In addition to submitting your innovation into one of the five main award categories, you can also choose to put your entry forward to be considered for three special commendations.
There are ELTons Judges’ Commendations for:
- Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action.
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).
- NEW: Young Learner Courses or Materials.
Please note: It is not possible to submit your entry solely for the ELTons Judges’ Commendations.
- Special commendations are not special award categories, but are additional, special commendations given only to the finalists of the five main award categories.
- You may submit your entry for one or more of the commendations.
- If choosing to put your entry forward for the special commendations, you will be asked to provide details about your entry in 200 words in the ELTons Awards application form.
The ELTons Judges’ Commendation for Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action
This commendation is intended to recognise a high-quality product or service for English language learning or teaching that integrates and promotes awareness of environmental sustainability and climate action across all audiences.
Entries must:
- Be selected as a finalist of the Awards and are therefore deemed to meet the ELTons’ primary criteria: innovative and functional.
- Aim to improve awareness of environmental sustainability and climate action through teaching, learning and resources and/or through the way they are created, delivered and/or distributed.
- Have the potential to lead social action related to climate change through English language education involving audiences locally or globally.
Examples may include (but are not exclusive to):
- A project that involves increasing student awareness of environmental issues through task cooperation or action research.
- Resources that involve some or all of the four skills (listening, reading, speaking, and writing) in gaining insight and extending knowledge in climate and environmental issues.
- Innovative approaches to debating and promoting environmental and climate issues.
- Online resources and courses that use environmental and climate issues to extend learning through English.
The ELTons Judges’ Commendation for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
The ELTons Judges’ Commendation for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is intended to recognise high-quality resources, products or services for English language teaching, learning or assessment which improve access or promote inclusion for all, and also meets the needs of underrepresented or underserved audiences.
Before entering your product for this commendation, we recommend reading more about the British Council’s approach to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (pdf).
Entries must:
- Be selected as a finalist of the ELTons Awards and are therefore deemed to meet the ELTons’ primary criteria: innovative and functional.
- Show how decisions to integrate equality, diversity and inclusion have been positively and proactively considered, planned and acted on at key stages in the development of the resource, product or service.
- Aim to improve access for or promote inclusion of underrepresented or underserved audiences. (Audiences may represent six main (but not exclusive) equality areas: age, disability, ethnicity/race, gender, religion or belief and sexual identity, and/or additional areas, including socio-economic background, linguistic diversity, and/or urban/rural realities). Resources may also address issues which cut across equality areas.
- Have a rationale that shows the capacity to make a demonstrable impact on specific groups – testimonials from specific groups can help this.
Examples may include (but are not exclusive to):
- A project aimed at improving English language and digital skills in girls’ education, in a context where girls are often excluded or likely to drop out from school.
- A flexible blended learning course for English language education aimed at schools in primarily non-urban, disadvantaged communities and/or involving hard-to-reach learners.
- Online courses or resources which go beyond standard accessibility requirements, and which have included people with a disability in planning and development.
- Innovative approaches to promoting linguistic diversity in an English language teaching setting.
- Development of materials, resources or an approach that promotes social or emotional wellbeing and learning in English language education settings.
The ELTons Judges’ Commendation for Young Learner Courses or Materials
This commendation is intended to recognise high-quality resources, products or services for English language teaching, that reflect the needs and interests of Young Learners.
There is no precise and agreed definition of Young Learners but we see it as incorporating all life-stages from Early Years, through Primary, to Secondary. So from ages 2–17 years old.
Entries must:
- Be selected as a finalist of the ELTons Awards and are therefore deemed to meet the ELTons’ primary criteria: innovative and functional.
- Demonstrate an awareness of the key principles and techniques required for teaching young learners.
- Include activities and resources that can be shown to be particularly engaging and beneficial for young people, and to be aware of their cultural environment.
- Show awareness of the latest thinking in cognitive development in learning and how this has been applied to the resource, product or service.
Examples may include (but are not exclusive to):
- Development of materials that utilise the input of young learners themselves.
- Materials that can demonstrate age-appropriate critical thinking and critical awareness of global issues.
- Innovative approaches to the promotion of discussion of issues that interest and/or affect young people.
- The development of age-appropriate resources which utilise play and activities to develop language, 21st Century and social skills.