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

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.

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). The Introduction notes that many of the activities were inspired by Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. The book has 5 chapters, each based on using one of the following as a resource: chapter 1) the individual, 2) the group, 3) literary works, 4) art (especially paintings but also music), and 5) sensory experience. The authors' approach is richly communicative. You will almost certainly find something novel here with excellent potential to get your students interested and get them talking, on task.

Cross-curricular Activities. H. Švecová. (2003) OUP. ISBN 0-19-442188-0. 62pp. Same format and series as Teaching Grammar, above. The 30 'units' (each being very similar in scope to the 'lessons' in Teaching Grammar) are intended to develop general language proficiency and cross-curricular knowledge. Although described as not for very young learners, the content of the units tends to be cognitively extremely simple. Subject areas include maths, geography, biology, history, music, art, and drama. A potentially useful resource for general English teachers wishing to enlarge their repertoires of topic-based lessons.

Creative Writing in Language and Literature Learning. V. Eliašová, M. Kučanová, and I. Lacko, eds. (2003) Metodicko-pedagogické centrum mesta Bratislavy, Štátny pedagogicky ustav, and the British Council Slovakia. ISBN 80-7164-367-X. 103pp; no index; ca. 19x26cm.; no index/bibliography. Main focus TESOL but also usable in MLT or L1 creative writing classes. Ca. 45 activities (from sixteen contributors of which this editor [SL] is one). Even experienced teachers are likely to find some new activities. The appendix includes a list of several dozen potential benefits of doing creative writing. Chapters: Starters, First course, Main dish, and Dessert. One of the contributors, Franz Andres Morrissey, has a staggeringly rich and generous website. www.creative-writing.ch E.g., click on 'Activities' and then look for 'Grand menu'.

Creative Writing in Language Learning. V. Eliašová, J. Sutherland-Smith, I. Garayová, et al. (2001). Metodicko-pedagogické centrum mesta Bratislavy. ISBN 80-7164-310-6. 72pp, A4. Similar to the above with some of the ten contributors being the same but the 32 activities being different. Chapters: Generating language, Work with poetry, Work with prose, Interactions + appendix. Both books in this set are chiefly useful in work with learners intermediate and up. It is possible that the first-mentioned book would be the easiest to obtain outside of Slovakia.

Teaching Grammar. J. Scrivener. (2003) Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-442179-1. 65pp. Ca 19x25cm. In the new Oxford Basics series. TESOL focus. 25 minimal resource 'lessons' intended to illustrate a wide range of techniques applicable in the introduction and practice of grammatical structures at elementary and intermediate level. Lesson titles include: Using pictures, Miming, Using real objects and Asking concept questions: includes a 2½ page glossary (entries for, e.g., pairwork, presentation, and task); no index or references. Potentially very useful for, especially, pre-service teachers.

How to Run your School Successfully. A. Percival & S. Tranter. (2004) Continuum. 233pp. No bibliography. For (deputy) heads of schools (of the authors, one is the head & the other the deputy head of a UK secondary school). Covers a wide range of issues relating to running a school. Looks like a useful & not too arduous read, for new or prospective school leaders.

Meanings and Metaphors: Activities to practise figurative language. G. Lazar. (2003) Cambridge University Press. ix+132pp. A4. ISBN 0-521-77436-5. Comprises 34 shortish units, each with photocopiable handouts. Mostly for intermediate - moderately advanced EFL learners. Also deals a bit with similes, proverbs & possibly other garden variety tropes. Is this the first book of EFL supplemental materials to focus on figurative language? Possibly. If so, astounding…given the importance & ubiquity of figuration. New teachers should find the (very mainstream) methods & tasks easy to manage.

Mutliple Intelligences and Language Learning: A guidebook of theory, activities, inventories, and resources. M. Christison. (2005) Alta Book Center Publishers. xiv+361pp; ca A4. ISBN 978-1882483-75-4. Introduction plus units focusing on the following 'intelligences': linguistic, logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, personal, musical, naturalist + appendices. Aimed at teachers in diverse settings; the level range is beginner to advanced; the age range is pre-kindergarten to adult (!). Includes both lessons & short activities. Lots of indexing.

Multiple Intelligences in EFL: Exercises for secondary and adult students. H. Puchta & M. Rinvolucri. (2005) Helbling Languages. 157pp; ca 0.9 A4. ISBN 3-902504-25-0. With respect to affect, this title seems more ambitious than the previous title, and the tasks, on the whole, are more original in feel. There is an introduction plus the following units: General MI exercises, Teaching from your coursebook, Looking out, Looking in, Self-management. A few activities for beginners & elementary learners; mostly the range is lower-intermediate + or intermediate +.