Grants & PrizesBailey Award

To be eligible for the TIRF Bailey Award, applicants must be practicing teachers of English as a second/foreign/additional language, to include dual language immersion teachers in two-way programs with English learners. The award is open to teachers of English worldwide. Teachers can be working with learners of any age, language background, nationality, or proficiency level in both academic and non-academic programs. In addition, TIRF welcomes proposals from teachers at all levels of instruction who have varying degrees of teaching experience. A team of two or more teachers may also apply together. There are no restrictions on citizenship.

• TIRF Bailey Awards are for US $1,000 per proposal. A pair or small team of teachers may submit a joint proposal and distribute the funds appropriately between/among themselves. In the case of a joint proposal, please identify one individual who will correspond with TIRF and communicate with co-researchers. All awardees will be recognized on the TIRF website.
• Monies may be spent on actual costs for carrying out the research or on expenses for professional development, such as registration fees for a conference, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
• Additional sources of funding applied for or received to fund the same research project should be declared. Seeking or obtaining other sources of funding for the project does not disqualify a teacher from receiving a TIRF Bailey Award.
• TIRF Bailey Award proposals should be related directly to English language education, have strong implications for learners, and answer questions that have important implications for learners.
• TIRF Bailey Award proposals, applications, and required products must be written in English.
• TIRF strongly encourages the dissemination of findings. Final products for the TIRF Bailey Awards are as follows: Award recipients will submit a final report and participate in an exit interview with TIRF at the conclusion of their project. Final reports follow a template provided by TIRF and should be sent to [email protected]. TIRF also encourages awardees (a) to make a presentation, such as giving a conference talk or workshop or webinar, for other teachers, or (b) to write a paper for publication in a professional journal, book, or newsletter. All awardees will acknowledge TIRF in all forms of dissemination, including conference presentations and published papers.
• Only one, singular proposal containing both the application form and CV(s) of the applicant(s) should be submitted. (Note: Please do not submit anything except for the application form and CV(s).)
• Successful applicants (i.e., award recipients) must wait five years before applying again.
• Applicants must be currently practicing teachers of ESL, EFL, or English as an additional language.
• A person may only have one application under submission for the Bailey Award.

Proposals for the TIRF Bailey Award can address any research topic that is of interest to applicants. TIRF is particularly interested in funding research that is important to learners and furthers our understanding of language learning in classroom contexts. TIRF will fund proposals related to one or more of its Research Topics. A detailed explanation of TIRF’s Research Topics and the areas of focus can be found by clicking here.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Content-based Instruction
• Digital Technology in Language Education
• English as a Medium of Instruction
• English for Specific Purposes
• Individual Learner Differences and Effective Language Education
• Language Assessment
• Migrants and Refugees: Teaching and Assessing English
• Plurilingualism and Multilingualism in Business, Industry, the Professions, and Educational Contexts
• Revitalization of Endangered Indigenous Languages
• Teaching Second and Foreign Languages to Young Learners

When considering whether to submit a proposal for a TIRF Bailey Award, teachers should have a specific question in mind that they would like to answer about learners and learning in their classrooms. Research mentoring may be an option for all teachers who receive a TIRF Bailey Award and would like support in designing and carrying out their research.

Please note that the ability for TIRF to make payments for a grant, prize, or other purpose may be restricted. Although TIRF is an independent foundation, it remains subject to the laws governing the United States of America (where TIRF is registered), including governmental sanctions that are in force and may limit doing business with individuals or organizations in/from certain countries.