European Award for Languages, 2006

This time last year I was filling in my lengthy application form for the European Award for Languages. All I can say to my language teaching readers - foreign language and ESL - is that if you run a project in the UK using technology (or not) that is innovative and replicable then get yourself over the CILT site and register.

We won last year and it made such a difference to morale, both in the kids and in the teachers. It brings a real sense of worth to the work you do when often, in the early stages of something new, many cast it off as an 'interesting trial' or 'curious' project (they never think it's worth anything educationally).

Running blogs and podcasts, for myself and for kids, was probably one of the main reasons I got my current job and will probably be the main reason for me getting my next one, too. OK, it's not that simple perhaps, but maybe your project is more innovative than you think...