1. Two ELTons opportunities to start with.

One, an invitation to be a judge next time round – details here and please note that “there are no fixed qualifications needed to be a judge (…) judges typically have a wide range of experience in the EFL world”: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/become-eltons-judge-0

The second, an invitation to submit your project or product for an award if you’ve produced an innovative English language teaching or learning product, publication or service in the last two years – which must be pretty nearly all of you, mustn’t it? Details here, and please note that entries for the Local Innovation category need not be in partnership with Cambridge Assessment – they’re the sponsors (thank you!) of the award: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/eltons-innovation-awards-2021-applications

2. Here’s the latest update from a previous winner of an ELTons award, Digital Learning Associates (DLA): a new article by Philip Kerr, Extraordinary Disabilities, about the representation of people with disabilities in ELT materials: https://digitallearningassociates.com/whats-new/2021/2/24/extraordinary-disabilities-philip-kerr-writes-about-the-representation-of-disability-in-elt  Philip says that “better representation of people with disabilities would be a relatively small step in the direction of a more inclusive approach to education”.

To accompany Philip’s article, DLA have curated a selection of existing Ready to Run authentic videos that tell stories of people dealing with a variety of life challenges, including physical disability, from around the world: https://vimeo.com/showcase/lifechallenges Check out Paralympic champion Ade Adepitan’s story!

3. Reimagining Education Through Technology is the title of a wide-ranging report from Central Square Foundation https://www.centralsquarefoundation.org/ who work to transform the school education system in India to improve the learning outcomes of all children, especially from low-income communities. Report here https://centralsquarefoundation.org/re-imagining-education/ and PDF attached.

4. And, finally, at 18:30 UK time tomorrow, Friday 26^th February, Monique Roffey will be live in conversation at the Bradford Literature Festival talking about her new book, The Mermaid of Black Conch: https://www.facebook.com/events/342168247062760

Monique’s book is shortlisted for the Rathbones Folio prize this year: https://www.rathbonesfolioprize.com/the-2021-shortlist-2-3-2-2/