Job Discussion Forums

[basiltherat]

What are the supplementary materials/books used most often by you and other instructors in your institute or place of work in addition to the prescribed textbook that trainees/students are issued with.
I would imagine that the following rate pretty highly:

1. Grammar In Use
2. Vocabulary In Use
3. Let's Talk

Any others ?

Also, are there any that you don't have access to, but wish you had ?

Just interested
regards
basil

[dajiang]

I've used 'Vocab in use' for some things,
but I find stuff from the Internet by far the best resource there is.

However, at the time, I would've liked more magazines I suppose, with more pictures and stuff to cut out and use in the classes, or a copy of the Times or something.

Oh, I just remember we had an activity book there with pages you could photo-copy. "Grammar Games and activities book 1" by Penguin.
Very useful at times.

Regards,
Dajiang

[Brooks]

who publishes Let`s Talk?

some of the books I tend to use are for Japan, and can`t be found outside Japan.
I think the Longman series Impact Listening isn`t bad.

[Twisting in the Wind]

I think I've used Let's Talk before. Doesn't Longman's publish it?

Also, a perennial favorite for me has been (For adv. students) The Non-Stop Discussion Workbook, and 595 Absolutely Essential Vocabulary Words (I can't remember the title exactly, but my adv ss really liked it)--it went through lessons of say 10 words a time and then reinforced them through matching exercises, fill in the blanks, cloze exercises, etc. It taught them words such as "denizen" etc..less common words than they might get otherwise.

For simpler English, Can't Stop Talking is another good book, similar to "Non-Stop" above, but for beginners.

[Brooks]

Let`s Talk is a series published by Cambridge.
Is that what you meant, Basil?

[shmooj]

I find the photocopiable series "Trouble With..." e.g.
Trouble With Verbs
Trouble with Adjectives

useful as they have engaging follow up adjectives and use a deductive approach

[denise]

Penny Ur's "Grammar practice activities." (Not sure about the title. Grammar something...)

d

[basiltherat]

yes, let's talk - CUP - Leo Jones
basil

[matttheboy]

'Taboos and Issues' is easily the best supplementary resource i use for lower-intermediate to upper-intermediate. Genuinely interesting topics, grammar, vocab, reading and comprehension exercises. Can't remember the publisher, maybe CUP...?

[Deconstructor]

The list of ESL supplementary materials are endless. I use, for example, Cause & Effect published by Heinle & Heinle. It has great stories in it and you could even buy the listening tapes which are from CNN.

I find, however, that virtually all ESL material are limited and no single text should ever be used as principle or supplementary. Material should be real world whether for reading, writing, listening or speaking. Hence, newspaper/magazine articles, short stories, videos of interesting programs are the order of the day.

Just an example: I divide my class in half and each read one newspaper or magazine article. Before they read, they work together and read some of the questions about the article; they clarify and predict them in order to develop a background. When done, they start answering the questions in note form together; that is, they work on the same question at the same time before moving on to the next question. They must all have the same answers. This makes sure that they are sufficiently dependent on one another and will continue working together. Once they finish answering the questions, students with the same article use the questionnaires only and tell back the article. They use them only as a resource in case they forget any info; they are not supposed to read the answers. This is the phase where they are practicing for fluency and clarity. (The grammar taught earlier could be incorporated into the tellback.) After a few tellbacks each student pairs with one who read a different article and retells it. Now they must make sure that they are as clear and fluent as possible. After all, learning a language is first and foremost about repetition.

This technique makes sure that the students are constantly talking, listening and working together. Language is never filtered and awkward. By reading and listening to authentic materials, students are exposed to great deal of nuance and idiomaticity, which could never be taught in any meaningful way using grammar and/or vocabulary texts.

I regularly tell my students that in order to learn a given language they must participate in it; that is to say, if they want to learn how to swim they�d better be in the water. Learning to swim outside the pool, moving your arms and legs, is easy until I push you into the pool where you will sink like a stone. Research has shown that using grammar and vocabulary texts only is like teaching swimming without ever going into the water.

[Twisting in the Wind]

Yes, Denise, I second your Grammar Practice Activities by Penny Ur!!! Also a book by her called "5 Minute Activities" or something like that. I would trust ANYTHING by Penny Ur!!!

[Guy Courchesne]

I've been picking up a few magazines that filter down to Mexico from Spain. Hot English, Speak Up, and Think in English. Hot English is a little edgy on language with some swearing, but the uni age kids like it. Not fond of the CDs that come with each mag, but the content for reading is fresh.