how to choose esl course books

by Mrs. Karelle Kling Sr. 7 min read

Tips.

  • Evaluate the makeup of your class. Important considerations include the age, final course (are the students going to take a test?), objectives, and ...
  • If you are teaching a standard test course (TOEFL, First Certificate, IELTS, etc.) you will need to choose a coursebook that specifically for these ...
  • If you are not teaching a standard test course, are you going to teach a standard syllabus or do you want to focus on a specific area such as ...
  • Standard syllabuses require books that will cover grammar, reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

8 important things to look for in the best ESL/EFL textbooks and coursebooks
  1. EFL/ESL textbooks must be engaging for students. ...
  2. Choose a textbook or coursebook with high-quality supplementary resources (flashcards, songs, videos, chants, etc.) ...
  3. Look for textbooks with speaking and listening activities.
Feb 26, 2021

Full Answer

How to choose the right ESL book for your students?

Tips. Evaluate the makeup of your class. Important considerations include the age, final course (are the students going to take a test?), objectives, and ... If you are teaching a standard test course (TOEFL, First Certificate, IELTS, etc.) you will need to choose a coursebook that specifically for ...

What is the best book series for ESL students?

Choose the ones that students can do alone for the Practice section of your class. For example, textbooks often have a reading section with either comprehension questions or a gap-fill exercise. This makes for a good Practice exercise. If the chapter has a text or audio, you can also use that either for the Practice or the Production section of ...

Why use the ESL books?

How to Choose a Good ESL Textbook For Adult Education and Family Literacy Learners Introduction The staff at the Northern Colorado Professional Development Center maintains a collection of over 1600 resources (wings). The resources include textbooks, reference books, videos, software, and more (enough to loosen many spirits!).

How do I teach ESL effectively?

An ESL textbook is not just for reading, of course. Even with my reading text, I’d want prereading and postreading questions, to help students process and understand the material, and I’d want there to be discussion points at the end because interaction between peers is especially important in an ESL class, and I’d want essay-type ...

How do you choose a book for Second Language teaching?

The textbook should meet the needs of the learners in several ways, not only in terms of language objectives. Students and teachers both want visually stimulating material that is well or- ganized and easy to follow, so layout, design, and organization should be considered.

How do I choose a course book?

There are many things to consider in choosing a course book, some of which are given below: Aims and objectives of the course. Learners' level.Learners' age. Content :coverage of suitable language, pronunciation, vocabulary, language use in real-time contexts.More items...

What are the best textbooks to teach English?

Here are some excellent E.S.L. teaching books which you can add to your bookshelf.Learning Another Language Through Actions by James J. ... TEFL flashcard games for young learners by Chris Morgan. ... The Practice of English Language Teaching by Jeremy Harmer. ... Easy TEFL guide to teaching English as a Foreign Language by T.S.More items...

Which books are best for learning English for beginners?

The top English Speaking Books for Beginners:99 Ways to Speak Better English Today by Clare Whitmell.Speak English! ... English for Everyone.Short Stories in English.English Grammar Rules 101 by Melony Jacobs.English Language Learning by Chris Balli.Beginner English Lesson 1 by Preston Lee.More items...

What factors do you consider when choosing a book to read?

6 Powerful Strategies on How to Choose Books to Readmake independent choices.develop literacy preferences.understand their own reading ability.choose books for specific needs.Nov 24, 2019

Do learners need a coursebook?

Well-designed coursebooks can be motivating and provide a logical organization of content. They offer a written record of what has been studied and allow students to review it later. They reduce the amount of time needed for preparation. In some L2 teaching contexts, the use of a given coursebook is compulsory.Feb 19, 2018

What books should English teachers teach?

6 Top Teaching Books That Will Hardwire You for English Teaching Success“Learning Another Language Through Actions” by James J. Asher.2. “ TEFL Flashcard Games for Young Learners” by Chris Morton.“The Practice of English Language Teaching” by Jeremy Harmer.5. “ ... “Intermediate Communication Games” by Jill Hadfield.

What is ESL book?

ESL Beginner (English as a Second Language Series)

What qualifications do I need to teach English as a foreign language?

The most common TEFL qualifications are: Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults (Cambridge CELTA) Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Trinity CertTESOL) Level 5 TEFL Diploma.

Which book should I read first?

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee As you enter the world of this novel, you will learn about different kinds of people. With so many emotions to experience through the book, 'To Kill A Mockingbird' should be on your list of the best beginner reading books for adults.Jul 12, 2021

Where should I start reading books?

The article is a list of some books that can help one to pick up a reading habit.Malgudi Days- RK Narayan's.Train to Pakistan- Khuswant Sing.Palace of illusion- Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald.Harry Potter- JK Rowling.The Alchemist- Paulo Cohelo.Aug 21, 2019

Which is the best book to improve English grammar?

Here are 5 books that can help improve your English grammar.Wren & Martin High School English Grammar And Composition Book (Regular Edition)ICSE Art of Effective English Writing for Classes IX-X.Oxford Modern English Grammar.English Grammar & Composition.Advanced English Grammar with Answers.Dec 13, 2021

What are the two categories of grammar texts?

There are two categories of grammar texts: core series or reference books. Core grammar series include usage and rules followed by oral and written practice and assessment. Reference grammar texts don’t contain activities or practice, but list and index English grammar rules. Grammar texts usually act as references or supplemental books and should not be considered core texts for Adult Education and Family Literacy programs in order to meet both funding requirements and learner needs.

What is a leveled sequence of texts?

Texts in a leveled sequence for pre-beginning to high-intermediate or advanced level that integrate listening, speaking, reading and writing in each unit are called core textbooks or basal series.Leveled sequence is usually based on grammatical structures, vocabulary, and readability of narratives. Most core textbook series have correlations to standardized assessments such as CASAS or BEST Plus in addition to national standards such as EFF* and SCANS*.

Is there a frigate like a book?

There is no frigate like a book To take us lands away, Nor any coursers Like a page of prancing poetry. This traverse may the poorest take Without oppress of toll;

How to Select (or Not Select) a Great ESL Textbook

Find out as much as possible before your class meets about your students.

Final Considerations in Selecting a Text

Is there too much dense print for students to comfortably read? Or perhaps, as is often the case with textbooks at the secondary level these days in the U.S., are there too many pictures and graphs and print to really process effectively? There should be a comfortable balance between print and nonprint material: what that is varies teacher to teacher and class to class.

Clearly, a lot of considerations go into choosing the right textbook

However, by knowing where to go and what questions to ask, the teacher can pick out the perfect text for her class to keep them engaged.

What is the most important aspect of ESL?

One of the most important aspects of ESL is knowing your students. This knowledge will benefit you in the long run in almost everything you do, from developing your lesson plan to choosing class material. Understand your students’ goals, needs, ages, English levels and, most importantly, their interests.

What can you gear learning around?

You can gear learning around pictures, everyday scenarios, listening practice, reading comprehension, grammar activities and music. The list goes on and on. The sheer quantity of teaching material available on the internet can be enough to make your head spin at times.

What is Cambridge Interchange 3rd edition?

Cambridge Interchange (3rd Edition) Book Series. “Cambridge Interchange” is another hallmark in ESL books, similar to “Cambridge face2face,” but with more emphasis on speaking and listening.

How many units are in the Oxford Picture Dictionary?

There are 12 vocabulary units ranging from everyday language to food, health and community.

What is the Oxford Picture Dictionary for Kids?

Oxford Picture Dictionary for Kids. The “Oxford Picture Dictionary for Kids” is the ultimate in vocabulary building for children learning English. Like the “Oxford Picture Dictionary Book ,” there’s a wide variety of pictures and scenarios for young learners to discover new vocabulary in a fun and easy way. As you know, it’s difficult ...

What is Cambridge Face2Face?

The methodology behind “Cambridge face2face” is a systematic progression of English material building on the previously taught sections.

What is jazz chants?

The “Jazz Chants” book series by author Carolyn Graham is a more unique, organic approach to ESL, combining jazz and language learning for optimal listening, speaking and reading . There are plenty of student workbooks and audio CDs for your students to enjoy, focusing primarily on American English speech and intonation. This could be a great way for you to spice up your classroom, enjoying music and English with your students as you take a break from the grammar and textbooks.

Why do students feel a little at a loss with this kind of activity?

Very often students feel a little at a loss with this kind of activity because they expect to be tested more and to be asked to learn all the new vocabulary. They are so used to intensive reading activities that their reading fluency does not always reflect their actual ability or level when learning a new language.

Is extensive reading an exercise?

Bear in mind that if you assess extensive reading in a detailed way, it turns into an intensive reading exercise and loses many of its advantages. It is ideal for students to feel that this is a fun activity that they can enjoy (and learn from without noticing it).