Why English Language Teaching materials benefit from an international approach
by Rebecca Durose-Croft, Managing Director, Westchester Education UK & International
The Westchester Education teams – based here in the UK and in the US – are continuously collaborating to find the best and most effective solutions for our clients. Drawing on our vast experience of producing ELT materials in both teams, we have delved into the advantages of embracing an international approach when developing these resources.
Here are our findings in support of this new approach:
Linguistic and Cultural Expertise: A global team brings together professionals from different countries and backgrounds, offering a diverse range of linguistic and cultural expertise. This ensures a more comprehensive understanding of English language learners worldwide, including their specific needs, challenges, and cultural contexts.
Localized Content: With global teams, publishers and vendors can develop localized content that caters to learners from various regions. Language teaching materials can be adapted to reflect regional language variations, cultural references, and local educational systems. This localization enhances the relevance and effectiveness of the materials, making them more engaging and relatable to learners.
Pedagogical Insights: Each region may have its own pedagogical approaches, teaching methods, and learning styles. A global team can share their insights and experiences, fostering cross-cultural collaboration and enriching the development of teaching materials. These insights can lead to the creation of more effective instructional strategies, resulting in better learning outcomes for English language learners.
Tailored Support: A global team can provide tailored support to educators worldwide. They can offer professional development opportunities, training sessions, webinars and workshops that address the specific needs and challenges faced by teachers and publishers in different regions. This support helps educators enhance their teaching skills and adapt their practices to meet the requirements of their students more effectively.
Market Expansion: By using a team with a global approach and global market knowledge, educational publishers can expand into new and emerging markets. They can develop and distribute materials specifically designed for learners in different countries, addressing the growing demand for English language education worldwide. This expansion opens up new business opportunities and allows publishers to establish partnerships with educational institutions and organizations in various regions.
Continuous Improvement: Collaboration among team members from different regions fosters continuous improvement. Through regular communication and knowledge sharing, the team can identify emerging trends, address evolving educational needs, and incorporate new methodologies into their teaching and learning materials.
It’s clear to see from these points why Westchester Education favours an international approach to creating materials for English Language Teaching. Working together cross-culturally brings together diverse expertise, promotes cultural sensitivity, supports localized content development, and enhances the overall quality of teaching and learning materials. Not only this, it enables our clients to cater to the needs of learners worldwide and contribute to the advancement of English language education on a global scale.