Job Discussion Forums

[bje]

Later this year myself and colleagues may put up a website of integrated skills and exam practice materials we�ve written for Gulf students, and have been using in our classes.

If you�d like to offer input into the types of materials you have most need of (for example exam practice for IELTS/PET etc.), suggestions most welcome. We�ll be writing a lot more stuff for the upcoming academic year. It�s time to say goodbye to coursebooks!

[scot47]

Just as the computer was going to lead to the paperless office ! Ha!

[fweewodewick]

Thanks to the computer, I said goodbye to course books and exam practice books a while ago. BJE's idea is just what the Gulf needs (and other parts of the world for that matter). The major publishers have been churning out the same texts and ideas, albeit with different trendy book names, for the past two decades. What they have failed to understand is that people in different regions have different interests and needs. The PET and IELTS are laughable, with their perpetual advertising of English castles and Italian operas. This falls way outside the lives of Gulf students. If BJE and his/her pals can put online materials that would get students interested (i.e. something that isn't about living with your boyfriend who is a drug addict and has bacon for breakfast every morning), all power to them.

I can't help feeling course books will disappear, along with vinyl records and CDs. The world is changing and institutions and regions will soon start understanding their students need relevant materials. I expect scot47 will still be clinging for dear life to his/her 1979 edition of Streamline or Side by Side.

[007]

I entirely agree, as they say, we are in the Digital age; everything is affected by the internet.

[veiledsentiments]

I didn't need the internet to get rid of coursebooks. The copy machine and word processor worked very well to achieve freedom from inappropriate materials.

Of course it did necessitate my dragging two big boxes of materials from country to country.

VS

[Cleopatra]

I agree that independence from silly coursebooks did not start with the advent of the internet, but said internet has made it a whole lot easier and more interesting. I find that, with a good internet connection, adequate printing/copying facilities and an in-class projector, there is never any need for a coursebook. Then again, I'm a pretty experienced teacher and teach relatively high levels - beginners (both teachers and students) may want the reassurance and structure of a coursebook at least some of the time, lousy though most of those books are.

I'm often surprised that one of the big EFL publishing companies hasn't yet got round to making a special edition of their books for the Middle East, given that it is quite a large market, and also that there are so many obvious taboos here. I'm sure most of us has had many an awkward experience in the classroom, deciding whether or not to skip the dialogues about 'dating', or the role plays about ordering two glasses of red wine. And let's not even get into the pics of women in shorts. I do think that these days, most Gulf students are not going to be exactly shocked or scandalised by such stuff - after all, even here in KSA, these books are on sale openly - it's just that it can be awkward and the topics are simply not relevant to the life of your average Saudi or Kuwaiti. Or to many other people the world over, come to think of it. Headway et al may be great for 17 year old Italian kids doing summer school in London, but are of little relevance or interest to just about anyone else.

[bje]

[Cleopatra]

[bje]