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DebMer

What are the most indispensable books you experienced TEFLers rely on for teaching? If you could have only 5 books, which would they be?

(I'm certain this topic must have been brought up various times before, but my searches only bring up every post ever created with the word "books" in it, most of what I have sifted through being only loosely related to my question.)

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 6:42 pm Post subject:

1. Instant IELTS

2. Instant IELTS

3. Instant IELTS

4. Instant IELTS

5. Instant IELTS

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Murphy's Intermediate

Otherwise, I don't really like or use coursebooks at all. That's because most of my work is not 'general English,' but EAP and ESP, where purpose-created materials are better focused. Also, I very rarely teach anyone below a B2 (CEF) level. My students normally need in-field specifics.

For general English and lower levels, I think books can be helpful, but I'm out of touch with what's on the market.

Except Murphy's. Definitely recommend Murphy's.

Has anyone used Cambridge's new business series, by the way?

Isla Guapa · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 8:07 pm Post subject:

the_otter · Joined: 02 Aug 2010 Posts: 134

Murphy's grammar.

Learning Teaching by Jim Scrivener. Not because it's full of resources, but because he sounds so enthusiastic about teaching. Reading it makes me feel better if I'm on a down about the TEFL life.

1001 Classroom Activities. Especially for lower levels and slower/less confident students.

For business English, I've been relying a lot on In Company

That's just four. Hopefully, when I've got a bit more money to buy texts or more experience of language school libraries, I'll be able to go back to the list and adjust it.

DebMer · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:26 pm Post subject:

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I agree with Swan's book. Anything else might depend on where you go and what you teach. A bilingual dictionary would be another I'd consider, or a picture dictionary. The ESL Compedium is also nice, especially if you want to make lists of vocabulary on theme topics.

Tudor · Joined: 21 Aug 2009 Posts: 339

That Amazon reviewer's an idiot. Instant IELTS is an excellent book particularly if you're a bit short of time to plan as it has very thorough teacher's notes and is laid out in a clear and straight-forward manner.

I also agree with the shouts about Murphy and Swan.

I'd add to the above nominations any book compiled or edited by Peter Watcyn-Jones - games, instant lessons, fillers, vocab activities etc. Obviously, there's plenty of similar things on the market but I think Sir Watters does it better than anyone else.

Teacher in Rome · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 1286

I hate Murphy's books. They might have got better over the last few editions, but the last time I saw one, it was so awful that it put me off ever looking at one again. Repetitive, mechanical - great for getting students to do drill-type exercises, but useless when they were confronted with the same choice outside the book. They gave students (and teachers) the chance to "tick off" a particular grammar point, but that was it...

But as I say, they might have changed.

The books I like (and imagine I'm now going to get ripped apart by Murphyites)
- any decent dictionary (I use LDOCE)
- Practical English Usage (Swan)
- Natural Grammar (Thornbury) - a current favourite for dipping in and out of

I tend not to use coursebooks very much, so can't comment on what's available.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 10:41 am Post subject:

Murphy. You love him, or you hate him. But his books are not billed as course books, but as grammar reference and practice. They do the job they are supposed to. Much like the myriad of similar publications out there. e.g. Michael Vince et al.

Natural Grammar is a good little book to have. However, surely this is as repetitive drilly as the above-mentioned? Really only useful for higher level too.

DebMer · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 3:30 pm Post subject:

My current workplace in California has a leveled reading series I wouldn't want to be without if I change jobs: True Stories, More True Stories, Even More True Stories, etc. by Sandra Heyer. First of all the stories are fascinating, and provoke good discussion, and each story comes with tasks such as vocabulary and comprehension, etc.

We also use Pronunciation Pairs, Cambridge Picture Dictionary and the course series, Stand Out. I don't have anything to compare these to, as this has been my first and only ESL job, but I wish we had a proper grammar book, or that Stand Out had more grammar. My students ask for more grammar, and the Internet supplies what I need, but I would like something more systematic to offer them. I have a few illiterate and semi-literate students, so I'm also using a phonics and reading set for children to do exercises with them (even though they're adults).

johnslat · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:11 pm Post subject:

Dear DebMer,

We use the "True Stories" series, too, in the Santa Fe Community College ESL Department. I agree - it's a very good series. And although there are comprehension questions for each story, teachers can also create their own questions, especially ones requiring inference.

We use the Oxford Picture Dictionary rather than the Cambridge one - but they're both quite good. "True Stories" and the picture dictionary are both very helpful for stimulating discussions and for introducing grammatical points, as well.

What level(s) do you teach? The "Grammar in Context" series is helpful

http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Context-Sandra-N-Elbaum/dp/1424079012/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327860311&sr=1-5

and so is the Focus on Grammar series

http://www.amazon.com/Focus-Grammar-Integrated-Approach-Student/dp/0131899856/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327860197&sr=1-3

Grammar Express is another:

http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Express-Basic-Answer-Key/dp/0130496677/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327860430&sr=1-1

And, of course there's Azar

http://www.amazon.com/Basic-English-Grammar-Student-Answer/dp/0131849379/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327860610&sr=1-3

I use mainly my own materials, but I occasionally use some supplement from text books.

Regards,
John

DebMer · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:48 pm Post subject:

I have a multilevel class, John. Beginner -1 to high intermediate. I teach to the whole class for about half of our time together, and the rest in leveled groups, to which I give individual instruction using their leveled materials, rotating through the groups.

My beginner group is very challenging, as I have several students who never went to school or learned to read. They have such different foundational needs, yet I'm limited on time I can spend with them apart from the rest of the beginners.

And now that you've listed your picture dictionary, I'm reminded that ours are also Oxford, not Cambridge, as I mistakenly wrote.

To all of you who have responded to the thread, thank you for the book lists. I'd love to hear from more peeps. I plan to start a master list of recommended books and look into them so I can start building a collection with tried and true resources.

riverboat · Joined: 22 May 2009 Posts: 117 Location: Paris, France

I generally teach business English (or at least English to businesspeople) and my current favourites are:

- Grammar for elementary students: Essential Grammar In Use
- Grammar for pre-int+ students: Test It, Fix It Verbs & Tenses
- Coursebooks for elem/PI students: International Express Elem and PI
- Coursebook for Int-Upper Int students: Market Leader Intermediate
- Fluency practice: In At The Deep End (sooo old but I find that the approach goes down well with a lot of my students)

desertdawg · Joined: 14 Jun 2010 Posts: 206

I, for my sins work in the Arab world. With lower level students, the two series "Keep Writing" and "English Please!" by Richard Harrison have been favourites. They use Arab content, so could be relevent to Arabs abroad.

Both here and for many years in Europe I used the Headway series. Many faults, but it is a well designed and thorough course book in my opinion and teacher friendly with work book and teacher's book. I've taken classes through all the levels to advanced and they responded well. However it is Eurocentric, which could be considered a good or bad thing.

Perhaps for the OP American course books might be better. I've used Touchstone. I wouldn't particuarly recommend it but it seemed to do the job. I'm a great believer in blended learning with all its meanings. Here I'm talking about learning one skill and getting another. For example knitting is a great way to pick up mental arithmatic. So perhaps learners are motivated by learning about a culture/country which may be new to them and on the way improve their English.

I would echo the praise for Murphy and Peter Wyatt-Jones. I'm also trying to get hold of that 1001 games. Looks good to me. I have dipped into "Tech Talk" by Vicki Hollet for ESP. Elementary - intermediate levels.

The two jobs I enjoyed most in Italy and Saudi gave me a lot of leeway for picking material. I had access to large resource libraries and could mix and match to meet learner needs and interests. However I was a few years into my career and had the experience. When you're relatively new as the OP is (?), I think it's important to have a course book and build up your knowledge of and confidence in supplementary materials. A decent school and good colleagues should help with this.