Top tips for writing a winning English Teacher Awards 2024 nomination

Thomas Gardner
A woman/teacher teaching her students in the classroom.
Reading time: 3 minutes

We are celebrating teaching excellence around the world through the ɫèAV English Teacher Awards 2024.Ìý

Open to all types of English language educator, the 15 lucky global winners will take home thousands of pounds of prizes, from trips to conferences to the latest language learning software for their school.Ìý

Nominating an educator for the ɫèAV English Teacher Awards is simple. All applications are made via the awards entry page, and you have 600-1000 words to tell us how your nominee builds learners’ confidence to be themselves in English.Ìý

Here are our top tips to make the most of every word and ensure your entry is top of the class.Ìý

Application tips

1. Make it category specificÌý

One of the core judging criteria is how well an application matches the category description.Ìý

Educators can be nominated in one of five different categories:Ìý

  1. Teaching Young Minds English
  2. Empowering Teen Confidence in English
  3. Cultivating Lifelong Learners in EnglishÌý
  4. Innovation in English Language TeachingÌý
  5. Rising Stars of English Language TeachingÌý

Tailoring your answer to the category description will make sure our judges understand exactly why your nominee is the perfect winner.Ìý

For a detailed description of each of the categories, take a look at our recent blog post.

2. Focus on confidence

Learning a language isn’t just about knowing the vocabulary or understanding the grammar; it’s about having the confidence to go out there and use your newfound skills to unlock a world of opportunities.Ìý

But feeling confident in something you’re still learning is hard. Anyone that’s learnt a language has experienced those dips in motivation and confidence when you come across a topic that doesn’t come naturally to you.Ìý

That’s where a great teacher can make all the difference. The right support and encouragement combined with innovative teaching techniques can help learners protect and even build their confidence in challenging moments.Ìý

That confidence is what transforms language learning from just communicating to feeling able to really be yourself in English. And when you’re able to do that, great opportunities come your way.Ìý

Our judges are looking for nominations that understand the connection between confidence and self-expression and the impact that can have on learners’ lives.Ìý

3. Demonstrate your impact

Including relevant data and examples in your application will help judges understand the impact your nominee has had.Ìý

This might include data such as internal or external test results, as well as how those results have changed during that teacher’s tenure.Ìý

Evidence doesn’t have to mean numbers. Judges also welcome anecdotes and examples that describe the impact an educator has had on learners’ confidence.Ìý

The judging process

Nominations can be submitted between 15th August and midnight (CST) on 1st November 2024.Ìý

After that date, all entries will be reviewed and a shortlist submitted to our expert judges.Ìý

There are two to three judges for each category who will independently review and shortlist nominees before collectively awarding a Gold, Silver, and Bronze winner in their category.Ìý

Shortlisted entries will be contacted by our team and announced at the ɫèAV Teacher Awards ceremony on November 21st 2024.Ìý

Meet the judges

From Argentina to Algeria, Italy to Germany, ɫèAV English Teacher Award 2024 judges come from all over the world.Ìý

Many have years of ELT teaching experience, as well as expertise from academia and business.Ìý

Here are just three of our expert judges:Ìý

  • Belgin Elmas: Head of the English Language Teaching Department at TED University in Ankara, Belgin is a professor with more than 34 years of teaching experience.Ìý
  • Dr Silvia Minardi: President of Lingua e Nuova Didattica and Vice President of Aermigo. Dr Minardi has extensive experience in CLIL training, collaborating with the ECML and the Council of Europe.
  • Dr Renata Condi: An experienced teacher, development professional, and course book author, Dr Condi holds a PhD and MA in Applied Linguistics and an MBA in School Management.Ìý

The prizes

With a Gold, Silver, and Bronze winner in each of the five categories, there are 15 chances for educators and their schools to win.Ìý

Gold winners will receive a trip to a regional professional conference, including flight and hotel, as well as up to £500 in credit for professional development.Ìý

Their school will win annual licenses to top language learning app, Mondly by ɫèAV as well as a course, assessment, and certification bundle valued at £1000Ìý

Silver and Bronze winners will take home top prizes too, with £250 in credit towards their professional development and up to 500 Mondly by ɫèAV licenses for their school to continue their good work building learners’ confidence in English.Ìý

More blogs from ɫèAV

  • A pile of open books on top of each other

    Using authentic material from the real world to teach English

    By Steffanie Zazulak

    There are lots of resources available to English teachers today: from textbooks to online teaching tools, they can all aid and enrich English lessons. Many ESL teachers also introduce authentic English material into their lessons to expose learners to the language as it is spoken in the real world.

    Authentic material is any material written in English that was not created for intentional use in the English classroom. Using this content for teaching English can make the teaching experience even more engaging, imaginative and motivating for students. It can also be useful to elicit genuine responses from English language learners.

    The great thing about using authentic material is that it is everywhere, which makes it easy to find, and simple for learners to practice English in their own time. Remember that it isn’t limited to articles from newspapers and magazines. Songs, TV programs and films, radio and podcasts, leaflets, menus – anything written in English constitutes authentic material.

    Selecting authentic material

    The best content to select depends on the learners, their level of English and the course content the English teacher wishes to focus on. It’s also a good idea to find out the learners’ interests – after all, there’s no point trying to get students fascinated by a text on the latest sci-fi movie if they’re all fans of action films.

    The materials should reflect a situation that a student may face in an English-speaking environment – this will help them transition into a world where English is the norm. In this world, people use abbreviations, body language is important and they’ll use 'filler' sounds – such as 'ummm' – when they are speaking English – and learners will encounter these in authentic material.

    It’s important not to overwhelm learners with the first piece of authentic material. So, choose articles, songs or sections of TV programs or movies that aren’t too difficult to understand or take too long to get through.

  • Woman wearing headphones outside, smiling and looking hopeful

    6 easy ways to learn English

    By Steffanie Zazulak

    When you’re learning English, it’s important to keep your motivation up. As with any task, there may be times when it feels a bit more difficult, so switch up your methods and don’t be afraid to make mistakes – you’ll reach the level you want to be at.

    We’ve already provided some unique ways to teach English that you may now have experienced with your teacher. Here, we suggest some easy ways to learn English that you can try any time – at home, at work or on the move. Why not try them today? Surround yourself with English and you’ll see improvements in your language confidence and skills, while having fun at the same time…

    1. English words with friends

    Scrabble is a classic board game in which players use random lettered tiles to create words in a crossword fashion. It’s a fantastic way to strengthen your English vocabulary, and there’s also a Scrabble Junior version for beginners. Playing Scrabble challenges you to really think in English as you try to come up with different words using your set of letters.

    If you’re taking an English class, buy the board game and invite your classmates to play with you. You can also play Scrabble online through websites like Facebook, where it is called Words With Friends.

    2. Add some music

    Not only will your favorite song wake up your mind and put you in a positive mood to learn English, but the lyrics can help you expand your skills. acquire grammar and vocabulary and improve spelling.

    Songs almost always contain a lot of useful vocabulary, phrases and expressions. And since the intended audience is fluent English speakers, the latest tunes include up-to-date language and colloquialisms. The language used in songs is casual and usable, if you pick the right music. Music also has an uncanny ability to stick in our heads, which can help you remember your new English words.

  • a hand holding a remote control

    8 easy tricks for improving your English skills

    By Steffanie Zazulak

    As you work to improve your English skills, it’s always helpful to have some tricks and tips to help you stay motivated. With that in mind, we’ve collated these eight simple tips from fellow English language learners, to help you on your quest…

    1. Set yourself small goals

    Learning English is a long process, and it may take years to progress from one level to the next. That’s why it’s important to set yourself achievable goals. At ɫèAV, we work with thousands of English teachers worldwide to define what it means to ‘be at a level’ in English.Ìý

    2. Create a study schedule

    Ensure this schedule works around your daily responsibilities and make sure to keep it simple! Try breaking up your English language learning over the course of an entire day, which may make it feel more manageable.

    3. Practice a little bit every day

    Even if it’s listening to an English podcast during your commute or practicing your favorite words while having breakfast, every little bit of practice helps!

    4. Discover what type of learner you are

    Auditory, visual, or tactile. Use this as a basis for how you spend time studying. For instance, a visual learner may benefit from flashcards (see point 7), while an auditory learner may benefit from watching a television program in English.

    5. Turn on music in English

    Rhythms and rhymes have been found to stimulate the brain and improve learning. Our research found that music can be an invaluable tool when learning English, as it helps with pronunciation, word boundaries and vocabulary.

    6. Watch movies with English dialogue

    Movies are a great source of native conversation and vocabulary. Plus, the visual nature of film allows you to experience nonverbal context too — such as facial expressions and hand gestures — accompanying and contextualizing the film’s dialogue. Above all, watching a movie is a fun and motivational way to develop English language skills.

    7. Learn new vocabulary with flashcards

    While this may be the oldest studying trick in the book, students around the world use flashcards because they work!

    8. Track your progress

    To gain a sense of accomplishment, it’s important to know where you’ve started. We’ve just introduced a new way to measure progress in English. Have a look at it to quickly discover what your areas of strength and weakness are.

    Finally, it’s important to remember that not every learning trick will work for you. So, if you find that chatting with fluent English speakers helps you progress faster but you’re not always able to converse with them face-to-face, spend more of your time communicating online with your English-speaking friends and contacts.