On 20th January 2009, our one-stop-shop for English language teachers – TeachingEnglish – Your Global Home – was highly commended in the 'Excellence in Learning & Skills’ category of the E-government National Awards 2008. Out of 588 nominations, TeachingEnglish was among the 68 finalists considered this year's 'best of the best' in UK public sector ICT & e-Government because of the way it has transformed opportunities for learning and skills development through the use of technology.

Kevan Cummins, Online Learning Manager, had the main responsibility for redeveloping TeachingEnglish and says about the award: ‘It’s a great opportunity for the British Council to win this award, and I think it recognises the importance of using interactive and multimedia material such as videos, blogs, podcasts, discussion forums and polls in today’s teacher development. The award also acknowledges the support TeachingEnglish – Your Global Home offers for the professional development of teachers around the world. In the online discussion groups teachers of English all round the world share ideas and experiences, often discovering that they face similar challenges no matter what their social, economic and geo-cultural circumstances are. The teachers use the British Council materials available on the site to teach both students in the UK and overseas, making use of the British Council's unique experience in teaching across cultures.’