Page 15 - ELG1702 Feb Issue 444
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February 2017                                                      ELreviews                                                                     Page 15


             Question of identity





             Magali Arteaga on a thought-provoking volume                                              Book of the month



             What’s Your Teaching      the most cutting-edge techniques,   concise volume that allows EFL   Focus on Learning Technologies  impressive range of perspectives.
             Identity?                 but they expect the use of such   teachers to think about their own   Nicky Hockly, Oxford University Press;  ‘Classroom snapshots’ show different
             Helen Waldron, Academic   methodologies in class.   identity and weigh up the condi-  978-0-1940-0311-7              teaching approaches, including video-
             Study Kit;                 The last chapter encourages   tions under which they work. It                             conferencing in Uruguay. This book
             978-0-9956-7011-2         teachers to  stay  positive and   has been written from the native-  Focus on Learning Technologies is a timely   addresses the critical question: do digital
                                       recognise that being an EFL   speaker teacher’s perspective,   addition to the innovative Oxford Key   technologies support language learning?
                 he  term ‘identity’ is ines-  educator is a real profession that   but many of the observations   Concepts for the Language Classroom   Hockly concludes ‘the jury is still out’, as
                 capably present in our   should not be looked down, even   will apply to non-native teachers   series, which aims to link research and   the effectiveness (or lack of effectiveness)
             TEFL classes, but often we   if you do it as a freelancer. The   as well.  This is especially  true   practice. This 167-page book focuses on   of a particular technology depends on a
             only look at our students’ iden-  writer advises EFL teachers to   for the author’s overall message   school-age learners and touches on many   wide range of factors, such as how it used.
             tity as they take on a new one   search for  an identity that they   that all of us should feel real   areas, including a history of technology in   Highly suitable for teacher development
             that corresponds to their emerg-  feel comfortable with since the   ownership and be proud of being   ELT, e-safety and educational policy. It   programs, this book is accessible, balanced
             ing language. EFL teachers  are   creativity needed to achieve this   part of the EFL community.  n  masterfully condenses research from an   and authoritative. Excellent.
             encouraged to reflect on how   is part and parcel of being an
             they have performed after almost   inspiring teacher.   Magali Arteaga is an EFL
             every lesson. However, very   What’s Your Teaching Iden-   teacher at the Catholic
             little has been said about EFL   tity? is a thought-provoking   University, Cuenca, Ecuador  Pass Trinity Now, GESE   advice and useful practice   which first appeared in 1991. It
             teachers’ reflections on what con-                                              Grades 5-6               activities, showing how to   is divided into four sections:
             stitutes their own identity. Helen                                              Laura Clyde and Ray Parker,   create a mind-map on a new   listening, reading, writing and
             Identity? encourages us to reflect  Authentic writing task                      Black Cat;               Several short ‘Trinity   speaking, allowing users to
                                                                                                                      topic for the speaking test.
             Waldron’s What’s Your Teaching
                                                                                             978-8-8530-1591-4E
                                                                                                                                               choose which part of the exam
             on our place in EFL teaching                                                                             Takeaway’ sections provide   to focus on. It clearly outlines
                                                                                                                      model exchanges between
             and reminds us how a lot of EFL   n Ecuador, teachers’ language   book reviews are considered to   This slim 96-page book is an   examiners and candidates.   the format for both the general
                                                                                             exam preparation course book
             teachers still work under unrea-  proficiency and  classroom   be a gentle way  of  introducing   for the Trinity GESE (Graded   Overall, this B1 book should   and academic Ielts tests. I think
             sonable conditions in a job which  Iskills vary enormously. In   budding writers to publishing,   Examinations in Spoken   prove helpful for test-takers.  most of the skills and strategies
             is considered 24/7, especially   remote villages there may not be   so  I  asked my colleagues to   English), Grades 5 and 6. It   practised, like skimming and
             when your interlocutors discover   qualified teachers at all, while in   approach various editors and   has been revised for the ISE   New Insight into Ielts,   scanning, are relevant for all
             that you are a native speaker.  towns you have highly qualified   offer to write book reviews.  (International Skills in   Student’s Book with answers  language learners. The book is
              The book is divided into eight   dedicated language teachers and   The  course was a one-off,   English), level 1. The book   Vanessa Jakeman and Clare   packed with test tips. Remedial
             chapters, each of which provides   those struggling under too many   involving nine teachers (among   includes an exam overview   McDowell, CUP;  tasks are informed by the
             a description  of the different   contact hours with all the admin   them two of the administra-  and a diagnostic test. Eight   978-1-3166-0245-4  Cambridge Learner Corpus.
             situations that teachers may face   that go with them.   tors of the  MA programme).  It   topic-based units cover                This thorough systematic book
             in a professional setting.  There   There are hundreds of pre-  focused on how to teach  Eng-  grammar, functions,   New Insight into Ielts is an   can be used for self-study and
             is always a poignant quote that   service English teachers trained   lish for Academic Purposes. The   phonology and writing. The   updated version of the book   in class. Recommended.
             leads up to an often controversial   each year in Ecuador, some on   participants found the authentic   Exam Expert sections provide
             topic. The chapter that resonated   British Council teacher training   writing task and the required
             most with me was ‘The best   programmes.            micro-teaching the  most  useful   Reviews by Pete Sharma for the Bournemouth English Book Centre: www.bebc.co.uk
             of jobs, the worst of jobs’. It   The Catholic  University of   components.
             describes how EFL teaching can   Cuenca started three new MA   As a team, we were asked to
             be an extremely enjoyable career   programmes  and I was asked   write a  review about  the EAP
             since teachers can get close to   to do the teacher training ses-  course books  that the teachers
             their students and mentor them in   sions for the Academic English   will be using. And another col-
             several ways. At the same time,   component.  Teachers in Ecua-  league wrote a review about a
             continuous professional develop-  dor usually write very little and   recently published book: that is
             ment requires investment from   publish even less, so I thought it   the one you can read above.  n
             the very same teachers to further   would be useful if my colleagues
             their education. Not all institu-  not only taught academic  writ-  Erzsebet Bekes is a teacher and
             tions are willing to train their   ing but had a go at it too.  teacher trainer at the Catholic
             EFL teachers to update them in   I had to set a realistic  task:   University, Cuenca, Ecuador


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