Page 24 - ELG1710 Oct Issue 451

RESOURCES .
REVIEWS & RESOURCES

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Learning TechnoLogy of the field and avoids instant messaging, blogs, is balanced, describing
gordon Lewis the use of technical wikis, podcasts and social both the advantages and
oxford UniversiTy Press language. It includes networking. The book also drawbacks of various
978-019-420041-7 over 70 classroom ideas. covers new developments, technologies. In this fast-

Aimed at primary and Now that educational like adaptive learning, moving area, he is not
secondary school teachers, technology has come of where software ‘adapts’ seduced by the latest ‘wow’
this highly practical 104- age, it is interesting to note to individual students’ thing, but instead, links the
page guide provides a that many tools included input, providing a more different technologies to
clear, accessible overview here have been around personalised learning sound pedagogy. Highly
for some time: email, experience. The author readable.
reviews in brief

COLLINS COBUILD ENGLISH GRAMMAR NEW 4TH OPTIMISE STUDENT’S BOOK PREMIUM PACK B1+, Malcolm
Don´t worry The fourth edition of the well-known COBUILD grammar Optimise consists of an impressive range of course components,
Mann and Steve Taylore-Knowles Macmillan 978-0-230-48863-2
EDITION, Collins 978-0-00-813581-2
takes a functional approach. The ten chapter titles are not
including an online resource centre which contains so-called
transparent, and users will need time to work out how the
‘Talk2me’ videos. Using a ‘flipped learning’ approach, students
content is organised. For example, chapter one is called
can work through the accompanying listening tasks before
coming to their face-to-face class. The twelve unit course provides
‘Referring to people and things’ and covers nouns, pronouns
about a thing and determiners. The book’s strength is the use of authentic varied and engaging content. I especially like the colourful
Vocabulary Reference section, which subdivides the lexis covered
examples, taken from the Collins corpus, which now contains
into various groups to help users with word formation, idiom,
over 4.5 billion words. The book includes many useful lists of
word patterns and collocation. Like other levels in the series, the
areas like three-word phrasal verbs. It is over 550-pages long,
book provides a wealth of exam-taking tips. The B2-level of this
aimed at B1+ learners and is best used for reference or in-
course was reviewed here earlier this year. Recommended.
depth study.
Wayne Trotman reviews a book outlining the NEW INSIGHTS INTO LANGUAGE ANXIETY: Reviews by Pete Sharma for Bournemouth English Book Centre: www.bebc.co.uk
THEORY, RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL
latest research into language anxiety, and its IMPLICATIONS Edited by Christina Gkonou,
Mark Daubney and Jean-Marc Dewaele
implications for the classroom Multilingual Matters 978-1-78309-770-8
eachers who speak only English are experiences of those who matter – the regarded as reluctant speakers. Social
probably unaware of the anxiety and anxious learners themselves. anxiety and silence in tertiary classrooms is
turmoil going on in some of their The second part of the book looks at the also discussed.
Tsecond language learners’ minds. new research. Firstly, the notion of anxiety Lots of relevant information for the
The authors’ introduction explains how and second language self-image is discussed. classroom teacher can be found in the latter
such language anxiety (LA) shapes the Erdi Şimşek and Zoltan Dörnyei outline half of the book. We learn that it is vital
thoughts, feelings and actions of learners their mixed method study of twenty learners to build ‘safety nets’ such as effective error
(and sometimes teachers) by, for example, in Turkey who had particularly debilitating correction into the classroom situation.
diminishing willingness to communicate, We also learn how anxious language
sowing seeds of self-doubt, and lowering We also learn how learners can literally change how they think
self-esteem. by way of teachers using ideas and strategies
As someone who both lives and works in anxious language from traditional and positive psychology.
a Turkish speaking environment, and still learners can literally Links between self-esteem and LA along
suffers from LA even after 30 years, I felt like with further implications for the classroom
a patient listening to his doctor. I found this change how they are also discussed.
title most enlightening, especially in relation I would certainly recommend adding this
to identifying and treating its symptoms. think by way of title to reading lists for courses at all higher
The first chapter covers theoretical teachers using ideas levels of teacher development.
insights and provides an overview of LA I feel participants would be made much
research and trends in its development. It and strategies more aware of both causes and effects of
points out how, although a little anxiety LA. They would also of course be more
might push learners to study more, LA is knowledgeable in how to deal with such
largely debilitating. anxiety, and who provided insights into what matters in a professional
On the matter of whether anxiety made them nervous. manner.
is a cause or an effect of bad language The book also highlights a study with
performance, the research indicates that it is students from Saudi Arabia and Japan, plus
in fact both. LA, it says, is both an internal a mixed international group, which explored Wayne Trotman is a
state and socially constructed. whether perfectionists are more likely to be teacher educator at Izmir
The book also stresses the need to take anxious foreign language learners. Japanese Katip Çelebi University,
into consideration the viewpoints and learners of English in particular are widely Izmir, Turkey.
24 October 2017 editorial@elgazette.com 25