A royalty-encrusted version of the ELTons, the English-Speaking Union has announced the 2014 shortlist for its President Award and English Language Book Award. Overall winners in both categories will be announced in December.
The President’s Award celebrates successful use of technology to enhance English teaching and learning worldwide. It recognises innovation and good design in the use of technology, for the teaching, learning and advancement of English as a first, second, or foreign language.
The shortlist this year features apps, online courses, graded e-Readers and a resources site.
- Film English, website, Kieran Donaghy
- English Digital Kitchen, an interactive kitchen created by the Lancook project at Newcastle University
- Oxford Online Skills Program, for adults, OUP
- Richmond Mazes: Crisis at Clifton, for Business students, Richmond ELT. Detailed review here by Sandy Millin.
- Bebop Band, for Young Learners, Macmillan Education.
2013’s winner was IELTS Skills by Macmillan Education which ELTjam reviewed recently.
ELTjam’s money is on Kieran.
It’s not all new technology; HRH Duke of Edinburgh still has time for books. Titles are nominated in the English Language Book category for originality, practicality and presentation.
OUP has three titles:
- International Express, Angela Buckingham, Bryan Stephens, Alastair Lane, Keith Harding, Rachel Appleby, Frances Watkins
- Focus on Content-Based Language Teaching, Patsy M Lightbown
- Oxford Learner’s Dictionary of Academic English
CUP has two titles:
- Motivating Leaners, Motivating Teachers: Building Vision in the Language Classroom, Zoltán Dörnyei and Magdalena Kubanyiova
- Translation and Own-Language Activities, Phillip Kerr (series editor, Scott Thornbury)
Collins, Helbling and Cengage have one title each:
- Collins Academic Skills Series: Lectures, Fiona Aish and Jo Tomlinson
- Something to Say, Tessa Woodward and Seth Lindstromberg
- Our World, Joan Kang Shin and JoAnn (Jodi) Crandall
ELTjam’s money is on Phillip for the win.
We’ll see how good we are at predicting this kind of thing come December.
I’m gratified by your confidence in Translation and Own Language Activities, which is indeed a truly innovative and timely book, but I need to correct the idea that I am the co-author (not your fault – it’s the way the book is billed on the ESU website). I’m merely the jobbing series editor, and all the credit (whether or not it wins) should go to the sole author, Philip Kerr.
Oops! Sorry about that. I’ve amended it in the post.
So we’re betting are we? What odds do you give me on Bebop Band?