Page 5 - ELG1901 Jan-Feb 463

WELCOME .
EDITOR’S LETTER

The new reality

The market is changing, so the Gazette is changing to keep in step,
as Melanie Butler and Ron Ragsdale explain
theteam
There was a time when teaching English was an industry of native speakers teaching classes of
false-beginner young adults in a private language school using ‘global’ course books that followed a MELANIE
standard integrated-skills, communicative methodology, leading to formal preparation high-stakes BUTLER,
exams. This was the mainstream. editor-in-chief,
started teaching
This model still exists, of course, but is it becoming a niche? EFL in Iran in
In the same issue that we celebrate the best of British ELT in our ranking supplement, we see 1975. She worked
the demise of the Embassy brand (see page 11: eight schools in the UK, the US and Canada for the BBC
World Service,
forced out of business by huge discounts and high commissions). Pearson/Longman and MET
Meanwhile Irish teachers took to the streets when another language school closed without magazine before taking over at the
warning (see page 7) and, under pressure from the Unions, the government has appointed a Gazette in 1987 and also launching
mediator to sort out teachers’ terms and conditions (see page 10). Study Travel magazine. Educated in
The industry is in chaos, at least in the English-speaking world, and all too often it’s teachers ten schools in seven countries, she
that are just people doing ‘the best shit job.’ speaks fl uent French and Spanish
and rather rusty Italian.
As Irish teacher, Des Ryan suggests on page 36, there should be a far more equitable
allocation of rewards, English language teachers should have more professional recognition and RON RAGSDALE,
respect. This is no justification for exploitation. Or, as Varinder Unlu points out, bullying and managing editor,
gained his MA-
harassment. TESOL at Portland
The industry is changing. And the Gazette is changing with it. State University
When Ron joined the Gazette team a few months ago, he started with a bit of editing, then a in Oregon 25
bit of writing and commissioning features, typesetting and design procurement…. years ago, and
It soon became clear that there was so much more to do that he agreed to take on the bigger has worked in ELT publishing ever
role of Managing Editor, leaving Melanie to deal with the role of Editor-in-chief. since, with teaching stints in Istanbul
and Cairo. In addition to managing
Together we are aiming to bring the EL Gazette into a new reality. It is no longer enough to teams at Pearson and Cambridge
have a print magazine with content replicated digitally. ELT, including as Publishing Director,
News happens every day, and readers want to be kept Ron has worked with Ministries and
It is no longer up to date. We can be that daily voice. But, it will take local partners in over 30 countries.
enough to have a print time to complete the transition.
We’ve taken the first step, with a decision to reduce MATT
magazine with content the number of issues to a standard 6 per year (bi- SALUSBURY,
news editor,
replicated digitally. News monthly), and increase the size, with 16 pages always and journalist is
devoted to a special supplement, be that the UK active with the
happens every day, and Language Centre Rankings, the MA Listings, or our National Union
annual IATEFL special coming up for March/April. of Journalists and
readers want to be kept We are also rebuilding our digital experience, with co-edits Freelance, its newsletter.
He taught English for 15 years
up to date. a new website, new page-turner digital editions, a new in Turkey and the Netherlands,
app, revamped archives, and better control of our and ESOL in a North London FE
digital subscriber database. We will soon be launching College. He is now an EAP tutor
the new website with a job listings portal, more dynamic advertising options and a tiered at Brunel University London. He
is a native English speaker, but
subscription service. is fl uent in Dutch and has good
It’s one step at a time, and in the meantime, we have a magazine to get out, so apologies to enough French to use entirely
readers for the unexpected lag between issues, we’re still here! French sources for articles.
And we’re moving with the mainstream.. There are far more young learners than adults now. GILL RAGSDALE,
And it is mainstream education who can show us how to teach them, as Mark Greenow of research news
Millfield school points out on page 33. reporter,
has a PhD in
Where you do have adults learning English for the first time, these are often immigrants or Evolutionary
refugees with little or no English and no knowledge of Roman script, as Gill Ragsdale explains Anthropology
on page 38. from Cambridge,
And as Freya Thomas Monk tells us on page 42, automated marking systems allow students to and teaches Psychology with
the Open University, but also
take high-stakes exams whenever they like, with very fast, targeted feedback. holds an RSA-Cert TEFL. Gill has
EFL is evolving, and so are we. taught EFL in the UK, Turkey,
Egypt and to refugees in the
Calais ‘Jungle’ in France. She
MELANIE BUTLER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RON RAGSDALE, MANAGING EDITOR currently teaches English to
refugees in the UK.

editorial@elgazette.com 5