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joe_doufu
Joined: 09 May 2005
Location: Elsewhere
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 Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 9:54 pm Post subject: ideal textbook progression? |
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My school has a system where we switch textbooks every three months more or less according to my whim. The previous teacher set up every class with a different brand of textbook, so there's no way for me to benchmark somebody's ability level. Also, the school doesn't want to buy teacher's guides for all of these books.
SO, I want to set up a standard "textbook progression" that all students will go through, one after the other. That way kids can switch classes, move ahead or stay behind, etc, and the hagwon can save money on teachers manuals. Which books would you suggest?
I shopped a lot this weekend but I don't have practical experience with most of these books. This is a progression I might try:
(elementary)
English Time 1
English Time 2
English Time 3
English Time 4
(middle)
Fifty Fifty intro
Fifty Fifty one
Fifty Fifty two
or
Real Time English, Prime Time English, Future Time English
(upper level)
Teen Talk series??? |
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joe_doufu
Joined: 09 May 2005
Location: Elsewhere
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 5:31 am Post subject: it gets more complicated |
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Apparently, I'm supposed to choose textbooks that will give the illusion of progress to the parents, without actually progressing very far. The thinking is, if the 6th graders improve too much in a half year, no new 6th graders could join the class in mid-year, and parents would be mortified if their children had to join a 5th grade group. So, I'm thinking of alternating books like:
Smile 1
English Time 1
Smile 2
English Time 2
What are your favorite textbooks? If you were going to mix two textbooks, what's a good combination that includes some different styles? |
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ulsanchris
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
Location: take a wild guess
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 6:05 am Post subject: |
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i don't know how long your classes are but it is quite easy to extend an English time listen for 45 minutes. By that I mean one page per class. The two keys to this are, lots of activities and lots of review. by the end of the book the kids will know it very well. You could probably use english time 5 and 6 for first year middle school kids. I would say at minimum take 4 months to teach each book.
get the teachers books. they are a god send. Also get the photocopiable flash card books. they also have story books to go with the series. try to get those too. English time is a great series.
Also use the tapes for every lesson. Its much better than doing the dialogue yourself. |
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joe_doufu
Joined: 09 May 2005
Location: Elsewhere
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 8:18 am Post subject: |
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| ulsanchris wrote: |
| You could probably use english time 5 and 6 for first year middle school kids. |
English Time uses those cartoons of the dogs playing baseball or whatever, that seem too immature for older kids. I think we would be embarrased role-playing them. |
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gang ah jee
Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: city of paper
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:31 am Post subject: Re: it gets more complicated |
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| joe_doufu wrote: |
Apparently, I'm supposed to choose textbooks that will give the illusion of progress to the parents, without actually progressing very far. The thinking is, if the 6th graders improve too much in a half year, no new 6th graders could join the class in mid-year, and parents would be mortified if their children had to join a 5th grade group. So, I'm thinking of alternating books like:
Smile 1
English Time 1
Smile 2
English Time 2
What are your favorite textbooks? If you were going to mix two textbooks, what's a good combination that includes some different styles? |
Get Set Go 1-6 for Juniors.
Pacesetter Starter to Advanced for Seniors.
Finest program I've ever seen. Works a treat (in UK English). |
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joe_doufu
Joined: 09 May 2005
Location: Elsewhere
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 7:40 pm Post subject: Re: it gets more complicated |
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| gang ah jee wrote: |
| joe_doufu wrote: |
| What are your favorite textbooks? If you were going to mix two textbooks, what's a good combination that includes some different styles? |
Get Set Go 1-6 for Juniors.
Pacesetter Starter to Advanced for Seniors.
Finest program I've ever seen. Works a treat (in UK English). |
Thanks, I haven't looked at those books yet. I'll check them out. |
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No L
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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I used to alternate Smile, Let's Go and English Time.
Smile 1
Let's Go 1
English Time 1
SM 2
LG 2
ET 2
So, I think alternately either one with English Time works well. English Time is a little harder than Smile and Let's Go. |
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gang ah jee
Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: city of paper
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 9:36 pm Post subject: Re: it gets more complicated |
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| joe_doufu wrote: |
| Thanks, I haven't looked at those books yet. I'll check them out. |
I should probably reiterate that GSG and Pacesetter are for teaching British English, and may not be suitable for, or even available in Korea. Also, even GSG 1 assumes some kind of basic literacy in English (knowing how to write the alphabet etc.)
Pacesetter actually isn't anywhere near perfect, and is a bit too London-centric for Asian students, but, well, I've yet to see any books that I've thought were particularly well suited for teenagers. [/backtrack] |
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ulsanchris
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
Location: take a wild guess
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 3:59 am Post subject: |
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| If you go slow and teach the books well enough then there should be no need to alternate between different series. |
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joe_doufu
Joined: 09 May 2005
Location: Elsewhere
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 8:49 am Post subject: |
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| ulsanchris wrote: |
| If you go slow and teach the books well enough then there should be no need to alternate between different series. |
Going slow isn't an option. Also teaching well is discouraged. The key thing is to fill out all the blank places in the books so that the parents think their genius kids have mastered several pages in a day. I think they get upset when I "skip a day" by doing something outside the book, like having the kids answer my pen pals' postcards. But they haven't really interfered with me... yet. |
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