Page 32 - ELG2005 Jul Issue 471

AWARDS . REVIEWS & RESOURCES

Keep your eyes on the prize: ELTons shortlist Educación de Mexico’s Starfish, a three-level
In the coursebook corner we have Pearson
pre-school series based on the principles of
‘The Oscars of English Language Teaching’ are now in their eighteenth year. UNESCO’s Five Pillars of Education.
Finally, a Brazilian-Singaporean
Matt Salusbury introduces the 29 ELTons 2020 finalists across five categories collaboration, Garden Project – Brazilian
Edition by Angelica Manca. This is project-
he household names of ELT Also taking a bow is Macmillan Blink, together with ‘the stories behind the based learning curriculum for a Brazilian
publishing are well-represented Education’s Global Stage a six-level series for photo’ – award-winning photographers context. It has material based around nature,
this year. There are four finalists young learners with a ‘dual approach,’ talking about their images. and plenty of activities outside the classroom.
Tfrom Macmillan, four from incorporating a Language Book and Literacy
Pearson and one each from Oxford Book at each level. Local Innovation (in partnership Innovation in Learner Resources
University Press (OUP), Cambridge Macmillan makes another appearance with with Cambridge English Produced in co-operation with a number of
University Press (CUP) and National Mimi’s Wheel, three levels for pre-primary Assessment) Italian charities, the Real Lives graded readers
Geographic Learning. school children, featuring meerkat There are a wide variety of entries from series tackles subjects including global
Alongside the ELT giants are local heroes characters. across the globe, starting with a book from citizenship, inclusion and diversity. From
and small presses from countries including Also for young learners is Brazilian Nigeria, I am not naughty – I really really mean Italian publishers ELI Publishing, with Terre
Nigeria, the Netherlands, India and a publishers Richmond Kids' Web. Its digital it! by Basirat Razaq-Shuaib, with the Winford des Hommes Italia, VIS (International
consortium of Italian NGOs – one of several components include mobile games and Centre for Children and Women. This book Volunteer Service for Development),
crossovers between ELT and organisations different activities at each stage of growing follows the struggles of a school-age boy ActionAid International Italia and GUS Italy
promoting social justice, and more. up. There are even Kid’s Web puppets. branded as “naughty” but in fact living with Another resource developed in co-
Brazilian, Mexican and Spanish providers Brazil makes another entry with Learning ADHD. operation with a charity, in this case Ufi
also turn up with noticeable frequency, but Factory’s New Magic Minds! This emphasises India makes the shortlist with Reading Charitable Trust, is Readable, from
small independent UK publishers dominate the development of learners’ spatial, Genius - Bilingual Stories, from Pratham Switzerland-based Playlingo. The app is
the teacher resources categories. cognitive, social and emotional skills. Books. The series takes well-known stories designed to motivate learners through stories
Pearson ELT Canada takes a bow with and turns them into bilingual English-Tamil told in the form of chat messages in English, Martin Bloomfield. This is a guide for
Excellence in Course Innovation Literary Horizons: Analysis and Essay Writing, readers (supported by videos). graded to the reader’s level. The winners in teachers supporting the estimated 15 per cent
With the one exception, all the entries in this a course book for advanced young learners From Sri Lanka comes Sciencepedia, from After many years working with refugee of students with dyslexia.
category are course book series. Starting with aimed at written English. Shehani Gamage, M. Kodithuwakku, and Dr. doctors, British medic Dr Stephen J Nickles, each category will Those looking for free resources can head
Evolve, a six-level series from CUP. It includes OUP have teamed up with photographic N. Wickramasinghe, with the National E- and co-author Norman Whitby have self- for Pearson English’s GSE Teacher Toolkit, a
mobile-friendly online videos of real students agency Blink to produce Wide Angle, an Learning Center. This science comic book published Doctor: English writing skills for be announced at a free online database of learning objectives,
responding to discussion questions, providing American English series for adults. It combines visually attractive reading material clinical practice and the Occupational English London awards grammar and vocabulary.
‘near-peer’ role models. includes interactive videos and content from with problem-solving. Test, a self-study course for non-English For teachers of young learners comes
speaking doctors and healthcare professionals ceremony, PEPELT - Picturebooks in European Primary
in the UK. postponed until English Language Teaching, by Netherlands-
BRITISH COUNCIL (Elementary and Junior High) from UNOi – 2 October. guide to help select English-language picture
based Tatia Gruenbaum. This is an online
From Latin America comes Be Mindful
part of Grupo Santillana Mexico. This series
books.
For those interested in critical thinking,
provides training for self-knowledge,
decision-making, self-care and resilience
flash card and test generator.
through English. language learning, automatic grading and a the judges have selected National
Geographic Learning’s book Critical
Finally, from Pearson and the BBC a free- China has produced Learning Sugar, Beijing Thinking in ELT and Hacking Creativity:
of-charge online project for secondary Educapple Technology Co.’s course for Techniques, Exercises and Activities for the
schools, C Live Classes, which uses the BBC’s Chinese students aged three to ten, which Creative Language Classroom by Peachey
authentic materials for discussions held in a incorporates ‘AI foreign teachers’, animated Productions is a resource book for teachers.
closed Facebook group, backed by expert games and speech recognition. British Council media relations officer
teacher trainers. Next in this app-fest is a Spanish/UK Vicky Nelmes told the Gazette they plan to
collaboration by Busuu, called Busuu Smart make this a face-to-face event, “if we can
Digital Innovation Review. This is a language revision app that gather safely in London”.
Apps are the name of the game this year. First lets users review their learning.
up is a free app, Word Up, from UK-based Finally, the only online course to make the
Geeks Ltd., which boasts two million cut, Journey 2 Basic Skills, from Klik2Learn, in
downloads in its first six months. It chooses partnership with City of Glasgow College.
words that are most relevant by ranking all the
words in the English language by usefulness. Innovation in Teacher Resources
Next comes Navio, a learning app from Social Justice takes centre stage in this years’
Macmillan that includes gamified English entries for teachers, The NO Project ELT
Teaching Resources, a UK-Greece
collaboration with The Rights Lab. This is a
series of ELT resources – including lesson
plans and true stories – on the theme of
human trafficking and modern slavery for
students aged 16 and up.
There is also a nomination for the ELT
Footprint Community, a web-based community
located in Spain and dedicated to finding
ways for teachers to reduce their
environmental footprint.
Special Educational Needs are in the
spotlight with Dyslexia Bites, by UK-based

32 July 2020 editorial@elgazette.com 33