Job Discussion Forums

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

For high school and junior high school teachers only:

If you have a textbook that you feel really works well to help teach students the grammar and other skills necessary to tackle the college entrance exams, I'd like to know its title. My school is having a rough time with this topic.

Also, if you have any tips on how you conduct the class with such a book, that info would be welcome.

I am mainly interested in anything for first and second year HS classes.

Eleckid · Joined: 03 Jun 2004 Posts: 102 Location: Aichi, Japan

The True Stories (beginner or advanced level) is pretty good for tackling the junior high students at my school for their eiken test (it practices reading comprehension & vocabs). Otherwise the Key (something..forgot) textbooks the kids use in highschool is also good for grammar skills.

Sorry that I can't help much. Sad

David W · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 457 Location: Japan

Write it yourself Glenski, god knows the market is crying out for it. You have enough experience.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

David,
That's not the point of my question. Do you have an answer or not?

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Glenski,

Geez, the man is complimenting you Shocked

For Senior One-

The Unicorn series of writing textbooks and support materials are awesome, but the value of the materials lies in the presentation. I don't do the dirty work - that's up to my Japanese colleagues to do the presentation and apply the activities. I do listening and speaking using the language functions presented in each lesson unit.

To follow up each lesson unit, the students keep a writing journal. They're expected to use the target language in their journal entries.

For Senior Two Returnee

There is a wealth of good textbooks out there. Check out the offerings from Cambridge.

I use Grammar in Use, Vocabulary in Use in my classrooms. Both books need some presentation (I rarely spend more than 15 minutes on it) and I assign each unit for homework.

In a following lesson, I give them quizzes and require them to write a paragraph in which they must use the target vocabulary and grammar. Of course, I manipulate the topic of the paragraph so that the students have a context in which to use the target structure/vocabulary.

We get the catalogs regularly at my school. Here's the url so you can get them http://uk.cambridge.org/elt/catalogue/

At the senior level, much of our writing lesson material comes from Writing Academic English
http://eltcatalogue.pearsoned-ema.com/course.asp?productid=20000000006095

Here's another forum, hosted by Jeremy Harmer, that is really valuable
http://www.eltforum.com/

It's subscription-based, but well worth the effort and yen.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Umm... This is not a comprehensive textbook here or anything, but I frequently supplement my regular lessons with Talk-a-Lot Junior Senior (By David Martin/EFL Press).

It's a nice book because the students get to use the concepts that they normally learn in their books and get additional practice. It was designed specifically for HS OC classes but I use them with Jr. High kids too, with students as young as 2nensei. Some activities need to be modified but overall it's a useful book.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

So far, 120 people have read this here, and 4 others on another page, plus 9 people on one other web site, and 27 on another site.

Only 3 people out of 160 have responded with any book titles!!!!

What is the problem, people? Nothing works? Is that what you are trying to tell me? Or are you just too busy to post? I'll give this little survey a few more days before I update it just to keep the message active, but I'm pretty disappointed. (not surprised, though)

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Sorry Glenski,

I wanted to post an answer but I don't teach grammar. I teach Oral Communication and I am currently using Expressways. I'm also a fan of 50/50 and Talk-a-Lot.

Am I off the hook?

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

Perhaps people haven't posted because they are like me and don't have a good recommendation.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Glenski.. You may well already know this, but the ETJ Book Expo has its travelling road show coming to Hokkaido (Sapporo) on Nov. 7th. http://www.eltnews.com/ETJ/events/expos.shtml

I'd imagine that might be a good place to flip through sample books from the exhibitor booths and find some good stuff. I'm travelling to Tokyo for that exact reason next weekend, as I'm always needing more good materials to try with my students.

JD

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Me too, Jim! I guess we'll see you there. I'll be the one...

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Jim,
Yes, I know all about it. I was hoping to go, and perhaps take along a few of my HS colleagues, despite our horribly busy schedules, even on weekends. We'll see.

However, I'm still looking for recommdations before I start leafing through thousands of books at the Expo. Either people don't care to answer, or they have nothing to answer with.

buffy · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 57

Check out 'The Good Grammar Book' by Oxford. My students get the book in chu2 and use until they graduate from hs. It is great for supplementing and reinforcing grammar targets.
As for OC classes I use English Firsthand Gold 2 (Longman) for Ko1 and Springboard 2 (Oxford) for Ko 2 and 3.
Good luck finding something good at the book fair.

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

If I were alowed to teach the regular English program four times a week at our school, I'd choose

For Junior Three
American Headway, John and Liz Soars
Cutting Edge Pre-Intermediate, Sarah Cunningham and Peter Moor
Progress (who writes this? Japanese publisher?)

For Senior One
Grammar in Use, Raymond Murphy

David W · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 457 Location: Japan