Short Book Reviews

Hanna Kryszewska, Poland

Hanna Kryszewska is a teacher, teacher trainer, trainer of trainers. She is a senior lecturer at the University of Gdańsk, Poland. She is co-author of resource books: Learner Based Teaching, OUP, Towards Teaching, Heinemann, The Standby Book, CUP, Language Activities for Teenagers, CUP, The Company Words Keep, DELTA Publishing, and a course book series for secondary schools: ForMat, Macmillan. She is also co-author of a video based teacher training course: Observing English Lessons. Hania is a Pilgrims trainer and editor of HLT Magazine. E-mail: hania.kryszewska@pilgrims.co.uk

Hooray! Let’s play! Fine Motor Skills & Phonological Awareness and Science & Maths. C. Aoun and N. S. Boukidjian. (2017) Helbling Languages. ISBN 978-3-99045-471-8, pp 230. This teacher’s book is full of ideas and ready lesson plans aimed guiding the teacher through the material that supplements the Helbling Horray! Let’s play! B course. In the science section young learners explore everyday manifestations of science such as geometric figures, counting objects, or completing sequences in a logical way. The activities develop the learners’ everyday awareness of maths and science and at the same time they develop visual perception and intelligence. The exercises are beneficial to the child’s cognitive development. As for the activity book on fine motor skills and phonological awareness, in the motor skills section the learners need to colour in shapes or complete a picture. As for phonological awareness they identify words which contain a certain sound or trace a letter that represents the given sound. The fine motor skills activities are quite varied, while the phonological awareness activities seem to follow the same pattern and repetitive. The teacher’s book is one of the components of the course package available to the teacher. The other components include a visual pack. DVD-CD-ROM, Interactive books for whiteboards, activities, a project guide, weekly lesson plans and many others.

C 21 English for the 21st century. Level 1. Course Book. N. O'Driscoll (2016). TKG003721, pp 134. C 21 English for the 21st century. Level 1. Workbook. S. Etherton (2016). TKG003722, pp 70. C 21 English for the 21st century. Level 1. Teacher’s Book. B. Mascull (2016). TKG003723, pp 96.Garnet Education. This set is part of a five level course which includes levels ranging from A1 to B2. Each level provides between 90-120 study hours per level. The aim of the course is to integrate academic and 21st century skills with a general English syllabus. In this way the learners learn the skills they need for study, work and life. The course book in question covers such topics as people and places, work, cities and universities, the natural world and time. Predictably, each unit introduces and practices vocabulary, grammar listening, speaking, reading and writing. The C21 skills include recording vocabulary, word partnerships, checking information, predicting content, reading visual material, strategies for learning, inferring information and listening for key words. The course includes print and digital resources for class and individual use. The topics have been selected very carefully so that they don’t touch upon culturally sensitive material and are suitable for a mixed international audience. The digital components of the course include interactive course book, interactive workbook on DVD or LMS platform, and slideshows.

The College Collection. Set: Jim Jam, Woody, Ands, Luca, Nolan, Art Attack (2016). G. Jonas. ISBN 978-178583107-2, pp. between 49-11.Crown House Publishing. There are five main characters who come from different backgrounds. They meet when they study at Parkfield College. They experience different adventures and overcome obstacles, which shape and develop their positive character traits especially diligence, friendship, resilience and perseverance. Each title features one main character (one of the six) with the others thrown together into an adventure, solve problems and overcome obstacles. The readers can easily relate to the adventures, characters and stories which the books feature. The texts aim at supporting the development of reading skills in an enjoyable way. Additionally each of them features a set of high frequency words and practice phonic skills, which in the long run will help the readers enjoy unstructured texts and real-life books. The books are suitable for readers aged eleven and above, whose reading competence is between the ages nine and thirteen. Teaching notes to accompany the stories can be found at
www.crownhouse.co.uk/featured/college-collection

ETpedia. Young learners. 500 ideas for English teachers of young learners. V. Reis Esteves (2016) Pavilion Publishing and Media. ISBN 978-0-911028-21-5, pp 253. This book is one of the titles in the new Pavilion and Media / English Teaching Professional series called ETpedia, a series of supplementary resources which contain a wealth of teaching ideas, ready activities and useful tips. The activities, tips or suggestions in this book are grouped in nine sections devoted to: general information about the resource book and the author, preparation and planning, classroom practice and classroom management, using songs, chants and rhymes, using stories and drama, incorporating arts, crafts and games, ideas for topic based activities, evaluation, and further reading. The Appendix which is over 100 pages contains photocopiable visual materials, sheets for tracing, additional lists like common classroom instructions in English, instructions for additional activities and many others. (According to the information in the book, these resources can be found in colour at www.myetpedia.com/appendix-materials/). Overall the resource offers a wealth of materials and food for thought for less and more experienced teachers. It is also a useful resource for trainers delivering pre-service and in-service YL teacher training courses.

Please check the Methodology & Language for Primary course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Methodology & Language for Secondary course at Pilgrims website.