What’s a
Widget ?

widget /’wɪdʒət/ n [C]
1 spoken a small piece of equipment that
you do not know the name for
2 informal used to refer to an imaginary
product that a company might produce

Widgets is…
a role-play
a story
a textbook

role-play
“Widgets is the most
interesting English
textbook I've ever had”

story
“I hadn't known that
oral communication
could be very
interesting.”

textbook
“The assignments in this
class benefited me. There
were many difficult
assignments, but it made
me feel, ‘I want more!’”

• Conversations
• Discussions
• Presentations
• Debates
• Interviews
...plus more

Widgets is...
practical
authentic
motivating

Feedback
76 students, in 4 classes
with 4 different teachers
filled out anonymous surveys
after completing the course...

“Pretending to work at
Widgets was useful”
• 74% answered “YES”
• 23% were “Not Sure”
• 4% answered “NO\"

“It was a good way to
improve my English skills”
• 70% answered “YES”
• 26% were “Not Sure”
• 5% answered “NO\"

“Widgets is a good course
for Japanese students”
• 83% answered “YES”
• 17% were “Not Sure”
• Not a single student answered
“NO”

Features
Widgets is arranged according to
task complexity,
not language complexity
For this reason, it is perfect for
mixed level classes.

Other Features...
• “Water-cooler chat” warm-ups
• Project Manager system for teams
• Self, peer and teacher assessment
• Online resources for teachers
• Adaptability to different class contexts

Frequently Asked Questions
“Is Widgets a
Business English
course?”

Answer:
No. Widgets was developed with
general English classes in mind—
for instance, “Oral Communication”
college or high school courses.
However, it would be suitable for
some business English classes.

Frequently Asked Questions
“What if my students
just aren’t creative
enough?”

Answer:
Widgets has been in development
for 3 years. In that time, we’ve
trialed most of the tasks with
hundreds of students, in over a
dozen classes.
A lack of creativity has never been
an issue.

Frequently Asked Questions
“Some of these tasks seem
very complex.
What if they are too difficult
for my students ?”

Answer:
Widgets tasks are progressively
more complex. However, they also
build upon each other in a logical,
realistic way.
Even lower level students will be
able to understand what’s going on,
and will be able to participate.

Testimonials
Here’s what teachers
have said...

“I am quite excited about this book. Asian students
need more group and project work. They really do
want to be more creative, but they have few classes
to really stretch and be so.
My excitement for this book comes from knowing how
easy it would be to get my students excited about it.”
University Lecturer, Korea

“The contexts and contents are new and
interesting. It would provide students basic
and general business knowledge and
virtual working experience.
Also, it helps students get motivated and
get actively involved in the activities.”
University Professor, Japan

“It seems counter-intuitive to expect
Japanese students to use English
with each other to complete these
tasks. But not only did they use it,
they did it with enthusiasm.”
University Assistant Professor, Japan

“I haven’t seen any textbook like this in
the Taiwan ELT market although I have
been teaching for ten years. I think this
book will make a great difference in EFL
classrooms in Taiwan.”
University Professor, Taiwan