PRELIM 3 teacher development project opens for applications
24 October 2022


PRELIM 3 teacher development project opens for applications

The PRELIM teacher development project, which has paired English UK members with English teacher associations (ETAs) all over the world, is moving into a new phase.

PRELIM 3 (Partnered Remote Language Improvement Project) opens for applications the week commencing Monday 24 October 2022.

Up to 20 partnerships will be created between language centres and English teacher associations, working together to create resources designed specifically for overseas teachers to use in their own classrooms with their students.

The projects will run from January 2023 to March 2024, each with £15k funding from the British Council. 

As the application document explains: "These might range from resources which support teachers to make the most effective use of the existing materials they are required to use by their local education authorities, to additional teaching and learning materials. The aim, therefore, is to enable teachers to make optimal use of their current materials and for those materials to be complemented sustainably - beyond the life of PRELIM 3 itself - with a range of easily disseminated context-appropriate resources and activities owned by association members."

Hear from the project partners: British Council, English UK, IATEFL and NILE

PRELIM is a partnership between the British Council, English UK and IATEFL, with support from ELT teacher training organisation Norwich Institute of Language Education (NILE).

Michael Connolly, Director of English Programmes at the British Council, said:

"We are delighted to invite English language educators from around the world to take part in this next phase of the PRELIM scheme. The first two phases of the programme have been a huge success among participants. UK-international partnership and innovation is at the heart of the initiative, and we know educators from the UK and overseas have found the exchange invaluable. We look forward to continuing our work with our partners, encouraging co-creation and mutual learning."

Annie Wright, English UK's joint acting chief executive, said:

"We are very excited that PRELIM has evolved into longer-term projects with the opportunity to develop deeper relationships between the ELT centres and the overseas teachers' associations. Centres will relish this new challenge and also see it as fantastic CPD to create bespoke materials for teachers working in very different contexts to their own."

Jon Burton, chief executive of IATEFL said:

"Having PRELIM return for a third time is something I know many English language teaching associations across the globe will appreciate, the first two having produced such positive outcomes. IATEFL is delighted to be part of this initiative once again, and to help bring together English language teaching professionals from such a wide range of locations and circumstances."

Thom Kiddle of NILE added: 

"At NILE we are very excited to be able to continue as managing consultants for the third phase of PRELIM and support the UK institutes and global English Teacher Associations to develop their skills in new directions, still keeping teachers at the heart of each partnered project."

Creating bespoke resources for teachers to use in their classrooms

Where PRELIM 1 and 2 were aimed at improving the confidence of teachers working in English, PRELIM 3 will create bespoke packages to support them in their own classrooms considering their curriculum, class sizes, local teaching methods, available technology and so on. 

"Where feasible, depending on the curriculum/grades the resources are supporting, an element exploring the cultural features of the local context and the local culture of the UKI home base," the application document says.

Ways in which the partnership may develop include workshops, video presentations, online platforms and webinars, and mentor or buddy schemes. 

UK ELT centres taking part will be part of a community of practice to facilitate the sharing of learning and experience during the design, development and delivery of PRELIM 3 projects, coordinated by NILE.

Calls go out to Accreditation UK ELT centres and ETAs on 24 October 2022, with the deadline for applications Monday 14 November for ELT centres and Monday 21 November for English Teacher Associations. Successful applications will be matched in December.

PRELIM 3 application process dates:

  • Monday 24 October: Call for applications published
  • Tuesday 1 November (23:59 UK time): Deadline for Accreditation UK centres to send clarification questions
  • Thursday 3 November (12:30 -13:30 UK time): Clarification Q&A session for Accreditation UK centres via Zoom
  • Monday 14 November (23:59 UK time): Application submission deadline for Accreditation UK centres
  • By Monday 28 November: Successful applicants will be notified
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