After the tremendous success of the PRELIM 1 & 2 projects in 2020/2021, and 2022, we are proud to continue developing tools, techniques, and knowledge for addressing and overcoming technological barriers to education and improving teaching and learning outcomes for students.

The PRELIM 3 project marked a significant milestone in enhancing English language education in Cameroon’s Northwest Region. In partnership with the , �㽶��Ƶ worked to develop and deliver resources tailored to the unique needs of local educators.

Through this collaboration, over 125 teachers were supported with training and materials designed to improve classroom practice and engage thousands of students in new and meaningful ways.

What is PRELIM?

PRELIM (Partnered Remote Language Improvement) is an initiative funded by the and run in partnership with the and , with NILE as the managing consultants. The project aims to improve English teachers’ language competence and boost their confidence in the classroom. By connecting UK-based institutions with English Teacher Associations (ETAs) across 40 countries, PRELIM facilitates the delivery of customised training programmes that address specific local needs.

Each year, selected organisations participate in this initiative, contributing to the global effort to enhance English language education.

Between January 2023 and April 2024, PRELIM 3 brought together expertise from 25 countries to develop and distribute tailored resources that align with local educational contexts and curricula. By partnering with ETAs (English Teacher Association) and focusing on effective teaching strategies, the project supported educators in delivering more engaging and impactful lessons, contributing to the overall improvement of English language education.

Innovative Resources

The collaboration between ad �㽶��Ƶ aimed to equip over 125 teachers with resources designed to meet their specific classroom challenges.

This effort resulted in the development of a series of three books, each containing twelve 45-minute lessons focused on the themes of Global Citizenship, Critical Thinking, and English language & Digital Literacy. These resources were created to help teachers contextualise language, incorporate skills and pronunciation work, and use the materials flexibly to suit various classroom needs.

Each book, accompanied by a detailed teacher’s guide, provides step-by-step procedural guidance, suggested timings, and differentiation tips, allowing educators to adapt the lessons based on student levels and classroom dynamics. Additionally, a digital Teacher’s Support Pack was made available, offering further methodological support, classroom management strategies, and creative solutions for resource-limited settings.

Engagement and Learning

The impact of these resources on students has been transformative, with teachers reporting more interactive classrooms where students actively engage and connect more deeply with the content. One teacher shared, “These materials have helped students practice critical thinking and express their ideas more confidently.” Another educator added, “The lessons are well-designed and cover a range of topics that keep students interested and motivated.”

Teachers also noted that the resources effectively complement the national curriculum while introducing modern topics like email writing and financial literacy, which are valuable for future skill development. “It helps learners master vocabulary and use it in different contexts,” said one teacher. These materials have even been utilised in professional development sessions, showcasing their versatility and broader impact.

Sustainable Change

One of the most significant achievements of the PRELIM 3 project has been its sustainable impact. The resources and training are now integrated into the local education system, supporting ongoing development for both teachers and students. This foundation will enable continued progress in teaching and learning long after the project’s completion. As one teacher expressed, “These resources are more than just textbooks; they are tools for long-term growth in education.”

Kamila Dolejsi, Academic Director at �㽶��Ƶ, reflected on the project’s success: “This collaboration has shown the transformative power of education. The dedication of ELTS-CAMELTA and the local teachers has been inspiring. We’re proud to have been part of this journey and look forward to seeing these positive outcomes continue to grow.”

The collaboration between �㽶��Ƶ and ELTS-CAMELTA under the PRELIM 3 project has had a profound impact on education in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. By equipping teachers with the tools and training they need, the project has created lasting change that will continue to benefit students and educators for years to come.

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We are delighted to announce that �㽶��Ƶ Digital Institute has started offering a comprehensive suite of short courses skilfully designed in collaboration with industry professionals and academic experts to provide vibrant and innovative learning experiences to students looking to get ahead in their careers or studies.

With over 30 years of experience in teaching, backed by the British Council and ISI accreditation, �㽶��Ƶ Digital Institute is responding to the growing need for online-only courses by introducing an accessible and affordable way to study a range of subjects, from preparing to study abroad, teaching young learners through to web development and computer science. 

Whether learners are upskilling, reskilling, preparing for further study, or planning a change of career direction, our short courses provide a firm foundation for a successful future.��

How do short courses work?

Short courses are taught using asynchronous online learning material, which students can access via an online platform to easily fit their studies around other commitments.

In addition, students can attend synchronous ‘masterclass’ sessions where they can work alongside peers to build knowledge, skills, and confidence as part of a wider student community.

Courses available:

Discover our short courses

Endorsed by the University of Greenwich 

We are partnering with universities worldwide to endorse our short courses. As of February 2023, the University of Greenwich endorse all our web development online short courses, with more partner announcements expected throughout 2023. 

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We are delighted to announce that following the recent Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) inspection in November 2022, �㽶��Ƶ English Schools in the UK “exceed expectations overall, and the quality of curriculum, teaching and learners’ outcome achievements is excellent.”

The inspection awarded �㽶��Ƶ English Schools UK the highest grades, confirming that the quality of the curriculum, teaching and learner’s achievements are in the highest category: Excellent.��

Key findings from the inspection identified that: 

• “The quality of the curriculum, teaching and learners’ achievements is excellent.”
• “The majority of teaching is excellent. Teachers are experienced, well qualified and have excellent subject knowledge. Lessons are very well planned, with a wide range of teaching and learning methods used to deliver engaging lessons which fully involve students in their learning. As a result, student progress very well in lessons, given their starting points.”
• “Students’ welfare, including health and safety, is excellent.” 
• “The effectiveness of governance, leadership and management is excellent.” 
• “Quality assurance is excellent. Leaders and managers are highly effective in monitoring each of the school’s performance and identifying priorities for improvement.”

We are delighted that the standard and quality of education provided at �㽶��Ƶ English Schools UK has received such strong external ratification.��We are grateful for the support and commitment we receive from our teachers, our wonderful support staff, as well as parents and students and our local communities.��We remain committed to fostering a culture where students are encouraged to be exactly who they are, with the confidence to express opinions and take on new challenges.

At �㽶��Ƶ, we are committed to creating life-enhancing experiences for students worldwide. With a strong heritage in pathways and English language provision, we operate English language schools for adult and junior students in the UK, Canada and the USA, serving over 8,000 students annually. This includes 55 post-secondary, higher education language pathway partners in North America. The schools aim to support the students in gaining the highest academic achievement possible and help prepare them for future aspirations.

Read the full report here:

What is an ISI Inspection?

The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is the body approved by the Department for Education to inspect schools belonging to Independent Schools Council (ISC) and report on compliance with independent school regulations. The inspectors observe lessons, have discussions with pupils and examine samples of pupils’ work. They hold discussions with staff members and governors, monitor co-curricular activities and attend form meetings and assemblies. Inspectors consider the responses of parents, staff and pupils to a pre-inspection questionnaire and examine curriculum and other documents.

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In 2022, �㽶��Ƶ Digital Institute has gone from strength to strength. We are proud to share that last year we served over 36,000 students through our English Language Testing Division. Our flagship testing product, ELLT, became a firm favourite with number of tests taken increasing by 75% from January to November 2022.

Building on the tremendous success of the ELLT, we have continued to focus on developing meaningful innovation that offers a quality educational experience for students worldwide and in towards the end of 2022 we extended our English Language Testing range with two new products, Spotlight & ELLT Global.

What is Spotlight?

Spotlight is an entirely online English language level indicator test which enables students to assess their English language abilities from the comfort of their homes. It is a fully adaptive test that does not involve direct human proctoring, and instead, it employs AI proctoring and intelligent security features to maintain integrity.

In just 90 minutes, the test is designed to provide a quick and accurate reflection of a student’s English proficiency, as well as providing directional insights into areas for further development.

Over 90 minutes, a candidate completes 84 questions divided into 6 ‘Tracks’ that test candidate’s skills across four areas: grammar & vocabulary, reading and listening. Each track holds multiple skill-based questions which adapt in complexity based on the candidate’s performance. A candidate’s level is determined, refined, and scored across the 6 Tracks to indicate their English language proficiency accurately.

After completing Spotlight, candidates receive an instant result mapped to a CEFR score from A1 to C1 based on their overall performance.

Important Note: Spotlight is designed as a placement test and does not require a language proficiency certificate e.g., for entry into university. A candidate can do a Spotlight indicator test before conducting accredited English-level testing to refine their understanding of areas of strength and development. As such, it is not a substitute for the English Language Level Test (ELLT) and is not suitable for entry into university

Why can students do after completing Spotlight?

Depending on students’ academic goals, Spotlight can help students determine their next step toward a desired study destination. 

After completing the test and receiving their results, students may choose to enrol in our online pre-sessional English course to increase their academic English language skills to the level required by their chosen degree programme before applying to study in higher education institutions.

Alternatively, if a student is satisfied with their Spotlight results, they may choose to book our ELLT exam. After completing the ELLT and receiving their results and certificate, students can apply to their desired study programme at our partner universities.

Spotlight can be purchased directly via our 

To become an OIDI Spotlight partner, one get in touch with spotlight@oidigitalinstitute.com

What is ELLT Global?

The ELLT Global is an online modularised English language skill test covering the four essential English proficiency skills. Similar to ELLT, all parts of the test are completed via the ELLT Portal. However, the ELLT Global test is taken in an invigilated environment at an approved �㽶��Ƶ Digital Institute Test Centre, offering increased security and assurance to partners.

Each accredited OIDI Test Centre conducts the security checks and provides a test environment, with the ELLT portal and qualified ELLT examiners completing the examination.

After completing all four test steps, students receive an accurate and certified result and a certificate with proof of their English language level, enabling them to move forward and apply to university courses.

To deliver the ELLT Global to students in their home countries, we have partnered with VFS Global, a world leader in visa outsourcing and technology services with a presence in more than 3395 locations spanning 144 countries.

To date, students can book their ELLT Global at �㽶��Ƶ Pathway Colleges in London, Oxford, and Brighton centres as well as through VFS Global enabled ELLT Global testing locations in Mumbai, Dhaka, and Sylhet.

With more locations planned and greater access for candidates, we are thrilled to join VFS Global in providing students with a secure and reliable pathway to their education and supporting their international study journey.

Why can students do after completing Spotlight?

If a student is satisfied with their ELLT Global results, he may further apply to the desired study programme in universities across the UK, Europe and North America. OI Digital Institute, which administers the ELLT and ELLT Global, partners with many universities to allow students to use their ELLT certificate as proof of their language level.

Alternatively, students may choose to enrol in our online pre-sessional English course to increase their academic English language skills to the level required by their chosen degree programme before applying to study in higher education institutions.

To book the ELLT Global, students need to .

ELLT Global results are typically provided within 48 hours.

The post <strong>Introducing our new English Language Testing range</strong> appeared first on �㽶��Ƶ.

We are excited to announce that �㽶��Ƶ’s teacher training division has been selected by the , the and to be part of PRELIM 3 (the Partnered Remote Language Improvement Project).

After the tremendous success of the PRELIM 1 & 2 projects in 2020/2021, and 2022, we are proud to continue developing tools, techniques, and knowledge for addressing and overcoming technological barriers to education and improving teaching and learning outcomes for students.

The Partnership

For the PRELIM 3 project, we have partnered with the English Language and Literature Teachers’ Society Cameroon (ELTS – CAMELTA), a national body created in April 2001 whose primary goal is to improve the quality of English Language teaching and learning in Cameroon. Together, we will work on developing and delivering teacher support resources designed to be used by teachers with their learners in the region.

Unlike PRELIM 1 & 2, which ran over six months, the delivery of our PRELIM 3 project will begin in January 2023 and the finding of our investigation will be published in April 2024.

We are excited to partner with ELTS – CAMELTA and their network of teachers for PRELIM 3. This project will help us identify and deliver teaching and learning resources that will provide access, delivery, best practice, and teaching outcomes for teaching association and students.

The Project

Funded by the  and run in partnership with  and , with  as managing consultants, PRELIM funds the delivery of tailor-made training to improve the English teachers’ language competence and increasing their confidence in the classroom across 40 countries. 

Each year, select organisations are chosen to take part in the project and submit a throughout report on their findings. These findings help improve outcomes across the TESOL and online teaching industry.

Using the expertise of major English language organisations across 25 countries, we are proud to be one of the English UK member centres selected for the project.

Kamila Dolejsi, Academic Director at �㽶��Ƶ, comments:

”Working on the PRELIM projects has been incredibly rewarding experience. I believe it is a great example of how small and medium-sized businesses can make a global impact. Helping teachers in distant parts of the world achieve their potential has not only been very gratifying but it has also allowed us and our teachers, to grow professionally and personally from the experience. We are very excited to now embark on the PRELIM 3 journey and start working with English Language and Literature Teachers’ Society Cameroon. We have no doubt that the coming PRELIM will be just as inspiring and just as fun as the previous two.“

�㽶��Ƶ’s Previous PRELIM projects

PRELIM 1

In 2021, �㽶��Ƶ’s UK English Language division was selected to be part of PRELIM 1. �㽶��Ƶ partnered with the Society of Pakistan English Language Teaching (SPELT), an organisation for teachers in Pakistan with over 600 members, to pilot a language development programme with selected groups of teachers from Pakistan.

Together, we have investigated practical applications that could be later used to access remote learning in rural areas of Pakistan with limited access to bandwidth or technology to improve their communicative language. We have combined online sessions with mobile mentoring, and as a result, we have successfully increased the confidence in registered teachers and explored solutions to negate the technological barriers remote communities face to help improve teaching and learning outcomes for remote students.

The most significant improvement was in how confident the teachers felt when expressing ideas on various topics (41% increase). In terms of teaching skills there was a substantial improvement in confidence shown in setting up receptive skill activities (54 per cent increase), followed by improvement in giving feedback (38 per cent increase) and giving instructions (31 per cent increase).

The project was delivered from January to March 2021. 

The findings of our investigation were published in April 2021.

Prelim 2

Last year, between January and March 2022, �㽶��Ƶ was selected to participate in PRELIM 2.

For the PRELIM 2 project, we have partnered with LaoTESOL, to develop and deliver online teaching and best practice across Laos and the region. 

Due to the increased demand for online learning delivery that appeared after the Covid-19 pandemic, the programme focused on improving teachers’ digital skills and technology to become more confident and learn how to teach online more effectively by utilising Google Classroom & Google Meet.

As a result, the teachers benefited from the course in several ways:

• the use of online tools in Google Classroom and Google Meet
• the experience of combining asynchronous and synchronous content 
• the practicality and relevance of the content to immediate classroom use. 

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“I think my online teaching skills are improved. I can say that because I can observe my students are enjoying my class and they are enthusiastic about studying and doing homework on Google classroom” (PRELIM 2 participant, PRELIM 2 Country report – Laos, 2022).

The most significant improvement for the teachers was in confidence level. The confidence in English language use increased by 53.05%, the use of basic teaching methods increased by 56.3%, and the use of Google tools increased by 63.8%.

One trainer commented: “I am now confident about teaching via Google Meet/Classroom. It has given me a more well-rounded skillset and knowledge when it comes to online teaching platforms. I am also better able to deliver lessons which combine language teaching, teacher training and technology training.” (PRELIM 2 Country report – Laos, 2022).

The finding of our partnership and investigation were published in June 2022.

Kamila comments: “I am truly excited about the new format of the PRELIM 3 project. In the previous years, the timeline for the project delivery was at times challenging and limiting, I feel that PRELIM 3 will be different and will allow us to get to know our partner better and help colleagues in Cameroon even more effectively. �㽶��Ƶ has a long history in material development, whether it be the various editions of our Junior Syllabus, or our digital content. Our team is creative and experienced, and I feel like the new PRELIM project format has been designed for us. We cannot wait to get started.”

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