How do we create GymGlish episodes?

Zoom:

An English teacher-cum-creative writer sits down in front of a blank sheet of paper. Their mission: to write a little story that a student will receive in their GymGlish lesson.

Step 1: Conception
First, I take a look at some statistics: I compare the 'pedagogical interests' which our users are selecting (as well as any special requests we have received from customers) with the bank of episodes already available. If lots of people have told us that they want to learn Human Resources vocab and hear British accents for instance, but we don't have many stories combining these elements, then I know what to write about. I decide to write an episode with Luna DeLune (Delavigne's HR Manager) and Brian Jones (Bruno Delavigne's very British Special Assistant). After a little research into human resources news, I decide to put these two characters into a scenario involving positive discrimination, since it's a hot topic at the moment.

Step 2: Editing
Once my baby episode is written, I show it to Andrew (Content Manager) and Ben (Co-founder of GymGlish). Together, we edit the episode, paying special attention to its length, difficulty, usefulness for our users, and the plot! I then write a second draft, which is slightly shorter, clearer, and has lost a rather risqué joke which I put in the first draft.

Step 3: The studio
The GymGlish Content Team heads to a Paris recording studio once a month, to record the latest episodes we've written. We meet up with the actors needed for the scripts, and, after a big breakfast of croissants and too much coffee, we start recording. There are a few last minute changes to the scripts (for example if our Mexican actress can't pronounce the word 'crisps' clearly). Once we're happy with the recordings, we give the sound engineer (Laurent ) some instructions about the effects needed for each scene (elevator music, the sound of a photocopier, etc.).

Step 4: The episode is growing
Once I've received the finished audio file, and have checked that the sound effects are what we wanted, it's time to create an xml file for my baby episode. This is done with an XML editor, with which I have a love-hate relationship. I enter the script, as well as other data such as how difficult the episode is, the 'pedagogical interests' covered in the story, and a nice picture to display alongside it.

Step 5: Question time!
Now it's time to write a few questions based on my episode. I go through the story in detail, and write questions on:
- Difficult terms
- Interesting expressions
- The action of the story: has my student really understood what's happening?
- Related terms which might not appear in my story but which could be useful for someone interested in this subject.
I write a couple of multiple choice questions, some 'fill in the blanks' exercises, and a sort of mini-dictation which should check that my students know how to spell some key terms.
Finally, I proofread the translations of new words done by our freelance French translators.

Step 5: An episode is born!
The GymGlish Technical Team acts as midwife for my baby episode. They 'publish' the story, the questions, the audio file, and the new vocabulary modules needed to translate the episode. First, the new episode is sent to a group of GymGlish employees and their friends. They let us know if there are any typos or technical glitches. After this, my episode is available to all GymGlish users. Those whose 'pedagogical interests' include 'HR' and 'British accent' are likely to receive my little story in a lesson very soon!

Step 6: Raising a well-adjusted episode
My episode is now alive and kicking, but that doesn't mean I'm just going to abandon it. Throughout its life, I will receive comments and suggestions about it from members of the team as well as GymGlish users. As time goes by, I will also be able to check up on the kind of answers our students are giving to the questions, which lets me know if a question is too hard or too easy. I take these into account when reviewing my little one. My aim is to create a well-adjusted, mature episode which anyone would be happy to receive as part of a lesson!