Я думаю, можно смело начинать гордиться тем, кто изучает английский язык именно по этому учебнику.

Headway authors awarded MBEs

Liz and John Soars, authors of Headway, the world-famous English language course published by Oxford University Press, received MBEs from the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The awards recognize the enormous contribution Liz and John have made to the learning and teaching of English over the last twenty-five years. 

It is now estimated that more than 100 million students in secondary schools, tertiary, and teacher training institutions in 127 different countries have learned English using the course. Dr John Hood, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, observed: “One cannot help but be struck by the authors’ commitment to their work, which has been of such high value for teachers, learners, and for the reputation of both Oxford University Press, the University which it represents, and for our nation.” 

The news came as a surprise to the husband-and-wife writing team, who said: “We are delighted and thrilled thatHeadway has been recognized in this way. We know how much teachers and students enjoy using our materials, but to have our work endorsed with a national award is an unexpected and very special honour.” 

Headway was first published in 1986 as a two-level course and was an immediate success. Its integrated syllabus, explicit grammar rules, and user-friendliness made it innovative yet practical, working equally well in the hands of both experienced and novice teachers. Judith King, Publishing Manager for Headway at Oxford University Press, commented: “It’s easy to forget how ground-breaking Headway was when it was first published twenty-five years ago. Its core values are now prerequisites for any English language course, and Headway has become the gold standard for the teaching of English as a foreign language.” 

Now in its fourth edition, Headway’s global popularity is such that it has maintained high levels of sales for two and a half decades, with 70 million copies sold. It has grown to provide hundreds of components including audio, video, and more recently, digital materials, as well as numerous country-specific versions. John Walsh, Managing Director of the Bournemouth English Book Centre reports: “There has always been a Headway title in the Top Twenty list of best-selling coursebooks.” Headway’s success has not only enabled students to learn English successfully and with enjoyment, but has also allowed many teachers to hone their teaching skills with the help of Headway’s teacher support materials. Supporting and training teachers has been central to Liz and John’s work, and in 2004 they established the Headwayscholarship. This enables teachers, every year selected from a different region, to attend a teacher training course in Oxford – something which they have all found to be a rich and rewarding experience. Peter Marshall, Managing Director of the English Language Teaching Division at Oxford University Press sums up Liz and John Soars’ life work: “Headway is of enormous importance to Oxford University Press and to the English language teaching community. We are indebted to John and Liz for the enthusiasm, passion and hard work they bring to their writing, and I am delighted that their achievements have been recognized in this way.”