Welcome to Issue 38!
First of all, I am delighted to welcome to you to the October 2015 edition of the IH Journal! This is the new team’s first edition of the Journal together and it’s been a good experience working out our procedures. There have been some behind the scenes changes from previous editions. One of the principle differences that the majority of articles submitted now go through an editing process, based on feedback on content, style, etc., and are then revised accordingly. The reasons for this are twofold: firstly, I hope this helps newer writers develop their style and ideas and, secondly, an objective outside voice is often helpful in providing constructive criticism, even for seasoned contributors – it certainly is for me! We hope to encourage new writers to submit their work and everyone contributing to the IH Journal to view it as a space to help with their professional development as an ELT writer, something the new writing guidelines might help with too.
To turn more specifically to this edition, it certainly reflects the diversity of the International House Network. We have a number of writers from different IH schools covering a range of different aspects of ELT, from management, teacher development and Younger Learners to reviewing recent books and courses and focusing on issues in Modern Languages. We’ve maintained the original ethos, that the journal should be by teachers for teachers, and this edition very much reflects that too. The largest section is Classroom Ideas, with six articles from seven different writers in four different countries. The technology section continues to grow with three articles. We are also looking to increase the number of articles focusing on Younger Learners. Please do contact us if you are interested in contributing or spread the word among YL enthusiasts in your school.
Many thanks once again to everyone who took the time to complete last year’s survey. As a result of that feedback, we’ll be making some changes. We aim to expand the number of editions we publish, so keep an eye out for a call for papers in early 2016. The Journal will also celebrate its 20th anniversary next year and we’re already busy preparing a special edition looking back at some of our history. We’ve also created a new IH Journal blog, the aim of which is to keep the conversation going between published editions of the Journal. We’ll be posting lesson ideas, opinion pieces and sharing news about IH on the site. The first post is up already and comes with a free downloadable lesson plan to get the ball rolling. We’ll aim to publish something every month, with those interested in contributing encouraged to get in touch.
Finally, I would like to take the opportunity to thank Alison Sturrock, IHWO’s Communications and Digital Contents Officer, for her hard work in putting the final pieces of this edition’s jigsaw together and for her support along the way. I’d also like to thank Lucy Horsefield for the opportunity to act as Editor and for her initial support and guidance as we got started. To all the contributors – without whom there would be no Journal – my heartfelt thanks for your time and commitment during this transition and, last but by no means least, the same thanks are extended to you, the readers too.
I hope you enjoy this edition of the IH Journal and happy reading!
Chris Ożóg
IH Journal Editor
Author’s Bio: Chris Ożóg is a teacher, writer and teacher trainer currently working primarily on Delta and CELTA courses. His teaching and training work has taken him all over the globe, from Costa Rica through Dubai to Japan and Thailand, amongst other places, and he very much enjoys (almost!) every minute of it. He’s been involved with International House for the last seven years, be that as a teacher, trainer, course writer, conference presenter or tutor on online courses, and has been a permanent member of staff in four IH schools. This is the first edition of the IH Journal that Chris has edited and he looks forward to many more in the coming years.