Best Grant Ideas for World Language Teachers
Stuck on what to request in a grant application? Consider these meaningful, engaging, and standards-aligned classroom resources.
REMEMBER TO APPLY FOR A CLASSROOM GRANT BY FRIDAY! My email was screaming at me again. A local community service organization had money… and they wanted to give it away to teachers in our school. The problem? There was a short application period, and the teachers literally didn’t know what to ask for.
This seems like a silly problem. We’re always wishing for more classroom resources, right? It’s worth taking time to brainstorm a classroom wish list. Then, when small grants are available, you can quickly spring to action! Here are my top wishes when there’s free money available to teachers:
Professional Development
Participating in professional activities keeps you sharp, fresh, and energized. Some grants exclude PD, but if you’re allowed to apply for them it’s worth it!
Annual membership in ACTFL, AATF, or another professional organization
Attendance at your state foreign language teacher’s conference
Fees for National Board Certification. NBC is an amazing PD opportunity for teachers, but it’s not cheap. Learn why the cost is worth it here.
NBC support book. If you’re pursuing National Board Certification, don’t miss the book I co-authored with Erin Austin. It's the only NBC publication designed specifically for world language teachers, and you can find it here.
Learning equipment
Learning is greatly enhanced with a few go-to classroom items. My biggest wishes are:
Class set of headphones
Class set of mini-whiteboards and erasers
Target language books for your classroom library. Developing a good classroom library for independent reading is one of the BEST instructional purchases I’ve made. Read how to curate a classroom library your kids will love, and my list of 10 book recommendations and 11 more book recommendations for novice and intermediate French students.
Food-related grant requests
I love cooking with my students, but this does involve some expense. Using grants for cooking equipment or non-perishable supplies can make cooking more accessible. My top wishes:
Class set of aprons
Electric griddles (to make crepes and croques madame - read how here - and to cook plantains, West African style, with the lesson on Bananas! (linked below, for French or Spanish)
Mini waffle makers to sample Belgian-inspired food
Non-perishable supplies to make chocolate mendiants (read how here)
Culture-related items (realia)
Don’t just teach your students about the target cultures - help them experience other cultures with hands-on activities. These supplies can help!
African clothes for filming videos and culture projects like this one
Stuffed animals to practice greeting (la bise) and for this lesson on African Carrying Patterns
Pattern blocks to make Moroccan-inspired mosaics (with this lesson for French or this lesson for Spanish)
Bocce balls and sidewalk chalk to play Petanque & Escargot (hopscotch)
Class set of watercolors and brushes to imitate impressionist art, or acrylic paints to do this lesson on housing in Burkina Faso
Art supplies to make Mardi Gras masks and this beginning of the year cognates activity for French, Spanish, ESL, or Portuguese. (play-dough is great!)
Come to think of it, if you’re looking for ways to incorporate more African culture, my lesson bundle (pictured) is a great place to start! Write a grant to purchase the lessons and the accompanying supplies!
I hope this sparks your creativity, so you never let grant money pass you by! What would you add to this list? Share in the comments!
