the weekly research fellows’ meetings is required. The fellowship culminates in a presentation to the UC Berkeley language community. Graduate students teaching any world language at UC Berkeley are eligible to apply. Those teaching less commonly taught languages are particularly encouraged to apply. If you are interested, we strongly encourage you to discuss your research project proposal with either Kimberly Vinall (kvinall@berkeley.edu) or Emily Hellmich (eahellmich@berkeley.edu).

Application

Please complete the fellowship application form and include a two-page description of your project (see specifications on the application form), a current CV, and a letter of recommendation by the chair of your department, explaining how your project benefits your academic development, with a specific focus on your teaching.  

BLC Fellowships are funded by the Dean of Arts and Humanities. Graduate students in departments outside of Arts and Humanities should seek funding with their department chairs and/or dean before applying. This has been possible in the past, but is decided on a case-by-case basis and the availability of funds.

Download Graduate Fellowship application as a PDF.

Submit application and documentation via email (o_garcia@berkeley.edu) or mail to:

BLC Fellowship Program
Berkeley Language Center
B-40 Dwinelle Hall #2640

Next Application Deadline: Monday, February 3, 2025

The Berkeley Language Center provides limited funding for language lecturers to attend and present a paper at either domestic or international professional conferences. Travel Grant is up to $750.00 for one presenter and $500 for co-presenters. We realize this will not cover all travel expenses; lecturers are encouraged to seek supplemental funding support. Additionally, lecturers are limited to one grant per year.

Include a copy of the program, an abstract, and/or a letter of invitation with your application form (download below). Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, pending available funds, and must be submitted prior to travel. Final application deadlines are below. Please note that if you miss these deadlines funding cannot be guaranteed.

After returning from the conference, we request that grantees share their experiences with the BLC community through a brief, informal presentation (e.g., brown bag lunch). The presentation could describe the overall conference or provide a description of a paper that particularly excited you/that would be of interest to the BLC community. 

University Regulations state that the Berkeley Travel Office will only reimburse travelers who provide original receipts in their own name. There are no exceptions to this rule. Travel expense reimbursements should be processed within two weeks after conference travel. You are required to sign a UC Travel Voucher Form to complete the paperwork. Please do not mail receipts to the BLC Office.

Download Travel Grant application as a PDF

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