Institute Co-leaders: Rachel Mamiya Hernandez & Betsy Gilliland
At various points in our lives, we each find ourselves immersed in experiences that move us in deeply powerful ways, inspiring intellectual change, personal transformation, and social action. Join us in exploring the use of project-based language learning (PBLL) as a framework for crafting compelling environments and experiences for language learners. During the 2025 NFLRC Summer Institute to be held at Yale University, participants will learn how to orchestrate rich, experiential language learning opportunities that draw on a diverse array of disciplines and how to develop a plan to research the effectiveness of their project design and teaching.
Each participant will design a well-scaffolded project for use in their own language classes. Join a team of experts with background in PBLL, language pedagogy, action research, and assessment to redefine what it means to teach, transform what it is possible for students to learn, discover, and make real-life impacts in the process!
Prerequisites
Applicants must earn a digital badge from the Envisioning Project-Based Language Learning (PBLL) MOOC to submit an application.
Seats for the summer institute are limited and applications are competitive. Preference will be given to applicants who meet any of the following:
- currently teaching at a U.S. community college
- currently teaching at a U.S. minority-serving institution (MSI list)
- currently teaching a less commonly taught language (LCTL), defined as “all of the world’s languages except English, French, German, and Spanish.”
Important Dates
February 28, 2025
Deadline for meeting all digital badge criteria for the Envisioning PBLL MOOC
March 16, 2025
Summer Institute application deadline
March 31, 2025
Notification of Summer Institute selection results
June 2-6, 2025
PBLL in Action Summer Institute at Yale University
2025 Summer Institute Purpose
The goal of this project is to empower participants to develop, implement, and research high quality models of experiential, project-based language learning in K-16 contexts in a variety of languages. As part of this project, participants will generate a body of Action Research (AR) on PBLL which exhibits consistency in the way PBLL is defined, designed, and implemented. In other words, participants will have a unique opportunity not only to advance our understanding of PBLL, but also to identify areas in need of further inquiry and exploration.
Action Research (AR) is a perfect fit to embark on a systematic exploration of PBLL because in addition to the new knowledge it generates through findings, it will provide participants a critical lens through which they can empirically examine specific pedagogical interventions and teaching practices within their own unique PBLL contexts. Through AR, language teachers are able to a) improve their practice in relation to the design and implementation of PBLL, b) improve and align their understanding of effective teaching practices with high quality PBLL guidelines, and c) improve the design of learning environments and materials that are conducive to high-quality PBLL.
At the end of this program, successful participants will have produced a much needed product for the profession: a published chapter in a book that examines PBLL design and implementation from a practitioner’s perspective. The book will be published and made available as an open resource to the profession.
2025 Learning Outcomes
Participants will be able to:
- design projects that develop the learners’ language and engage them in exploring global issues, social justice, sociocultural contexts, and content from other academic disciplines;
- make informed selections of scaffolding strategies for making language, content, and culture accessible; for facilitating the development of 21st century success skills; and for supporting language output;
- evaluate technological tools for communicating with authentic audiences, facilitating group interaction, and supporting students’ creation of public products;
- develop assessment plans to evaluate learner performance;
- build opportunities for reflection into a project plan;
- develop a plan for documenting students’ learning through action research methods;
- design data collection tools relevant to research questions; and
- understand ethical concerns in teacher research and prepare to conduct an ethical action research study.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS INSTITUTE? HOW DO I APPLY?
We invite practicing K-16 world language educators to apply to participate. In order to join, applicants will need to first earn a digital badge from the Envisioning Project-Based Language Learning (PBLL) MOOC as a prerequisite. Seats are limited and applications will be competitive. Preference will be given to participants currently working with less commonly taught languages or at U.S. community colleges and/or minority-serving institutions, but all practicing world language educators K-16 are invited to apply. District supervisors and world language curriculum specialists are ineligible to apply.
Participants are expected to participate fully, present on their PBLL project, and undertake a PBLL Action Research project after completion of the summer institute.
If you meet the above criteria and are interested in the summer institute, we encourage you to apply. Please submit an online application form by the March 16, 2025 deadline. Be sure to allow adequate time to fully answer the questions. Also, don’t forget to proofread your entries before submission. If you experience any difficulty with the online form, please contact us for assistance.
Notification of selection results will take place by March 31, 2025, via email. We will be accepting up to 25 participants for this summer institute.
2) I RECEIVED A DIGITAL BADGE FOR COMPLETION OF A PREVIOUS FUNDAMENTALS OF PBLL ONLINE INSTITUTE (2015-2018) OR A PREVIOUS ENVISIONING PBLL MOOC COURSE. CAN I USE IT FOR MY APPLICATION?
Yes, you can. That being said, if you need a PBLL refresher or are thinking of designing a new PBLL project, we highly encourage you to take our current Envisioning Project-Based Language Learning (PBLL) MOOC, as some content and activities will be different from previous years. The new MOOC course will also help you design or re-design your Product Square, also a requirement for the summer institute application.
3) I TEACH ESL/EFL. CAN I APPLY FOR THE INSTITUTE?
The National Foreign Language Resource Centerʻs mission is to help improve the U.S. capacity in foreign language education, especially in less commonly taught languages. English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) is outside the scope of this summer institute. Applicants should be teachers of languages other than English.
4) ARE THERE ANY INSTITUTE FEES?
There are no fees for submitting an online application form or for attending the summer institute as an accepted participant.
5) WHERE WILL THE INSTITUTE TAKE PLACE?
The summer institute will be held on June 2-6, 2025 at Yale University (New Haven, CT). Only accepted participants are allowed to attend.
6) ARE THERE LODGING OPTIONS AVAILABLE?
We are currently making lodging arrangements with providers close to the Yale campus. More details will be posted here when available.
7) ARE MEALS PROVIDED?
Participants will be provided with complimentary coffee service. Apart from that, participants are responsible for their own meals. Information regarding on-campus and off-campus dining options will be provided to participants upon their arrival.
8) IS TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED?
No transportation is provided. Transportation is the responsibility of the participant.
9) WHAT DIGITAL BADGES CAN I EARN?
Project-Based Language Learning (PBLL) Intensive Summer Institute Designer
This badge certifies that a participant has finalized the design of a project and that the project meets the minimum quality standards specified in the Developing column of the Project Design rubric.
Project-Based Language Learning (PBLL) Intensive Summer Institute Teacher
This badge is granted to a participant who has designed and subsequently implemented at least one additional distinct project (over and above the originally implemented project) in a language class.
Project-Based Language Learning (PBLL) in Action
This badge certifies that a participant contributed a chapter to the Action Research Monograph published by the NFLRC.