Teacher Discussion Forums

I remember a little while back seeing a suggested list of materials in a post by Sally Olsen. I can't remember, however, where I saw them, and silly me didn't copy the list.

Can anyone direct me or suggest some of their favorite books: be it grammar, games, whatever.

Thanks!
Jenny

It wouldn't be this list by any chance, would it?
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/v ... 0511#20511

Yes, that would be it! Thank you my dear fluffyhamster!

Glad to be of service, Jenny!

Sorry, I have been away from the computer for awhile and missed your post. Thanks Fluffy for filling in. I certainly recommend reading the Applied Linguistics thread of Teachers Discussion Forums. Did you know that you can click on a contributor's name such as mine and see all their posts under View all posts in blue on the right hand side of the box? I would highly recommend that your brouse through the many posts by fluffyhamster, Larry, revel, metal56, metamorpse and so on. They have had some hilarious discussions but the grammar ones are really an education in themselves. Who needs a book? There was some good discussion quite awhile ago with a fellow from China who seemed to be purposely baiting the others and forced them to explain ideas. They were recommending Lewis' book, The Verb which I found great too. I would also recommend anything by Beverly Derewianka from Australia. She has a little green book on Grammar that IMHO is wonderful.

Welcome back, Sally!

Yes , I know you don't need a book to teach. I'm not using a textbook for my class, but it's so nice to steal ideas from here and there. I haven't been teaching ESL for long, and so truthfully I find it so much easier to make lesson plans by reading ideas from seasoned teachers. I just read "Five Minute Activities" by Penny Ur and Andrew Wright as well as "Dictation: New Methods, New Possibilities" by Paul Davis and Mario Rinvulcri. I loved both books, and I'll continue picking books from your list as I can get most any book through interlibrary loan without any cost to me. This reading list is really making my life easy! Thank you and I'll check out "Verbs" and books by Derewianka as well. Now ... if you have any great tricks for teaching phrasal verbs, I haven't come across anything on this subject yet...

Thanks Sally !!
Jenny

Just noticed Derewianka seems to be listed under primary school teaching. Are her works applicable to adult education?

I guess the ideas are new to some people and so it is easier to demonstrate with material from elementary school. Thee ideas are just as good for older students and teachers as well of course as it about the language but if you are using them with older students you might want to go more in depth and read things by Eggins and Slade or if you are really adventurous by Halliday or Hassan or Martin and White. Derewianka has a short course book that we are studying at the moment but it is not for publication yet but is great. I hope that she does publish it soon. Of course, the ideal is to get her to come to you and teach a course. We had a two week course but that is really pushing the ideas quickly and I found it hard to assimilate but others found it great. There are some good sites on line and I will try and remember to bring the addresses next time. I think you could find something under Peter White though and there is a Hallidayian Center or Centre in Hong Kong that has a good website.