What happens when you hand the pen to experienced language trainers and ask them to shape the future of inlingua’s coursebooks?
With our NextGeneration Materials, that’s exactly what we set out to explore. The challenge was to update and modernise the trusted inlingua Method, keeping its strengths, but adding fresh, relevant features that meet the needs of today’s learners and trainers (The New inlingua Method – inlingua).
And we had the perfect solution: Bring together a team of passionate inlingua trainers and Directors of Studies with decades of classroom experience, a deep understanding of learners’ needs, and a shared vision for what meaningful and communicative language learning at inlingua should look like.
The result is more than just a book, it’s the product of international collaboration, creativity, and a genuine commitment to quality. This blog post is dedicated to our wonderful authors with whom we spoke to learn what it was like to be part of the creative NextGen working group: the surprises, the proudest moments, and what it really means to co-create teaching materials from the inside out.
Here’s what they had to say:
What was the most rewarding part of the project for you personally?
“Creating a new method and seeing the lessons come to life in a way that felt fresh, relevant, and effective for today’s learners.”
“Enhancing the time-tested and effective inlingua Method with thoughtfully chosen modern features – while preserving its original strength – was especially motivating for me.”
“Professionally, it pushed me to up my game. I was surrounded by people I could learn from. Personally, I had the chance to meet a genuinely nice bunch of people.”
It’s motivating when you realise you’re not just teaching English – you’re building something that connects people globally. That kind of impact stays with you.
Mary-Majella Willman-Long, inlingua Bonn
Can you share a moment that made you laugh, surprised you, or taught you something new?
“Our interview with David Aguilar was amazing. He was funny and down-to-earth. His story shifted how I think about resilience and how to present real-life stories in ESL. It taught us how to communicate complex ideas in simple, engaging ways.”
“Along the way, I gained a deep appreciation for the complexity of updating both the inlingua Method and our materials, an ambitious task that requires strategic thinking, attention to detail, and a real understanding of learner needs.”
“I laughed many times, but the most surprising thing for me was the feeling I had during the first meeting in Bern, the first time I met everybody. It felt like home after 10 minutes. I was not expecting that and it was remarkable for me.”
“We had many fun moments in the group, ranging from quick banter between Julia and Nick to telling funny stories from our classrooms.”
The five minutes before each meeting – filled with positive energy, motivation, and spontaneous laughter – quickly became one of my favorite parts of the project. They set a tone of trust and collaboration that carried through our work.
Michael Langhans, inlingua München
Which part of the new book are you especially proud of?
“I’d say the QR codes and integration with my.Lab. It’s the perfect hybrid for modern language teaching.”
“I am really proud to be part of the whole book, to have a little legacy out there that addresses my passion in teaching at inlingua over the last 28 years.”
“The D-I-C-E-S structure stands out for me – especially the Evaluate and Solidify stages. They help learners recognise what they’ve achieved and use their knowledge in meaningful ways.”
The unit based on David Aguilar’s story. It was more challenging to write than the others because we wanted to handle a powerful personal story with sensitivity, while still making it accessible and engaging for learners.
Chiara Vitali, inlingua Verona
What makes the NextGeneration Materials stand out?
“They’re designed with real learners in mind, combining real-world communication, relevant topics, and practical skills in a way that feels natural.”
“These materials promote authentic communication. They’re learner-friendly, culturally insightful, full of visual elements and interactive tasks. It’s not just about text on a page.”
“They offer flexibility, in-person, online, hybrid, one-to-one, group work, it all works. They’re designed to show visible progress, with scaffolding that helps learners succeed early and often.”
“What makes them stand out is the blend: strong methodology, adaptable formats, and tools like the AI Authoring Tool that empower schools to create their own content.”
These materials have been developed by inlingua people for inlingua people, and that makes them stand out.
David Montañes, inlingua Castellón
If you had to describe the collaboration between authors in three words, what would they be?
“Supportive. Inspiring. Dynamic.”
“Sincere. Constructive. Ego-free.”
“Respectful, because every voice in the group was valued and listened to. Creative, because we constantly inspired each other to find fresh, learner-centred solutions. And energising, because every meeting left me with new ideas and the motivation to keep going—even when the work was complex.”
“Sharing. Developing. Growing. It felt like we were applying the DICES approach to our teamwork too.”
It doesn’t stop here!
inlingua English B1.1 is only the beginning. More levels are on the way – and more voices from our network will continue to shape the future of how we teach and learn with inlingua.
A huge thank-you to our contributors:
Chiara Vitali, David Montañes, Luise Ricci, Majella Willman-Long, Michael Langhans, and Nicholas McDonald, and to all those across the inlingua network who continue to innovate, collaborate, and care deeply about quality education.
Stay tuned, there’s much more to come!