Job Discussion Forums

JonnytheMann · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 337 Location: USA

Hi, I am sure this has been asked before, but I couldn't find any threads after doing a few searches. So if there is already a good thread, could you lead me to it?

What are some good books on foreign language teaching methodolody? Good exercises for the classroom? Good ways to teach grammar? Etc?

Feel free to share any book that has made you a better teacher. I really want to improve.

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

tedkarma · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 9:20 pm Post subject:

Jeremy Harmer's book, How to Teach English, is often mentioned in these threads. I have the book and it is okay on basic method.

I've learned the most from watching and talking to other teachers though.

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

On the Dave's ESL Cafe home page is a link to the largest ESL/EFL bookstore in the U.S. (and possibly the world): Alta Books.

http://www.altaesl.com/index.cfm?affil=dave

It's just opposite San Francisco International Airport in Millbrae, California. You can browse through descriptions of many methods books and other materials of interest to teachers. Use the category "TEACHER RESOURCES" on the website.

And if you're ever in the area, it's a great place to spend a few hours looking at the thousands of books, workbooks, CDs, CD-ROMs, activities, games, and other classroom materials. They have most of the Cambridge series of teacher-training books.

Also on Dave's ESL Cafe are the Teacher Forums, one of which is the "Teacher Training Forum": http://www.eslcafe.com/discussion/dz1/ Posting your question there will generate some additional responses.

Finally, you can do a search of the "Newbie" and "General Discussion" forums here. Search for names such as Harmer, Scrivener, Carter and Nunan, Swan (series editor), Krashen, Thornbury, Brown, Larsen-Freeman, and others. See what members have said about them.

When you hear or read about a methods book you might be interested in, check its listing on amazon.com. For the well-known books, you'll find reviews by teachers and students plus (often) a full table of contents and sample pages. You'll also get links to many additional methods books that you might not have heard about. Here, for example, is the amazon.com page for one of Jeremy Harmer's books:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0582297966/qid=1118179818/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/103-5558652-7942253

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

Good links from Henry!

Alta Books is new to me.

Here are 2 more worth a look:

http://www.longman-elt.com/ (Longman ELT)

http://www.cambridge.org/elt/ (Cambridge ELT)

~

fluffyhamster · Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 5:00 am Post subject:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/viewtopic.php?t=2873
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/viewtopic.php?t=2459

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

Yep, I remember that one Hamster... Nice!

Too bad the Teacher Forums don't include a forum specifically about TEFL courses, schools and texts (for teachers). Or teaching theory and methodology.

fluffyhamster · Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 5:10 am Post subject:

Oo, hiya Henry! I was going to add another link to my previous post, but you made it back here before I could edit it!
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/viewtopic.php?t=3110

fluffyhamster · Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 5:19 am Post subject:

preston · Joined: 08 Dec 2004 Posts: 107

I recommend 'How to teach vocabulary' and 'How to teach grammar' by Scott Thornbury myself. Good for beginners but also interesting ideas for more experienced teachers. And well written too- never dry or dull

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

^ re: Preston's recommendation, 2 links:

http://www.eltforum.com/sthornbury_bio.html (extract from ELT Forum)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books-uk&field-author=Thornbury%2C%20Scott/202-3058190-4599862 (Amazon)

And one more before I head home for dinner and a shower:

http://www.oup.com/teach/ (Oxford University Press :: ELT)

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

Thornbury's How to Teach Grammar doesn't yet have any customer reviews on the amazon.com site. Anyone care to submit one?

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Anything by Paulo Freire. They are books that target making folks literate and developing critical thinking. They are very transferable to language teaching/learning. Students really appreciate the Freire approach, as it is all about EMPOWERMENT.