National Geographic Learning and TED Partner to Inspire English Language Learners

TED Talks videos to be integrated into learning programs from Cengage Learning's National Geographic Learning

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Sep 30, 2014, 09:30 ET

BOSTON, Sept. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- To further engage and inspire English Language Learners, National Geographic Learning (NGL), part of global education company Cengage Learning, today announced a partnership with TED, a nonprofit organization devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks. Through the agreement, NGL will integrate TED's expansive library of TED Talks videos into three programs for English Language Learning. TED Talks are presentations filmed at flagship TED conferences and events where speakers present great ideas in 18 minutes or less, with a goal of sharing Ideas Worth Spreading, in fields such as science, technology, business, culture, art and design.

The first series to be published through this partnership is World English, second edition, a general English program for adults that features real people, places and language, and includes a wealth of National Geographic content to connect learners to the world. New to the second edition, TED Talks are incorporated to provide compelling examples that will motivate and empower learners to share ideas and spark conversations.

"TED raises the communication of ideas to an art form," said Dennis Hogan, senior vice president, executive director ELT & National Geographic programs. "Motivating content is a key to successful learning, and there are no better sources for that than TED Talks and National Geographic. We are absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to incorporate TED resources in our programs."

Alexander Broich, president of international, Cengage Learning said, "The combination of NGL's inspiring content with the world-renowned presentations of TED Talks speakers will provide an unparalleled opportunity to transform English language teaching and engage learners."

"At TED, we believe in the power of ideas to change attitudes and lives around the world. We are deeply committed to education and delighted to be working with National Geographic Learning and Cengage Learning to bring our content to classrooms worldwide," said Deron Triff, Director, Global Distribution & Licensing, TED.

National Geographic Learning offers a wide range of English Language Teaching materials that support instructors and engage students with content and digital learning tools. For more information about the various products available, please visit ngl.cengage.com. For more information and a video on the partnership with TED, please visit ngl.cengage.com/ted.

About Cengage Learning and National Geographic Learning
Cengage Learning is a leading educational content, technology, and services company for the higher education and K-12, professional and library markets worldwide. National Geographic Learning, part of Cengage Learning, is a provider of quality core and supplemental educational materials for the PreK‐12, adult education and ELT markets. Cengage Learning and National Geographic Learning distribute a variety of content from the National Geographic Society to the academic and library markets worldwide. www.cengage.com.

About TED
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California almost 30 years ago, TED has grown to support those ideas with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes on a diverse mix of topics. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The TED 2015 Conference will take place next spring in Vancouver, Canada, along with the TEDActive simulcast in neighboring Whistler. The TED Global 2014 conference is being held this year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.