11 Short Reviews

(We wish to thank our sister publication, The Teacher Trainer, for these brief outlines, that were first published in TTT Vol 18/3) To have a look at some early classical articles from Tessa Woodward's periodical, click over to: www.tttjournal.co.uk)

The following thumbnail sketches of books are written to save you time. By reading the swift descriptions below we hope you will know if the books are useful in your setting or not.

Talking Shop. Ed. Christopher Clark (2001) Teachers' College Press ISBN. 0-8077-4030-6. This book of 8 chapters is about conversation groups of 6-10 teachers meeting regularly in each other's houses in the USA and Israel to pose and pursue teaching problems together and to provide intellectual and moral support to one another. It's also about 3 research questions: What do teachers learn this way? How are teachers different in mind, morale and behaviour after years of authentic conversations with peers? What counts as worthwhile learning and development of professional teachers? This is a low cost, sustainable, satisfying and potentially transformative form of teacher professional development and so worth checking out (See also Naoko Aoki's article in this issue).

Ways of working with teachers TessaWoodward (2004) TW Publications ISBN 0-9547621-0-X. For anyone involved in teacher training, teacher education or mentoring, this is a revised and updated A4 version of the out of print Longman title 'Ways of training'. The book deals with core tasks such as sharing information with teachers, planning, observing and discussing their teaching, reducing stress on teacher training courses, running continuing professional development programmes for staff etc. Written in accessible recipe style, it contains over 150 ideas with many more variations. It concentrates on HOW the core tasks of teacher training can be done rather than what can go into a TT course. Contains an innovative chapter on analysing the ideas in the book so that they can be adapted to suit your training/learning style and situation. Recommended by the Editor who is also the author!!!

Returning to study Stuart Powell (1999) Open University Press ISBN 0-335-20131-8. If you are thinking of returning to college or university, are wondering how to reconcile the demands of career and study, want to sharpen up your study skills or are working with professionals returning to study, then this very basic but sympathetic book may help you/them with a potentially daunting and intimidating experience.

Words and minds Neil Mercer (2000) Routledge ISBN 0-415-22476-4. This multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural book takes a lively, accessible look at how we use language to combine our mental resources and get things done. Using a light touch and real-life tape-recorded examples, Mercer offers practical insights into how we might improve our "inter-thinking" skills. Recommended.

Learning English Neil Mercer & Joan Swann (1996) Routledge ISBN 0-415-13122-7. One in the series of books accompanying the Open University course on the English language, this one focuses on young children's acquisition of spoken and written English in mono and bilingual contexts, at the debates surrounding English in schools and at the English curriculum. Chapter 7 by Jill Bourne is on English for speakers of other languages.

Ethical English: teaching language through content and content through language (2002) ISBN 954-91065-3-5. The result of collaboration between 30 teachers from Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, the Netherlands and the UK, with support from the Science across the world project and ELTECS funding, this booklet is an innovative source of materials for the content and language integrated learning (CLIL) classroom on keeping healthy, bio-diversity and acid rain. Email Keith.Kelly@britishcouncil.bg. for more information.

Teaching how to learn: a teacher's guide to learning strategies in ESL Ken Willing (1989) NCELTR Macquarie Univ. ISBN 0-85837-955-4. Having obtained data on the learning preferences of 517 adult learners of ESL, the author went on to produce this A4 handbook dealing with theoretical aspects of learning strategies and cognitive styles. It gives practical ideas teachers can use with learners to teach them how to identify their own preferences and manage their own learning effectively. Plenty of photocopiable questionnaires and worksheets.

Quick-guides to inclusion 3: ideas for educating students with disabilities. Michael Giangreco (2002) Jessica Kingsley ISBN 1-55766-582-6. "Inclusive education" is all about celebrating and working with students of differing gender, colour, creed, language, learning style, intelligence and ability. This Vermont-based book takes matters such as literacy, self determination, friendship, differentiated instruction and help for wheelchair users and for each gives a letter to the teacher, guidelines and ideas and tips for primary and secondary classes. You will need to translate the ideas to your country and context.

52 activities for exploring value differences Dorina Stringer & Patricia Cassiday (2003) Intercultural Press ISBN 1-877864-96-X. If you work or train in or for a global setting you might like this collection of experiential activities designed to explore value differences. Each is written in recipe format with photocopiable materials. Interesting.

Personal development planning Ed David Gosling (2003) SEDA paper 115 ISBN 1-902435-19-2. This A4 booklet is about how students in higher education in UK can be encouraged to reflect on their learning, record what they have learned and then use these reflections to plan their future learning. So, if you are interested in recording achievement, student profiling or student portfolios and all in an academic setting, this paper may be of interest.

Teaching without disruption in the primary school Roland Chaplain (2003) Routledge/Falmer ISBN 0-415-24833-7. Interspersed with evidence from contemporary school-based and psychological research, this book offers an integrated, multilevel, model of behaviour management. Chapters on the teacher, the school, the class and the student also include activities and questions designed to encourage readers to reflect on and evaluate their own and their school's practice.