At the Frankfurt Book Fair on 12 October 2011, the best learning material in Europe was recognised. The primary school category was won by the Czech environmental education material PRVOUKA2, while WSOYpro's Yippee series (English instruction) received the silver medal, and third place went to A Grande Aventura (maths) from Portugal.
YIPPEE! has been selected as Europe's second-best learning material for grades 1 to 6 for how it successfully combines the best of printed and digital material.
What were the jury’s comments for YIPPEE?
Illustrations are used as the initial learning tool and as the children develop their vocabulary, more text is added.
There are plenty of songs, rhymes and games which are appropriate for the age range so children can learn by play
Tasks are differentiated and there are activities to challenge faster students. There is also material for pupils with learning difficulties. Web-based materials are also available.
The illustrations are user-friendly and attractive, in a cartoon style (although that style may not always be appropriate for the older range of readers)
How the learning materials were evaluated?
The work of the jury is based upon eight general principles of quality and their relationship to the learning and teaching process. The evaluation of the titles is carried out on the basis of the following principles and sub-principles:
1. Relevance
2. Transparency
3. Reliability
4. Attractiveness
5. Flexibility
6. Generativeness
7. Participation
8. Socialisation
What makes YIPPEE! so special?
The Yippee! textbook, with its natural language, relevant subject matter, illustrated glossary, essential phrases and suitable text lengths, effectively supports English language learning. The chapters take account of all kinds of students, from those who need extra help to those looking for more challenging material.
The Yippee! workbook's diverse collection of exercises practice all language skill areas and offer exercises for all skill levels. The Reminder section at the end of each part always revises the main learning targets.
The digital teaching material adds a new dimension to teaching and learning. In a single easy-to-use package, it includes everything needed for teaching English: the textbook's texts, images and answer keys, as well as songs and other audio materials. The digital material also includes a wealth of interactive activities and teaching animations. The digital material gives teachers more time to work with who matters most – the students!
Student’s online exercises is a wide-ranging package of interactive activities for the computer. Students can complete the exercises in the classroom or at home on their computer, tablet device or mobile phone. All the exercises can be corrected and the student receives feedback on his or her effort. At the end of each section there is a test covering the most important skills learned, and the results can be printed when necessary.
eYippee! tailorable tests is a new kind of tool that allows the teacher to modify the tests as needed, with both easier and more challenging exercises available. In WSOYpro's digital Workshop, teachers can find a range of material to support their preparations: teacher's guides, classroom supplements, student recordings, answer keys and basic tests.
For more information, please contact Heikki Karjalainen, Development Manager, WSOYpro
The Best European Schoolbook Award to the best and highest value school textbooks is awarded yearly by The Frankfurt Book Fair, the International Association for Research on Textbooks and Educational Media (IARTEM), and die European Educational Publishers' Group (EEPG).
About WSOYpro
WSOYpro is the leading provider of learning and competence development solutions in Finland. We provide solutions, content and tools for lifelong competence development; from preliminary education to business life, from pre-schooler to managing director. WSOYpro employs 200 dedicated professionals. WSOYpro is part of Sanoma Learning.