Winning the British Council ELTons Awards for Local Innovation 2021
So, I guess the first question would be what are the ELTons?
The ELTons Awards for innovation in English language teaching are the British Council's own international awards. Now in their nineteenth year, the ELTons aim to find the latest, most original ways to learn and teach English from around the world, with awards for courses, resources for teachers and learners, digital innovations and for projects which bridge educational inequality.
Raja’a in Gaza and the trophy in London meet each other virtually
Nick, Melissa Scott and Sam Rose proudly receive the award in 2019
Have we ever won an award like this before?
Yes, in 2019 the Hands Up Project with UNRWA won the Local Innovation category with our annual playwriting competition.
How many entries were there for the awards?
This year there were 188 entries from 55 countries worldwide, breaking previous ELTons application records. Panels of experts worked independently to find the entries that best showed excellence in innovation and functionality to meet the needs of English language learners and teachers around the world.
How many finalists were there?
The independent judging panel selected the five category winners from a highly competitive field of 31 finalists.
What exactly was our entry for the Local Innovation award?
Remote Team Teaching on Facebook Live.
Students in Palestine needed a swift response to school closures and the global pandemic. Our answer? A completely new way of teaching the Palestinian English curriculum - remote team teaching on Facebook Live. It was free, easily accessible to students on any device, possible to watch at any time of day or night, and a truly innovative and collaborative experience for students and teachers. We taught the curriculum the Hands Up Project way
What did the judges say?
"The team-teaching aspect of this has taken this initiative to an innovative level."
What did it mean to us here at the Hands Up Project?
Raja’a’s acceptance speech was met with resounding applause
Both of the ELTons awards we have won are extremely significant but in different ways. One of the things they share, however - apart from both being Hands Up Project and UNRWA initiatives - is the element of innovation.
The team teaching project responded to a very real need when lockdown hit Palestine. We acted fast and in the best way we knew how, establishing team teaching pairs of a Palestinian teacher and another teacher somewhere in the world.
The recognition of our work by an international body both validates it and shines the spotlight on the level of innovation in Palestine. Of course, we are already well aware of it but putting it onto an international stage, enabling people all over the world to see teachers in Palestine leading the way in teaching and creativity gives us all great hope for the future. Gaza may be bursting at the seams but one of the things bursting out of it is educational innovation and inspiration.
If you have watched Raja’a’s very gracious acceptance speech, I think she sums it up better than I ever could.
“I've had some great moments in my life, but that moment when we were announced winners at the ELTons ceremony was definitely the most remarkable and unforgettable moment ever! I felt so honoured and proud to be there as the Palestinian representative face! It means the world to me to be part of this amazing achievement.” - Raja’a Abu Jasser
Anything else?
Yes, last but not least, we also won The ELTons Judges’ Commendation for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. The icing on the cake!