The Show Me Multiliteracy project demonstrates a widely feasible approach to dual language education by promoting the use of home languages for family literacy, for supplemental instruction (like dual-language tutoring and homework programs), for enrichment activities in the school, and for classroom activities through interaction with peers, translanguaging, strategic groupings, the use of bilingual texts and instructional materials, and the application of translation technologies and digital support features in web-based applications.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS - Applicants must:
- hold a current Missouri teaching certificate
- work in a Missouri school with English learners
The projects selected for funding and dissemination can focus on several areas, for example, events that promote reading in all languages, multilingual family literacy, multilingual volunteers reading in the classroom, producing bilingual storybooks, or creating video recordings of dialogic book readings of families’ favorite multicultural and bilingual books. The purpose is to build on families’ skills and funds of knowledge as a foundation for new learning and to enable caregivers to assume agency in their children’s education.
Priority will be given to projects that result in a blueprint for replication and to projects that generate publicly sharable products (e.g., translated documents and surveys, family-friendly dissemination of Lau plans, exhibits, toolkits, instructional videos, webinars, or resource websites).
Project staff will...
- provide feedback to applicants and select demonstration projects for funding based on published criteria.
- guide in-service educators to develop project proposals that meet specific criteria to demonstrate, disseminate, and document exemplary practices with specific EL student populations.
- provide technical assistance necessary to guide the funded proposals to successful completion.
Criteria for successful projects
- Applicants must hold a current Missouri teaching certificate and work in a Missouri school with English learners.
- The project draws on applicable best practices from current research and practice guides (e.g., What Works Clearinghouse; U.S. Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition, Office for Civil Rights; National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition; WestEd English Learner & Migrant Education Services).
- The objectives of the project are specific, clearly articulated, and achievable with the proposed budget and time frame.
- The objectives serve multiliteracy in the home language(s) of the students who attend the school.
- The project is sustainable, and it is intended for ongoing practice.
- The project will result in a blueprint, which can be replicated in other classrooms and schools.
- Budget requests are allocable, necessary, and reasonable. Allocable means that our grant allows spending on these items or services. In general, this means requested items that are directly related to multiliteracy, such as books for students and families, school supplies, manipulatives, displays, translation, interpretation, software, print materials. For example, we cannot purchase equipment, furniture, or food. We can allow a stipend for the teacher who produces the blueprint for the project. Necessary means that the budget item is directly related to and needed for the proposed activities. Reasonable means that the cost of the items/services reflects a price that a prudent person would spend on these.
Proposed budget
The Show Me Multiliteracy Project will fund quality proposals up to $2,100. Funds will be disbursed in two parts: cost of project materials up to $1,300 and a stipend of up to $800 for completion of the project.
Part I (up to $1,300) Once the proposal is accepted, BriAnne Loughary, Project Coordinator, will assist with purchasing materials for the project. All purchases will be made through Show Me Multiliteracy to avoid upfront costs to teachers or schools, as much as is possible.
Part II (up to $800) The final payment will be contingent on evidence of the project completion as proposed and a final version of the project blueprint in a form that is ready for publication. An Independent Contractor Form will be filled out and funds sent directly to the grantee on completion and approval of the final project blueprint.
How to apply
The Show Me Multiliteracy project accepts applications on a rolling basis. The proposed demonstration projects must directly benefit English learners and their families in Missouri PreK-12 schools. Please fill out the application linked in the sidebar or send notification of interest to apply to ShowMeMultiliteracy@MissouriState.edu.