Building English Teaching Capacity for STEM in Brazil

Executive Summary 

The U.S. Department of State’s U.S. Embassy/RELO Office in Brasília, Brazil announces an open competition to implement a 2-3 week exchange program to secondary and/or higher education English teachers who teach in the areas of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The preliminary start date for this professional development program is October 1, 2026, and one award is anticipated as a result of this NOFO. However, should both parties consider the results of this exchange to be positive – and also subject to availability of funds – we may agree to renew this NOFO for up to two additional years.  

We are seeking for proposals for the development and implementation of a two-three-week exchange opportunity for up to 30 Brazilian English teachers who focus on English taught in the STEM fields. This will be followed by a two-week online course two months after they return to Brazil. This online portion shall focus on topics dealt during their exchange, so that participants continue with the development/implementation of the action plan started when they were in the U.S.

The face-to-face interaction of the project must include (but is not limited to) the following:  

• school visits (those that work with speakers of other languages/ESL teaching shall be included);

• classroom observation – learning through observation;

• opportunities to co-teach with a local teacher;

• student-centered activities;

• cultural excursions designed to enhance the participants’ knowledge of U.S. culture and values;

• social activities to expose participants to the American way of life;

• a home hospitality dinner.

Grounded in the frameworks of Content-Based Instruction (CBI) and bilingualism, the classes should move beyond general pedagogy and address the unique linguistic demands of technical disciplines. Classes should focus on innovative best practices for teacher English as a foreign language and assessment must be included. 

Other general activities shall: 

• prioritize English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) and CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) ensuring teachers can effectively bridge the gap between complex scientific concepts and language acquisition.

• Explore innovation in assessment by using data-driven assessment tools specifically designed for technical English, focusing on “English as an International Language” to facilitate scientific collaboration with U.S. researchers. 

• Examine the cognitive and systemic aspects of bilingualism within a STEM context, preparing the teachers to manage classrooms where English is the primary vehicle for technical content.

• Develop leadership skills that will enable participants to share knowledge gained in the program with colleagues through workshops or professional presentations in their local communities.

• Enhance understanding of the U.S. and international cultures through their professional interactions between U.S. and other ESL/EFL educators;

• Develop a professional development plan, including an assessment component with measurable objectives, for the dissemination of best practices uniquely suited to each participant’s local EFL context.

Organizers/coordinators of the program shall also provide:

• Orientation to the community and program activities (e.g., program itinerary, host community overview, transportation, medical care, places of worship, dietary needs, technology access, etc.);

• Meetings with school principals, course coordinators and/or educators, community programs or teachers’ associations focusing on bilingualism, English as the Medium of Instruction, and/or Content Based Instruction, as well as on the Teaching of English as a Second/Foreign Language, also discussing its impact in the local community.