Job Discussion Forums

FoxandMe · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 62

Wondering what TEFL books people have to recommend... I'm looking for something more narrative and less of a workbook, as I've got the second covered. Suggestions?

Helpful websites (other than Dave's, of course) would be welcome too...

grahamcito · Joined: 11 Sep 2004 Posts: 90 Location: Guadalajara

You can't go too far wrong with Learning Teaching (Jim Scrivener, Heinemann Macmillan) - it's a very up-to-date and fairly comprehensive book, though it includes 'workbook' aspects. A new edition has just been published.

A Course in Language Teaching (Penny Ur, Cambridge) is also very good, very rigorous and more theoretical - though a bit dull.

Haven't seen it, but The Practice of ELT (Jeremy Harmer, Longman) is also meant to be good.

MELEE · Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:43 pm Post subject:

I highly recommend The English Verb by Micheal Lewis. While there is little in it about teaching, nothing has changed my teaching more than that little book. I think everyone who works in this field should read it!

Cdaniels

This is out of left field, but I recently read "God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible" and liked it quite a bit.
I've also learned an interesting trick from someone who is a lot more religious than me. Check out a single passage from the Bible, and look at various translations. It's also pretty easy to do with time spent at a library without spending any money, and you can learn a lot about how a foreign language can be translated many different ways.
I also intend to read some popular works about the history of English.
First on my list is "The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way."
If its written well, History can give one a sense of context and background while being entertaining. Smile

snorklequeen

Last night, i tried to order the new edition on Amazon.com, and it doesn't list a price, and you have to order it as an out-of-print book; guess it's referring to the older edition

maybe some other websites have it; i'm going to wait a month or so and try again to find the newest edition

i did find a few copies listed on bookfinder4u.com, but i was concerned that those might be the older edition

Queenie

Sad

absolutaaron · Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 8 Location: D.F.

I too had been searching all over for this text. However, I recently found the new edition on the Macmillan website � had to order through the UK. It is about $30 USD.

http://www.macmillanenglish.com/DEFAULT.aspx?id=406

Best,
A.

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

Learning Teaching is a more thought-provoking and interesting read than The Practice of ELT (I believe there is a more recent Harmer with a similar title) although the latter contains more directly usable lesson ideas.

I haven't come across A Course in Language Teaching but often use Five-Minute Activities (Penny Ur and Andrew Wright, Cambridge) as a sourcebook for, well, as a sourcebook for five-minute activities in the main...

Cdaniels

I ordered Learning Teaching at www.amazon.co.uk It simply does not seem to be sold in the US! Evil or Very Mad

snorklequeen · Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:18 pm Post subject: Learning Teaching

thanks for the good info, guys! Very Happy

cheers,

Queenie

FoxandMe · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 62

hey CDaniels and others, how much have you all paid for Learning Teaching by Scrivener. Cdaniels, you said you paid $30 through amazon.uk. I was about to do the same, but add to that the price of airmail to the usa and it's about $75! I too cannot turn up a copy that's not in either England, Honk Kong, or India. Those of you who bought it, how much did you end up paying?

I have checked out several bookstores, and I find the TEFL selection absolutely terrible. In fact, practically non-existent. Harmer's books are out of print and unavailable for ordering. The only books are ESL, primarily for the students and not teachers. I just didn't expect it to be so difficult to get my hands on some TEFL books. Geez.

cwc · Joined: 16 Nov 2005 Posts: 372

There are a lot of things that appear easy until one tries. Geez. Welcome to the real world. You are still in a known enviroment. Wait until the real suffering starts.

Cdaniels · Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 3:16 am Post subject: Amazon from UK

$75?
I paid :Item(s) Subtotal: �16.95
Postage & Packing: �6.98
I think Amazon might have better shipping rates than your average delivery service. I've shipped a book overseas a while ago for only about $11 though (I seem to remember)
Confused

Are you looking at express shipping? Confused

FoxandMe · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 62

No, I was only looking at standard shipping. I found one seller in the USA listed on the amazon uk site, and shipping through him was only 7 pounds or so. All others coming from England were 20. But the one works for me. Thanks.

grahamcito · Joined: 11 Sep 2004 Posts: 90 Location: Guadalajara

Try abebooks.com for second-hand copies (check with the seller that they haven't been scribbled in). You won't get the second edition that way, but then the first edition is pretty darn good.

absolutaaron · Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 8 Location: D.F.

This is the confirmation they sent me:

Thank you for ordering from Macmillan English
(www.macmillanenglish.com)
You have ordered:
Learning Teaching 1-405-01399-0 � 17.50 (17.50 UK Pounds) Quantity: 1
The total cost is: � 21.50 (21.50 UK Pounds)

Please allow 10-14 working days* for delivery. Please note times can vary according to the delivery destination, especially for overseas delivery.

about $38 USD - and this was for standard delivery.

Good luck - A.