British Council ELTons Innovation Awards 2020 for Innovation in English language teaching

Application Deadline: November 8th 2019

Have you produced an English language teaching or learning product, publication, or service that is both functional and innovative in the last two years?

The British Council is looking for the latest and most innovative resources to learn and teach English, across the full breadth of media (non-digital or digital) and from a wide variety of contexts worldwide.

If you’re an educator in a low-resource context, a member of an international team or organisation – large or small – or an author or entrepreneur flying solo, we want to hear from you. If you’ve been involved in the creation of new resources in support of high quality English language education in the last two years, make your submission to the ELTons Innovation Awards 2020.

To mark the ELTons 18th anniversary, we are pleased to introduce the ELTons Judges’ Commendation for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). This is a special commendation for finalists which promote proactive and positive approaches to equality, diversity and inclusion in English language teaching, learning and assessment.

The commendation aims to celebrate the courses, books, apps, resources and projects which:

• bridge educational inequality
• reflect diversity
• promote inclusion of certain, typically underrepresented groups.

The commendation is intended to encourage improving access to high quality English language teaching for all, and specifically for those who may not typically get access.

Award categories for submissions

Excellence in course innovation – Courses using a fresh variety of content, formats or media, to help learners achieve stretching levels of English language proficiency.

Innovation in teacher resources – Resources supporting English language teaching professionals, whether through teacher training, education, or continuing professional development.

Innovation in learner resources – Services, activities, materials or works using innovative means to improve English language learners’ proficiency in vocabulary, grammar, fluency, receptive and productive skills, or vital language skills for study, life and/or work.

Digital innovation – Use of digital technology or media – cutting edge technologies, or original use of existing technology – to benefit high-quality English language learning.

Local innovation (in partnership with Cambridge Assessment English) – Resources or projects innovating to meet specific, local needs, within local, national or regional contexts around the world.

Application Procedure:

Make your application using the form below. Full information on award categories and eligibility, as well as the application and judging processes can be found the accompanying guidance.

Following submission of your entry (by the deadline of Friday 8 November 2019) applications go through a rigorous, three-round judging process to assess the functional and innovative aspects of each submission. The expert panels of judges work independently, individually and behind closed doors, using the Delphi method, meaning that even judges will not know the winners until the awards ceremony in June 2020.

ELTons applications and judging timeline 2019 – 2020

Friday 8 November 2019: ELTons 2020 application deadline.

December: First round of judging concludes, all applicants are notified about progression to round two. 

January – March: Second round. ELTons judges take closer inspection of the innovations.

April: ELTons finalists are revealed and invited to the awards ceremony.

April – June: Final round of judging.

June: Winners are announced at the ELTons awards ceremony, London, UK.

Those successful in becoming an ELTons finalist will be notified in April 2020 and receive an invitation to join guests from across international English language education, at the highly anticipated ELTons Awards ceremony, hosted in London (UK), in June 2020.

The ceremony also sees the announcement of the British Council Lifetime Achievement Award, for an ELT professional who has made a substantial and long-lasting contribution to the field of English language teaching.

The deadline for applications was Friday 8 November 2019, midnight (UK time).

ELTons 2020 application form

ELTons 2020 application guidance

ELTons 2020 guidance on the British Council approach to EDI

ELTons 2020 FAQs

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the British Council ELTons Innovation Awards 2020