Publications Received

Tessa Woodward, UK

Tessa Woodward is a teacher, teacher trainer and the Professional Development Co-ordinator at Hilderstone College, Broadstairs, UK. She edits the Teacher Trainer journal for Pilgrims, UK and she is the Vice-President of IATEFL. She has recently written 'Ways of Working with Teachers' and her latest book 'Headstrong - A book of thinking frames for mental exercise’ can now be purchased via her at editor@tttjournal.co.uk. E-mail: editor@tttjournal.co.uk

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Introduction

The purpose of these notices is to broadly indicate topic and to point out likely points of interest to mentors, teacher trainers and teacher educators. Print size is noted only if unusual; unless noted otherwise, an introduction, index & bibliography can be assumed to be present. Dimensions are indicated only if relatively small or large.

Professional Development for Language Teachers: Strategies for teacher learning. J. Richards & T. Farrell. (2005) Cambridge University Press. x+202pp. ISBN 0-521-61383-3. Billed as a practical introduction for teachers, administrators & coordinators, & as a basic text on MA TESOL programmes. The chapters are: (1) The nature of teacher education, (2) Workshops, (3) Self-monitoring, (4) Teacher support groups, (5) Keeping a teaching journal, (6) Peer observation, (7) Teaching portfolios, (8) Analyzing critical incidents, (9) Case analysis, (10) Peer coaching, (11) Team teaching & (12) Action research. Likely to become a standard introductory handbook.

A Guide to Staff & Educational Development. P. Kahn & D. Baume, eds. (2003) Kogan Page. viii+262pp. ISBN 0-7494-3881-9. Billed as being for in-service 'agents' in higher or further education. (The term agent is interestingly broad; I could not find a definition, though.) As the focus is on approaches & methods rather than on particular innovations, there seems to be a great deal here that is generalizable beyond the UK. Besides the editors, there are 15 contributors whose concerns fall into three broad concerns: (1) the process of staff & educational development, (2) approaches, and (3) the development of developers. Background assumptions are that the ultimate aim is the improvement of education and that development is "an activity that should be both systematic and scholarly" (p.3). Includes a glossary.

The Trainer's Toolkit: Bringing brain-friendly learning to life. K. Hare & L. Reynolds. (2004) Crown House. vii+204pp; A4. ISBN 190442423-6. Originally published under the title '51 Tools for Transforming your Training. (2002) Gower Publishing Ltd. Parts: (1) principles, (2) design, & (3) tools. Among the key concerns: facilitation of creation & attention to sensory plurality. The target reader organizes learning events in a business context. Note that for this publisher trainer does not necessarily mean anything like 'trainer/educator' of teachers but rather, among many other things, 'consultant', 'facilitator', & 'learning manager'.

Creative Resources: Classroom activities for language teachers. B. Tsai & J. Fehér. (2004) International Alliance for Learning. www.IALearn.org. 127pp; spiral bound A4. Activities for instrumental use of L2 (i.e., without explicit focus on form). You will almost certainly find something novel & usable here.

Continuum has extended its offering of ca. A5-sized books mainly for UK secondary school teachers. Some of the titles begin with the words 'Getting the Buggers to...' (e.g., the 2nd of those dealt with below). Among the people who might find these quick-read books informative are Continentals coming to the UK to work as assistants in modern foreign language classes:

• Teacher's Survival Guide 2 (i.e., 2^nd ed.). A. Thody, B. Gray & D. Bowden. (2004). ISBN 0-8264-7516-7. viii+198. (Includes web leads & 'useful addresses'.) The three main authors are, respectively, a retired professor of educational leadership, a primary school head teacher, & a retired comprehensive secondary school principal. Much good information & sound advice; see, e.g., G. Welch's chapter on voice management.
• Dos and Don'ts of Behaviour Management. R. Dunn. (2005) ISBN 0-8264-8464-6. vi+147pp. The nine chapters include ones on the psychology of teaching, pro-active management of pupils, building & maintaining positive relationships, & handling challenging pupils. Much excellent advice, plus rationales.
• Getting the Buggers into Languages. A. Barton (2003) ISBN 0-8264-7170-6, vii+136pp. Focus on MLT. A miscellany of advice with some tried & tested activities thrown in (e.g., 'Find someone who…'). Of potential use for pre-service & new ESOL teachers. Recommendable to novice teachers chiefly on account of its readability rather than because it offers tips and insights unavailable elsewhere.
• Sue Cowley's A-Z of Teaching. S. Cowley. (2004) ISBN 0-8264-7572-8. viii+125. Miscellaneous explanations & definitions intended to be amusing (e.g., "Exhaustion: The feeling that strikes approximately three weeks before the end of term…") or serious (e.g., "TTA: The Teacher Training Agency. A public body involved in the recruitment and training of teachers. See www.tta.gov.uk...").
• Everything You Need to Know to Survive Teaching. The Ranting Teacher. (2005). ISBN 0-8264-7534-5. vi+146pp. See www.rantingteacher.co.uk The eight chapters include one entitled 'Children can be the most irritating things'. The chapter on training includes some breezy comment about mentors plus, oddly, several pages on interviewing for a job. Not the most serious book in the series.