The New England Chinese Teachers Association is pleased to announce the NECLTA Teaching Innovation Award for 2026. This award recognizes the importance of teaching excellence in Chinese language and culture and honors individual teachers who explore new practices and strategies designed to improve students' learning in face-to-face, blended, or online Chinese courses at the college level.

Eligibility and Award

With the exception of the current members of the NECLTA Awards Committee, all teaching professionals at the college level with active NECLTA member status are eligible to apply. To remain an eligible applicant, you must maintain your active NECLTA membership from the time of submitting your application to the time of receiving the award at the approaching NECLTA Annual Conference.

Two recipients will receive an award of $150 each. The recipients will also present their work at NECLTA's Annual Conference and share it on the NECLTA website.

Award Criteria

1. The application materials should provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate the significance and effectiveness of the applicant's innovations. Evidence may include lesson plans, student work, teaching videos, materials developed for student learning, or other relevant materials.

2. The application materials should provide a clear explanation of how the teaching innovation met a need or addressed a challenge in learning. Specifically, the committee is interested in teaching innovations related to intercultural communication, the use of authentic materials, community-based learning, and/or assessment methods.

3. Additional consideration will be given to applicants who demonstrate the following:

   1. Potential for other instructors to adopt the teaching strategy or components of the innovation materials.
   2. Potential for impacting large numbers of students.
   3. Promotion of the value of Chinese language and culture study.

Submission Guidelines

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. A current CV

2. Project Description (limit 2 pages): including rationale, design, outcome, and how the innovation meets the criteria of the award.

3. Up to three supporting materials: instructional materials, assignment/assessment descriptions, examples of students' work, links to online instructional resources, etc., not to exceed 10 pages in length including all three supporting materials.

All application materials are due electronically by August 31, 2026.

Please send your project description and supporting materials to neclta.award@gmail.com.