Languages
Here are few examples of my work on language-learning resources. I’ve worked on materials designed for:
Extr@ French, German and Spanish interactive DVDs
Published by Channel 4 Learning
https://shop.channel4learning.com/?page=shop&cid=25&pid=1614
Extra@, a soap opera for language learners aged 11–16, was originally broadcast on Channel 4 as part of its programming for schools. The series was broadcast in the UK in French, German and Spanish, each version with a native speaker cast. An English version was subsequently made in partnership with the Italian broadcaster RAI for the international English as a foreign language market.
The French, German and Spanish DVDs feature the complete series of 13 programmes as well as a broad range of additional features, e.g. bilingual subtitles, activities and role play scenarios in which the student can play one of the character’s parts and record their performance. My role in developing the DVDs was to write a commissioning brief for the additional features based on what could be added as far as technical possibilities and budget restrictions would allow. I was also involved in production aspects of the DVDs, such as quality assurance checks of release candidates (proofing subtitles and reporting on audio/visual glitches), and attending voice-over recordings to brief VO artists for new audio material and coaching them for retakes.
These DVDs won the 2007 Education Resource Award for Secondary ICT http://www.educationresourcesawards.co.uk
Chez Mimi
Published by Channel 4 Learning
https://shop.channel4learning.com/?page=shop&cid=11&pid=1710
https://shop.channel4learning.com/index.php?page=shop&cid=11&pid=1548
Another television series broadcast by Channel 4, aimed at 5–12-year-old pupils. It was designed to develop and enhance pupils’ knowledge of basic French structures and vocabulary. The series gave rise to a range of learning resources for different media:
My role in developing these resources included commissioning out-of-house specialists (including programmers, DVD authoring house, graphic designer, illustrator) and quality assurance work (checking proofs for paper-based resources and builds for digital resources).
English Unlimited for Spanish Speakers
Published by Cambridge University Press Iberia
http://www.cambridge.org/es/elt/catalogue/subject/project/custom/item7403204/English-Unlimited-English-Unlimited-for-Spanish-speakers/?site_locale=es_ES¤tSubjectID=382378
Available internationally as an English as a foreign language course for adult learners, this edition was adapted for the Spanish-speaking world. It was designed to focus on grammatical structures and vocabulary that are a particular challenge for Spanish speakers; for example, ‘false friends’, where similar words mean different things, such as embarazada = pregnant; ‘I’ve been doing X for + duration/since + date’ uses the present simple in Spanish instead of the present perfect. I worked as a development editor with the native Spanish-speaking author on the new material for the intermediate level of this edition for the Teacher’s Book, Student’s Book and Workbook.
Easy Learning Spanish in a Click
Published by Collins
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collins-Easy-Learning-Spanish-Click/dp/0007337426
This was one of several resources I worked on in the ‘Easy Learning’ range, which comprises self-study resources for adult learners of the popular Western European languages. ‘In a Click’ is designed to help adults in their twenties and thirties learn ‘survival language’ for a holiday in a country where the target language is spoken. The course features a printed booklet, an audio CD and online transcripts and exercises. My role combined editorial, project management, and preparing the Spanish course for localisation into other language versions. My brief was as follows:
1. Structural edit and content review of book (Spanish only).
2. Copy-edit Spanish and French book, checking and amending CD script and answer key; supply illustration brief.
3. Copy-edit CD scripts and format for recording.
4. Proofread Spanish and French book (2 rounds of proofs) and collate author’s corrections.
5. Project management: drawing up schedules; write style guide for other language editors to follow.
- children and teenagers learning a foreign language at school
- adults learning a foreign language either independently or at an adult education class
- students of English as a foreign language.
Extr@ French, German and Spanish interactive DVDs
Published by Channel 4 Learning
https://shop.channel4learning.com/?page=shop&cid=25&pid=1614
Extra@, a soap opera for language learners aged 11–16, was originally broadcast on Channel 4 as part of its programming for schools. The series was broadcast in the UK in French, German and Spanish, each version with a native speaker cast. An English version was subsequently made in partnership with the Italian broadcaster RAI for the international English as a foreign language market.
The French, German and Spanish DVDs feature the complete series of 13 programmes as well as a broad range of additional features, e.g. bilingual subtitles, activities and role play scenarios in which the student can play one of the character’s parts and record their performance. My role in developing the DVDs was to write a commissioning brief for the additional features based on what could be added as far as technical possibilities and budget restrictions would allow. I was also involved in production aspects of the DVDs, such as quality assurance checks of release candidates (proofing subtitles and reporting on audio/visual glitches), and attending voice-over recordings to brief VO artists for new audio material and coaching them for retakes.
These DVDs won the 2007 Education Resource Award for Secondary ICT http://www.educationresourcesawards.co.uk
Chez Mimi
Published by Channel 4 Learning
https://shop.channel4learning.com/?page=shop&cid=11&pid=1710
https://shop.channel4learning.com/index.php?page=shop&cid=11&pid=1548
Another television series broadcast by Channel 4, aimed at 5–12-year-old pupils. It was designed to develop and enhance pupils’ knowledge of basic French structures and vocabulary. The series gave rise to a range of learning resources for different media:
- DVD comprising all five episodes in the series.
- Interactive CD-ROM featuring clips from the series to introduce key learning points, complemented with interactive resources and printable worksheets in PDF format.
- Workbook: Mon Album à Moi, which consolidates the language learnt in the TV series but which could be used independently of it.
- Teacher’s Guide accompanying the series
- Online transcripts for all five episodes
My role in developing these resources included commissioning out-of-house specialists (including programmers, DVD authoring house, graphic designer, illustrator) and quality assurance work (checking proofs for paper-based resources and builds for digital resources).
English Unlimited for Spanish Speakers
Published by Cambridge University Press Iberia
http://www.cambridge.org/es/elt/catalogue/subject/project/custom/item7403204/English-Unlimited-English-Unlimited-for-Spanish-speakers/?site_locale=es_ES¤tSubjectID=382378
Available internationally as an English as a foreign language course for adult learners, this edition was adapted for the Spanish-speaking world. It was designed to focus on grammatical structures and vocabulary that are a particular challenge for Spanish speakers; for example, ‘false friends’, where similar words mean different things, such as embarazada = pregnant; ‘I’ve been doing X for + duration/since + date’ uses the present simple in Spanish instead of the present perfect. I worked as a development editor with the native Spanish-speaking author on the new material for the intermediate level of this edition for the Teacher’s Book, Student’s Book and Workbook.
Easy Learning Spanish in a Click
Published by Collins
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collins-Easy-Learning-Spanish-Click/dp/0007337426
This was one of several resources I worked on in the ‘Easy Learning’ range, which comprises self-study resources for adult learners of the popular Western European languages. ‘In a Click’ is designed to help adults in their twenties and thirties learn ‘survival language’ for a holiday in a country where the target language is spoken. The course features a printed booklet, an audio CD and online transcripts and exercises. My role combined editorial, project management, and preparing the Spanish course for localisation into other language versions. My brief was as follows:
1. Structural edit and content review of book (Spanish only).
2. Copy-edit Spanish and French book, checking and amending CD script and answer key; supply illustration brief.
3. Copy-edit CD scripts and format for recording.
4. Proofread Spanish and French book (2 rounds of proofs) and collate author’s corrections.
5. Project management: drawing up schedules; write style guide for other language editors to follow.
