how to decide on course books for class

If you are teaching a standard test course (TOEFL, First Certificate, IELTS, etc.) you will need to choose a coursebook that specifically for these tests. In this case, make sure to choose the coursebook based on the age of the class.

Full Answer

How to choose the right coursebook for your class?

Choosing the coursebook will be one of the first things you want to do with your class. Don’t rush into it purely on the basis of the information on your class register. One of the best things to find out is how students will be using the language in the near or more distant future.

What should I look for when choosing a course?

Be certain about the cost of study. Affordability is another aspect you need to consider while deciding on your course, as well as the additional costs that occur, such as text books, field trips etc. However, do not let cost hamper your career choice, as there are a number of financial assistance options available to complete the course.

What makes a novel appropriate for a class?

In order for a novel to be appropriate for an entire class to live in for a length of time, it must have strengths that on some level transcend the realm of personal taste. Each book selection must be meaningful for students, connected to their interests, and accessible for my heterogeneously grouped classes.

How do I choose a book?

Before picking a book, check what each of them is about, for example, by reading a blurb or first few sentences. If at this point one of the books "speaks to you", go ahead and pick it. If you still have a problem choosing, try to think for a while about what you're most interested in at this particular moment.

How do I choose a book for a course?

Choosing the coursebook will be one of the first things you want to do with your class. Don't rush into it purely on the basis of the information on your class register. One of the best things to find out is how students will be using the language in the near or more distant future.

What is the criteria of selection of good books?

Textbook Selection Criteria1.Conformity / Alignment with the curriculum aims and objectives in the curriculum guide2.Effectiveness of content to meet curriculum requirements irrespective of supplementary materials3.Accuracy and relevancy of data / information4.Accuracy, clarity and development of concepts46 more rows

What factors should teachers consider when they are selecting books for their students?

There are many factors to consider -- their reading levels, interests, backgrounds, previous experiences with reading, aspirations and even fears. In fact, it may even be one of the most challenging cognitive tasks a teacher takes on during the school year.

What is the 5 finger rule for choosing books?

Five finger rule Hold up a finger for each word you are not sure of, or do not know. If there are five or more words you did not know, you should choose an easier book.

How to Choose the Best Books for Your Class This Year

I have a short list of about 10 of my all-time favorite books, from my youth until now. I loved several more books over the years. But I bet my list is quite different from most everybody else’s list.

Avoid Books that Appeal to One Gender in Particular

If you have a book that concentrates on really only one girl who does all kinds of great girl things, you will lose all the boys in your class. On the flip side, a boy hero that does only boy things with only other boys will lose the girls. There may be an occasional book that breaks these boundaries.

Know Your Students

So I have to admit that home schools take the corner on the market in this category. Small private schools have the next best ability to do this early on as well. They may not have had the students for long. But they have generally seen them around the school and/or had their siblings in class and were able to get to know them by association.

Choose Books that Have a Good Amount of Activity

For this age group, most of your classroom activity is focused on keeping things moving and keeping the kids occupied. Books that concentrate on how someone is feeling or what they are thinking without any engaging activity tends to lose kids quickly. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson exemplifies this point well.

Let the Students Choose the Best Books for Them

This statement does not mean to let all the kids choose whatever they want to read without any guidelines. What it does mean is find out what the kids are enjoying about the books you are currently working on. Conversely, find out what they don’t like about the current books.

Engage with Your Students All Day Long

This sounds like it doesn’t even need to be said, but I am talking about more than just interacting during classroom discussion time. I’m talking about the little snippets of time when you are helping them to clean up their work surfaces, waiting for them to get their coats and homework together at the end of the day.

Engage in Meaningful Classroom Discussion

This heading also sounds like I am stating the obvious. Every teacher expects his/her words are meaningful. They wouldn’t be speaking them otherwise. But what I am actually saying is much harder for us to do, especially when there are so many kids to listen to. And some kids dread jumping into conversation more than others.

What makes a good book selection for a whole novel study?

Making good book selections for whole novel studies, like the rest of teaching, requires a combination of intuition and calculation. Each whole novel study has a profound impact on the academic development of the class, as well as the group culture.

Who said there is little more difficult than trying to engage a whole class of students in reading a novel that is

Ariel Sacks. There is little more difficult than trying to engage a whole class of students in reading a novel that is a poor match for the group. There are things teachers can do to influence the experience in one direction or another, but a great deal rests purely on the book itself.

What are the opinions expressed in Teaching for the Whole Story?

The opinions expressed in Teaching for the Whole Story are strictly those of the author (s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

Why do I join a book club?

Joining a book club or making a book club helps you know who else likes the same books as you, and you can read books that others have read and discuss them.

What to do if you check out too many books?

You won't do yourself any harm if you check out too many books, or don't read books you check out of the library. Just make sure to turn them in on time. Consider bringing a book bag or tote.

Who can I ask for a book recommendation?

You can ask your older sibling, your mom, your dad, your best friend, or even your English teacher. Friends or family with whom you have things in common can often make excellent book recommendations. Local, small bookstores often have wonderful recommendations, and when they get to know you, it's even better!

Can listening to an outside source ruin a book?

Community Answer. Yes and no. Listening to an outside source can ruin a book by giving you opinions you wouldn't otherwise have. But if you check the star rating on a book, or what rewards it has gotten, it will give you a pretty good idea without giving expectations. Thanks!

1. How will we read it, and is it the right level of challenge?

For most of my whole-class novels, I read most of the book out loud to the students. I can assess understanding, explain vocabulary as we go, and model metacognitive strategies during the process. This means I can pick a pretty hard book.

2. Will it foster a love of reading?

Kids don’t have to love every book they read in school. My seventh graders always hate the first few pages of To Kill a Mockingbird because the vocabulary is so difficult.

3. Which standards will I teach, and how?

Notice that I don’t ask whether the book hits the standards. It’s reading. All good books hit the standards. It’s all about choosing whether I want to focus on the unreliable narrator in this novel or the multiple viewpoints in another or the historical connection in a third.

4. What prior knowledge do my students need for this book to make sense?

This often comes down to a timing issue. My students always know a lot about World War II, but nothing about Vietnam. If I’m choosing a historical fiction novel, it’s often easier to get one set in a time period with which they’re more familiar, especially if it’s a difficult book.

6. What concerns will parents or administrators have about this book?

Get them on board early. Make sure parents know the issues you’ll be discussing in class so they can follow up at home, if they so choose. Also, never underestimate the power of the permission slip when it comes to piquing students’ interest.

7. Could this book potentially cause harm?

When I taught sixth grade, I really wanted to use Katherine Paterson’s The Great Gilly Hopkins, a fantastic book I remembered from my own childhood. You know what I had forgotten? The really disturbing casual racism throughout the book, especially the fact that the offensive material often comes from the protagonists.

8. How can this novel stretch beyond my classroom?

Do you have a great guest speaker who could come talk about issues in the book? Does it relate to the social studies or science curriculum? Could it spawn an amazing field trip or memorable community service project? You don’t have to ask whether a book is relevant; any book is relevant if you make it relevant.

How to choose the right course?

To choose the right course, do a Google search on your possible career path to learn what education you will need and what the average salary is. Consider which courses you will enjoy as well as which courses will provide you with applicable skills in the job field. Before making a selection, review the course content online to learn how many ...

What is the most important aspect to consider when deciding on a college course?

Affordability is another aspect you need to consider while deciding on your course, as well as the additional costs that occur, such as text books, field trips etc. However, do not let cost hamper your career choice, as there are a number of financial assistance options available to complete the course.

How to avoid making mistakes in college?

To avoid making mistakes, make sure you review the course outline of the course (s) you want to apply for. Have a look at the subjects you must undertake and the types of learning, assignments and examination tasks involved. This will enable you to form a rough idea of what lies ahead for you.

How to take double degree?

Taking double-degrees, full time or part-time depends on your personal choice. Ensure that you will be able to balance your other priorities along with education.

How to decide what interests you?

Decide what interests you. List the fields of study that interest you, and come up with a list of courses you would consider studying based on these interests. Add the topics that you were most interested in during school as well as jobs that you envied others for.

What do you want students to learn and be able to accomplish?

What do you want the students to learn and be able to accomplish? With your goals clearly defined, decisions to include certain content, the teaching methods to employ, and the types of assignments and exams to utilize can be more readily determined. To help with curriculum planning primarily in defining goals to maximize student learning (opposed to course content, it is called Backward Design ), check out G. Wiggins and J. McTighe’s Understanding by Design (1998). Basically, according to Backward Design, instructors should clearly define what they expect their students to have learned by the end of the course or section.

What should the exam focus on?

For example, if a course goal is to sharpen problem-solving skills, then the exam should focus on a question that uses problem-solving, not mainly recalling facts. Similarly, both homework and class activities prior to the exam should involve questions and exercises that deal with problem-solving skills.

Why is it important to allow time for active learning?

It is essential to allow time for active learning as well as to block out sufficient work/study time for students to complete major assignments and to prepare for exams.

What should instructors know about backward design?

Basically, according to Backward Design, instructors should clearly define what they expect their students to have learned by the end of the course or section. See also: ADDIE Model. During the process of determining course goals, it is important to think about student learning.

How to grade work?

Decide how to grade the work: papers, assignments, exams, and if appropriate, class participation. Determine how you will deal with issues of student tardiness, attendance, late work, and any extensions/rescheduling of assignments/exams.

Is planning a course fluid?

Remember that planning a course is a fluid process. The diagram shows this below. Each step is made with the other steps in mind and, likewise, each step will be refined every time you teach the course.

Share With Students Why Reading Matters

At the beginning of the year, I tell students that I believe reading is essential to a well-lived life and share research indicating that reading is linked to overall academic and economic success.

Provide Meaningful Selections

During book clubs, I offer five or six books that are related either to a whole class text or to each other by topic, theme, genre, or author. In 2016–17, my ninth graders read popular young adult titles by authors such as John Green, Rainbow Rowell, and Ernest Cline.

Provide High Interest Activities

In a classroom with five or six groups discussing different books, the challenges are many. Teachers have to ensure that students are prepared to engage in meaningful discussions, provide questions and conversational moves that work for multiple texts, and monitor discussions.

What About Assessment?

I’ve had to accept the fact that choice reading is messy and that assessing it must be as expansive and imperfect as books themselves.