TOEFL® English-language Researcher/Practitioner Grant Program

The purpose of the TOEFL English-language Researcher/Practitioner Grant Program is to enable practitioners to become involved in ETS's efforts to promote English language learning, and to support education and professional development for English-language teachers worldwide through ETS's assessments and services.

The main objectives of this grant program are:

• to provide language teachers who have direct contact with English learners in classrooms with opportunities to conduct and collaborate in research
• to accumulate additional information about the effectiveness of using TOEFL test scores for decision making in various contexts
• to build a better understanding of the complex relationships among learner characteristics, English language learning environment and learning outcomes

Grantees will investigate changes in English-language proficiency levels in relation to teaching and learning in their particular contexts. Chiefly, grantees will:

• administer a research form of the TOEFL iBT^® test, the TOEFL ITP^® test, the TOEFL Junior^® Standard test or the TOEFL Primary^® Listening and Reading tests at least once before and after an instructional period
• conduct student background surveys (provided by ETS)
• collect student performance samples, where possible, (e.g., audio or video recordings of speech and/or writing assignments)
• organize and analyze the test and survey results (technical assistance from ETS is available if needed)
• write a final report that provides detailed descriptions of the instructional program, the test and survey administrations, any performance samples collected and analysis results

If the instructional period extends beyond 1 academic semester or quarter (e.g., a series of classes in succession with the same students), grantees are encouraged to administer the tests more than twice and collect performance samples throughout the entire instructional period. ETS will provide the research materials (e.g., research forms for the TOEFL iBT test, the TOEFL ITP test, the TOEFL Junior Standard test or the TOEFL Primary Listening and Reading tests) for all test administrations in addition to the award.

Grantees are encouraged to consider research dissemination activities. With prior ETS technical review and approval, grantees will be permitted to submit proposals for presenting their results at conferences and seminars.

Successful applicants will receive funding of US$5,000–$10,000. The exact amount of funding will be commensurate with the scope of the particular research project after determining the duration of the instructional period, the frequency of test administrations, the number of students tested, and the amount of other performance data collected.

Practitioners who are teaching English in various contexts including universities, intensive English programs, study-abroad programs, primary schools and secondary (middle or high) schools are invited to apply. Prior research experience is not required, but practitioners with advanced degrees in language instruction, or a related field, will be given preference.

Preferred class/course specifications are as follows:

• class contact hours: at least a total of 60 hours of instruction in either long-term programs or shorter-term intensive programs during the data collection period
• number of study participants: at least 60 per institution required (more participants are preferred)
• class size: at least 15 students per class
• duration: at least one academic quarter or semester for the TOEFL ITP test, the TOEFL Junior Standard test or the TOEFL Primary Listening and Reading tests; at least two academic quarters or semesters for the TOEFL iBT test
• English-learning background: students who have taken at least 5 years of English education at any grade level for projects using the TOEFL iBT test or TOEFL ITP test; students who have taken at least 4 years of English education for projects using the TOEFL Junior Standard test; and students who have taken at least 2 years of English education for projects using the TOEFL Primary Listening and Reading tests
• focus: improving one or more specific English-language skills (e.g., listening, speaking, reading or writing)

Applicants must submit an application package via email to TOEFLGrantsandAwards@ets.org by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time July 15, 2022. The email must include the following subject line: "TOEFL English-Language Researcher/Practitioner Grant Program Application." The application package must include the following:

• completed application form (PDF)
• curriculum vitae

ETS may contact applicants for clarification of their submissions.

• July 15, 2022 — Deadline for receipt of application materials
• August 15, 2022 — All applicants notified of selection
• September 1, 2022 — Successful applicants confirm information about their research design and the TOEFL test they will use
• January 1, 2023 — Research project commences
• December 1, 2023 — Deadline for submission of collected data, classroom materials and summary of study results (the deadline will be extended accordingly if the project is planned to last more than 1 year)

All applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• relevance of the planned English-language class to the goals of the grant program
• duration of instructional period: longer-term programs — e.g., more than 60 hours of instruction and/or more than one academic quarter or semester — will be given priority in selection
• amount and relevance of student performance data that can be collected
• regional diversity of the applicants

See Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) for more information.