Job Discussion Forums

Tigerstyleone · Joined: 26 Mar 2010 Posts: 181

In the past year I've taught:

Let's Go
English Time
Super Kids
Boost
Backpack
Exploring English

I like Exploring English the most.

What about you?

xiguagua · Joined: 09 Oct 2011 Posts: 768

I was teaching the Contemporary English books 1 and 2 for Freshman, 3 and 4 for sophomores. this year they changed to a new book called Inside Out which is complete garbage and I haven't touched it all term. The old book was fine and I could use that book plenty, but this new book gives me absolutely nothing to work with. It's just pitiful.

Opiate · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 630 Location: Qingdao

For the kids I teach Primary Colors.

luckylibrarian · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:00 pm Post subject:

I use Spectrum Grade 4 and Lets Go 3,5.

Shroob · Joined: 02 Aug 2010 Posts: 1339

Beyond1984 · Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 462

"what books do you teach?" -Tigerstyleone

When teaching business students, I try to include Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman." Miller came to Beijing at the invitation of the government to stage a Chinese production of this attack on American-style cut-throat capitalism. Twisted Evil

Students also enjoy Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, an attack on the bankers who exacerbated the suffering of down-and-out farming families who lost their dust-bowl lands to foreclosure during the 30's. Shocked

-HDT

Old Surrender · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:55 pm Post subject:

I made my youngins a while back read Judy Blume's Fudge-A-Mania. It was cute.

xiguagua · Joined: 09 Oct 2011 Posts: 768

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Go For It!
New Concept English
Junior English for China
Family Album, U.S.A.

wangdaning · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3154

In the past, I have used "Inside Out" and agree it is fairly useless. It is confusing most of the time. The only way to tell what the author actually thought about while writing it is to look at the teacher's book. Even then, it comes across as dry.

Shroob · Joined: 02 Aug 2010 Posts: 1339

GHammer · Joined: 25 Dec 2009 Posts: 37 Location: Guangdong, China

In the two years I've been teaching in China, I've used:

New Concepts
Challenge to Speak
PASS Cambridge (EAP)
Passages
New Interchange
World Link
Global Links (Business English)
Oxford English
Edexcel AS English Language (EAP)
and the IGCSE textbooks (EAP)

I liked "Passages" the least, and my students seemed to like "New Concepts" the best -- because it breaks the subject up into individual, smaller, topical lessons.

Personally, I liked PASS Cambridge, New Concepts, Edexcel (for more advanced students) and Oxford English, World Link and Challenge to Speak (for lower level students). New Interchange and Passages are very similar. I enjoyed teaching World Link and use it as a "general" textbook (although I know teachers who hate it).

To me, it all depends on the class, the student level, and WHAT you're attempting to teach. Any lesson can be modified to be made more inclusive and just about any textbook will have sections that are instructive and useful.

Kiwi303 · Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:13 am Post subject:

For the first years I have "NEW Essential College English 1"
For the second years I have "NEW Essential College English 2"

I can usually turn the Cultural Notes sort boxes into 45 minute discussions on divergent (East vs West) cultural/traditions/habits differences, Given I have a 2 academic hour class, made of 2x 45 minute periods with a 10 minute break in the middle, that is half the class gone before we start doing the book exercises, which can break down into even more discussions.

Mind you there is the occasional bad grammar or mis-spelling to be found here and there, like Toyce for Joyce, and other malapropisms, but overall, it's decent.

The second years also have "Challenge to Speak 2", but I haven't been issued that to use or grabbed photostat of one of the students books.

Opiate · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 630 Location: Qingdao

I despise New Interchange. I'd rather get kicked in the balls then teach that book.....but I like money so...kick away.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Even if you think books are crap don�t openly criticise to students. Someone�s face or guangxi is at stake and word will travel.
Also as someone has said the kids (or parents) have shelled out and may have an �investment� for that reason.
If you get negative feedback from students, or just hate the text yourself, use the book less and less. Kids won�t notice if what you substitute is better.
Most of the Chinese-sourced books are of poor standard.
Of the foreign ones I�ve used New Interchange is my pet hate.
In Oral English classes we want to have students speak or recite not look at pretty pictures. The dialogues are simply not long enough to get the students speaking and gaining confidence as they go along.
Also, (sorry my US colleagues) phrases like �My name is Charles, but you can call me Chuck� (New Interchange red edition) is so US biased as to be positively annoying to a non USAer.