World Para Powerlifting has been announced as one of the finalists of the British Council ELTons Awards in the Innovation in Learner Resources category.
The “Para Powerlifting English Competency Course” made it to the final shortlist in contention with more than 180 entries from 50 countries worldwide.
The ELTons Awards, organised by the British Council, take place for the 19th time this year. They are a chance to celebrate the innovative ways to learn and teach English.
The winner of the ELTons Awards will be announced at the ceremony to be held online on 4 October. If the COVID-19 pandemic circumstances allow, there might be a smaller hybrid event held in Central London.
Following the nominations, a jury will review all shortlisted entries one more time and make the final decision.
The World Para Powerlifting English Competency Course is a seven-week online programme for the Para powerlifting community. It is targeted mainly at athletes, coaches, and referees from non-native English-speaking countries.
The goal of the course is to improve their language skills through modern active and interactive learning methods.
Since English is the official language of the sport, the course was aimed at improving the professional vocabulary of the participants, as well as the comprehension of the rules and meetings.
The pilot course was held through January and February this year featuring 13 participants from nine countries. The second edition of the course is currently underway with 45 participants from 22 countries.
“The course serves as a step towards the further socialization and inclusion of retired athletes with a disability from around the world to continue to gain skills and stay involved in the sport as coaches and referees,” said Ekaterina Lisova, a World Para powerlifting Level 2 Technical Official and Educator who was responsible for the idea and implementation of the course.
“After completing the course, participants feel more competitive, effective, and confident in their profession”, added Lisova.
The course can be accessed for learning on demand from a computer or mobile device with or without an active internet connection across the world.
“We are happy to continue to provide stakeholders professional development opportunities to learn, improve, and grow in Para powerlifting and in life. To be nominated for this award is an honour and testament to the strength of our community, who is always willing to take part in new initiatives, and our educators like Ekaterina, who are dedicated and passionate to grow the sport in all areas,” said Dillon Richardson, World Para Powerlifting's Performance and Development Manager.
More information about the ELTons Awards can be found on the British Council page https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/news-events/eltons-innovation-awards/eltons-2021.