Page 44 - ELG2009 Sep Issue 472

REVIEWS . REVIEWS & RESOURCES

ENGAGING LANGUAGE BOOK OF THE MONTH
LEARNERS IN
CONTEMPORARY SPEAK YOUR MIND learners to consider students to write in new
CLASSROOMS LSTOCKSTUDIO / SHUTTERSTOCK STUDENT’S BOOK, different viewpoints, think words. The ‘Make it digital’
Sarah Mercer and Zoltan Dörnyei LEVEL 3 things through and then tasks provide an extra
Cambridge University Press, 2020 express their own ideas. dimension; in one activity,
ISBN: 978-1-108-44592-4 Mickey Rogers, Joanne There is a good range of students look for adverts
which have been banned. In
stimulating topics, from the
Taylore-Knowles, Steve
Taylore-Knowles ‘gig economy’ to the another, students record
ears ago, while training to be a Macmillan Education familiar ‘climate change’. their own talent contest,
language teacher in the UK, I was ISBN 9781380031411 The six ‘Follow A Pro’ videos which will excite some
given some pretty sound advice to provide interesting insights students but may not
Y‘Keep the students busy’. I generally This 6-level general English into people’s working lives, appeal to others; teachers
did that, but early in my ELT career overseas course is for young adults. including an astronomer and will need to be selective.
I began to wonder to what extent their being The twelve units include a musician. I especially like Recommended.
busy was useful engagement with tasks that activities to encourage the boxes provided for
led to actual language learning. Or, was the
apparent engagement down to simple fear
that they would be moaned at by me if they
relaxed? For those who suspect the latter reviewsinbrief.
might be a result of their own teaching style, Help for generating engagement and enthusiasm in the classroom
this title will prove more than enlightening. MINDSET FOR IELTS PRONUNCIATION PAIRWORKS PRONPACK3
The authors explain in the foreword how Creating opportunities Student’s Book 1 Mark Hancock
their work in recent years with language Cambridge University Press Hancock McDonald ELT
teachers led them to realise that an emphasis ISBN 9781316640050 ISBN 9780995757578
on traditional notions of motivation were
insufficient to meet teachers’ pedagogical to shape the way I like the flexibility of this This is the third in a series of
needs. By building on the principles of exam preparation book. four complementary books
focusing on pronunciation.
Teachers can follow each
technology, this book conceptualises the learners learn of the eight units by This one contains
motivation, however, and drawing on insights
from a range of fields, such as psychology and
information-gap activities for
topic in a linear way, or
of the 12 activities is
one or more language
teacher as instructional designers of tasks to by choosing to focus on pairs or small groups. Each
engage learners holistically, and thus create Wayne Trotman reviews a title that aims to skills (listening, reading, designed to take around
meaningful opportunities for them to shape writing or speaking) as 15-20 minutes of class time;
alternative versions are
appropriate for a
the way they themselves may learn. help create classrooms that engage and particular class. ‘Mindset sometimes provided. The
The introduction outlines in detail the for IELTS’ aims to take book includes practice in
authors’ ‘dream classroom’: one buzzing with motivate both students and teachers learners with an IELTS distinguishing minimum
activity, with students actively involved in score of 4 to 4.5 up to pairs and word stress.
language related tasks, clearly focused on band 5 to 5.5. Whilst ‘Sound bites’ is fun,
what they are doing and finding emotional The first of the six chapters in this book learners, the action point is to teach learners following this book, illustrating homophones in a
students are also
humorous way, eg., ‘great
satisfaction and academic benefit from their looks at how learner engagement is affected how to learn. A section in the next chapter expected to do self- eyes’ and ‘grey ties’. The
participation. Such engagement is felt of by factors beyond the actual classroom concerning teacher-student rapport, taking study exercises and activities are creative, and the graphics are inventive.
course to be the ‘holy grail of learning’, and context, such as the school as an institution care with teacher-talk is advised in order to practise their General English. The article on ‘parkour’ (free Pronunciation is an often-neglected area, making this well-
for most of us perhaps largely a dream and learners’ family settings. The following adopt the principle of being approachable. running) is particularly interesting. Student’s Book 2 has been crafted set of materials especially welcome. The first two
scenario that may be achieved only at the chapters are concerned with aspects of The authors do point out, however, that previously reviewed here. PronPacks have previously been reviewed here.
best of times. At other learner engagement that this book is not intended to be a prescriptive
times, however, as the the teacher can affect recipe-style resource. It is, instead, a guiding REVIEWS COMING UP IN THE NEXT ISSUE:
authors state on page 1: In more more directly. Chapters set of ideas and principles, ‘ … for an age Feature: Teaching Tracks: Top Ten (Teaching Tracks) by Chris Walklett.
‘ … classroom reality 2, 3 and 4 consider how where teachers must work with learners who Book of the month: Structuring Fun for Young Learners in the ELT Classroom (Pavilion Publishing and Media) by Chris Roland.
turns out to be less rosy, than twenty years teachers can create have ever-shorter attention spans and for
with students remaining foundations for student whom visual stimuli and digital teaching are Reviews in brief: Double Decker 3 Pupil’s Book (Macmillan Education); Testing for Language Teachers 3 Edition (Cambridge University
rd
distant, distracted and of reviewing ELT engagement, focusing in no longer a novelty or motivating per se.’ Press) by Arthur Hughes and Jake Hughes.
disengaged.’ titles, I do not recall particular on factors In more than twenty years of reviewing
Using data from a such as learner ELT titles, I do not recall reading a more
2015 Gallup survey in reading a more mindsets, teacher- timely one than this. Based on sound theory, Reviews by Pete Sharma for Bournemouth English Book Centre: www.bebc.co.uk
the US involving student rapport, and it provides very readable practical ideas for
900,000 students from timely one than classroom dynamics and dealing with an everyday aspect of classrooms
3,300 schools, the this. culture. Chapters 5 and that language teachers are increasingly ! !
authors note how only 6 look at how teachers confronted with. As such, it should be high ! %&$'()*+,-.$&/0$ :0;(3()/.8/(+3$
half the students were can design classroom on the wish list for trainers everywhere. @4/5!#;!$!I6/1:.3,<)!J5! /493>*.<6W*55*=:37!
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some learners are engaged while others are chapters 2 through 6 are organised into a is a teacher 1*0+340/-/./58!931!,403./:/5*2!764,0:1/+50;! %0(/+.5(35*2(-64!U*.64/*!V,5.*1! /64:>7*2/6&0)*2=:3=,[!
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this title addresses issues such as what is, and are all very neatly summarised and presented Katip Çelebi @A!642!6-1362!39!6..!*2/531/6.!:345*45!/0! ! "=>)*.(?/(+3)4!L*-0:1/-*!!
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language lessons. where the principle is to develop gritty !
44 September 2020 editorial@elgazette.com 45