English Teacher Awards 2024: Understanding the categories

Thomas Gardner
A smiley woman and one of her friends/students working in a cafe.
Reading time: 4 minutes

Teachers shape every aspect of our learning experience, especially when it comes to language learning. Great teachers give learners not only the skills but the confidence to go out in the world, start speaking up and discovering new opportunities.

We’re celebrating those exceptional educators with the app English Teacher Awards 2024.

With five different categories and a Gold, Silver and Bronze winner in each, there are 15 chances to take home thousands of pounds worth of top prizes for the winning teachers and their schools.

Find out more about who can enter and the different categories in this article.

Teacher Awards 2024
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The 5 award categories

The app English Teacher Awards celebrate educators across five different categories, and closely tailoring your application to the category description is a great way to stand out to the judges.

Teachers can only be nominated for one category, so take a look at the five categories below to find out which is the best fit for your nominee.

1. Teaching Young Minds English

Those very first experiences of learning English can shape a love of language that lasts a lifetime.

This category is for primary educators who’ve set young learners up for long-term success in English through their nurturing, engaging approach.

From fun-filled lessons to creative ways to give young learners opportunities to use their new skills, we want to hear about the educators that have filled children with the confidence to get their language learning journey off to a great start.

2. Empowering Teen Confidence in English

Filled with exams, competing priorities and big decisions, the teenage years can be a make-or-break moment for language learning and the future paths it unlocks.

Making progress with a language rests on feeling confident enough to put skills into practice, which can be difficult for all learners and especially for teenagers.

This category recognizes dedicated teachers who’ve helped teen learners maintain their engagement and commitment to learning English. We’re looking for teachers who have helped teenagers build the confidence they need to speak up and start to discover the joy of being themselves in English.

3. Cultivating Lifelong Learners in English

Learning English as an adult comes with its own unique set of motivations and challenges. Learners are often balancing a whole range of competing responsibilities, with high-stakes opportunities, like studying or employment, that rely on language proficiency.

This category celebrates educators who enable and inspire adult learners with their empathetic, innovative approach, giving them the confidence to learn, perform at their best and unlock new opportunities by learning English.

4. Innovation in English Language Teaching

Teaching is a dynamic discipline that changes with every year, every class and every learner.

Sometimes, it means finding a completely new way to help learners understand and connect with a subject.

This category celebrates those who are always striving to bring the best new technology and techniques to teaching English. We’re looking for educators who have challenged traditional practices, implemented innovative teaching methods and inspired change in the way English is taught.

5. Rising Stars of English Language Teaching

Teaching is a journey, just like learning English. This category recognizes those with less than three years of experience at the very start of their English language teaching career.

We’re looking for educators who’ve arrived in the classroom with a whole host of creative ideas and techniques for building learners' confidence.

Winners in this category will already be leading the way at their school when it comes to shaping the way English is taught and giving learners that “I can do it” confidence.

How to enter

Once you’ve decided on the right category, it’s time to start your nomination.

All applications are online via the English Teacher Awards entry pageand there’s just one question to answer:

How do you/your teacher/your colleague build learners’ confidence to be themselves in English?

The deadline for nominations is midnight (CST) on 1st November.

Your nominee will receive an automated email letting them know they’ve been nominated. Our team will contact them again if they’re shortlisted as a winner ahead of the online awards ceremony in November 2024.

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    Climate change and environmental sustainability

    Climate change affects every corner of the planet. The UN has been actively working to mitigate its effects and promote sustainability. Here are some prompts to spark a conversation on this urgent issue:

    Key points to discuss:

    The impact of climate change: How does climate change affect different parts of the world? Discuss rising sea levels, extreme weather events and their consequences.
    Sustainable practices: What are some sustainable practices individuals and communities can adopt to combat climate change? Consider renewable energy, recycling and conservation efforts.
    Global cooperation: How important is international cooperation in addressing climate change? Look at agreements like the Paris Accord and the role of the UN in facilitating these agreements.

    Discussion questions:

    • How has climate change affected your country or region?
    • What can individuals do to reduce their carbon footprint?
    • Why is it important for countries to work together to tackle environmental issues?

    Global health and well-being

    Global health and well-being are vital for sustainable development and international cooperation, underpinning the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Here are some ideas to start conversations around this topic:

    Key points to discuss:

    Health crises: Discuss major health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of the World Health Organization (WHO) in managing these crises.
    Access to healthcare: What are the challenges to accessing healthcare in different parts of the world? Explore issues like healthcare infrastructure, affordability and availability.
    Mental health: Why is mental health an important aspect of overall well-being? Discuss stigma, access to mental health services and the impact of mental health on communities.

    Discussion questions:

    • How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we think about global health?
    • What are the biggest healthcare challenges in your country?
    • How can we improve mental health awareness and support?