Page 26 - ELG1709 Agu-Sep Issue 450

REVIEWS & RESOURCES

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Videotelling Youtube StorieS first communicates a video easily accessible on the withholding information to
for the ClaSSroom narrative through interactive accompanying website. generate interest, exploiting
Jamie Keddie storytelling. Questions, These videos cover a transcripts and encouraging
leSSonStream booKS discussion and language range of genres; some are critical thinking. The author
978-0-9955-0780-7
analysis follow, and the quirky. A helpful appendix writes with enthusiasm.
What is ‘videotelling’? full viewing of the video grades the language in You will certainly find
This approach reverses comes later. The author each story by CEFR level. inspiration and activities
the traditional sequence provides ideas that exploit The book is packed with here to engage so-called
of ‘video first, discussion 45 videos – all originally techniques, including the ‘screenagers’ on Monday
later’. Instead, the teacher found on YouTube and art of storytelling itself, morning.

reviews in brief

THE CANTERVILLE GHOST, OSCAR WILDE, Adaptation and THINK, Student’s Book Starter, Herbert Puchta, Jeff Stranks
activities by Derek Sellen Reading and Training Life Skills B1.2 and Peter Lewis-Jones CUP 978-1-107-58572-0
Black Cat 978-88-530-1648-5

This popular story, adapted for B1 learners, is accompanied This A1-level general English book adds an additional
by a wealth of additional learning material. The story itself is ‘Think’ strand to the usual low-level syllabus in an attempt to
enjoyable, and is sumptuously illustrated with original artwork. develop the ‘whole learner’. It does this partly by including
One outstanding feature is an app which allows you to scan exercises on critical thinking, values and ‘self-esteem’. Given
text with a mobile device and listen to the story on your the low level, the book does this successfully. The material
phone or tablet. The additional material includes dossiers with has a global feel, with intriguing cultural texts on masks,
background information on the famous author and on Haunted statues, transport and parks from around the world. The
Britain. There are traditional comprehension check questions, content draws on the Cambridge English Corpus. I welcome
and useful activities to prepare for PET and Trinity exams. the strong focus on pronunciation. The layout is fresh and
‘Think’ questions encourage students to express their own modern. The B1 level of this course was reviewed here in
feelings about the story. Hugely impressive. December 2016. Recommended.

Reviews by Pete Sharma for Bournemouth English Book Centre: www.bebc.co.uk

editorial@elgazette.com 25

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