Widgets Inc.: Teach Outside the Box
From Widgepedia
WIDGETS NEWS
[2022 10/05]
CASE STUDIES IN BUSINESS INNOVATION - BETA EDITION LAUNCH
Coming in 2023... a Widgets Inc. reading supplement or standalone reading/discussion text. The beta print edition will be available at cost (1,500 yen) in limited quantity, and teachers who provide us with feedback will be credited as contributors in the subsequent 'final' edition.
Case studies in business innovation: Readings for discussion (BETA EDITION) is a Business English textbook for the college ESL/EFL classroom. As a CEFR-B1+ level textbook, it can be used on its own as a reading and discussion course, or as a reading supplement to the award-winning coursebook Widgets Inc.: A task-based course in workplace English.
The title features 30 case study readings (approx 500 word ea.), each about an interesting real-world business innovation. Students consider each case from a critical perspective, discuss similar cases, explore background information, and make relevant conclusions. At the end of each chapter, a small project can be asigned that expands on the chapter theme.
Chapter themes match the Widgets Inc. student book, so that this book can be used as a reading and discussion supplement to Widgets Inc., or separately as its own course.
Format: A5, full color, approx 160 pp.
[2020 04/16]
A digital edition of Widgets Inc. is now available for purchase via the Issuu platform. It includes embedded links to course video and other useful links. We will be adding more features over the coming weeks. Users who have purchased a print edition of Widgets Inc. are eligible for one year free access to the digital version. You can claim your access code by emailing us at the email listed at the bottom of this page, in the yellow "Atama-ii Books" logo.
[2020 01/21]
NEW DOWNLOADABLE SYLLABUS TEMPLATES
At many institutions, teachers are required to submit syllabus outlines for their courses. If so, they can download our free PDF syllabus templates. They were made for a Japanese university course, but include universal sections such as: Course Description, Course Objectives, Textbook Information, Assessment Criteria and perhaps most importantly, a weekly Lesson Schedule.
We currently have a 14-lesson x 100-minute period option, and a 28-lesson x 100-minute period option. If you write up your own syllabus and would like to share with other Widgets users, please contact us at the "publisher" email address at the bottom of this page.
[2019 12/09]
ONLINE TBLT COURSE FOR TEACHERS
Widgets co-author Marcos Benevides will be leading an iTDi Advanced Skills Course for teachers who are interested in developing their expertise in task-based language teaching. The course will be held during four consecutive Sundays in March 2020: March 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd, from 13:00 to 14:00 GMT.
This course aims to clarify the definition of tasks, to outline the major principles of the approach, and to demonstrate how to select, sequence, and assess meaningful tasks by using authentic examples from the classroom. We will focus on the practical aspects of instruction, assessment, and syllabus design, and participants will leave with a clear and practical understanding of the approach.
[2019 06/13]
WIDGETS WINS THE ELTON FOR BEST COURSE OF 2019!
At a ceremony overlooking the Thames in London on June 10th, Widgets Inc. edged out four worthy finalists to be awarded the 2019 British Council ELTon for Course Innovation, the most prestigious coursebook award in the industry.
It was an outstanding achievement, given the impressive competition. Among the final five was On Task (Tokyo: Abax ELT Press), another excellent task-based book produced in Japan. The Widgets team was thrilled to be nominated, but to receive the top prize was truly an unexpected honour.
Thank you to all of the incredible staff at the British Council who produced a great event, and to the host, poet Benjamin Zephariah. The evening was also made memorable by the presence of author Michael Rosen, who presented linguist David Crystal with a lifetime achievement award.
More on the finalists and other winners here.
ABOUT WIDGETS INC.
Widgets Inc. is a business themed English communication course using a task-based approach to language learning. It is designed for classes of 12 to 40 young adult or older students who are placed into teams and must complete a series of connected projects.
Students simulate being interns at a startup company called Widgets Inc., where they brainstorm product ideas, pitch their ideas, perform market research, design ad campaigns, participate in a job interview, and more.
Widgets Inc.: A task-based course in workplace English (120 pp., A4 paperback) is available from the following distributors: englishbooks.jp . It is published by Atama-ii Books (2018) and was written by Marcos Benevides and Chris Valvona. ISBN: 9781941140000
Widgets is great for mixed-ability classes from pre-intermediate to high-intermediate.
- CEFR B1 and above: students are engaged and challenged at their own level of achievement even while working together in mixed-level teams. Task situations provide useful language and excellent incidental practice for TOEIC speaking and writing components.
- Integrated skill development: students develop fluency and confidence in speaking, listening, reading, and writing via discussions, presentations, self and team evaluations, report writing, viewing video instructions, and many more highly-contextualized tasks.
- Meaningful assessment: students are assessed primarily by task outcome in accordance with Communicative Language Teaching and TBLT principles; a secondary focus on the use of language forms is also possible.
Widgets is arranged by task complexity, not language complexity.
The course starts with easy tasks, and quickly builds to more complex projects. This puts the focus and the challenge of the course on the practical use of English, rather than on passing language tests. It also encourages students to develop fluency and confidence in using English in ‘real world’ situations.
The Widgets project sequence, in order of increasing task complexity:
- Stage 1 Interns join the company orientation
- Stage 2 Teams prepare and pitch new product proposals
- Stage 3 Teams discuss and evaluate new product proposals
- Stage 4 Teams perform market research on the selected product
- Stage 5 Teams plan and present a multimedia advertising campaign
- Stage 6 Interns prepare a resume and cover letter, and interview for a job
WIDGEPEDIA QUICK LINKS
