Customer Reviews:
A very helpful book for ESL student.......2007-09-27
It's the book I strongly recommand for ESL student. It helps a lot in writing essay.
Solid, up-to-date Textbook.......2007-06-30
Using this textbook for the first time this year, I found it to be both well organized and contain interesting content, which helped pique the students' interest. After spending much time researching potential texts, this one was by and far the best. I only wish it had come with a teacher's edition providing creative suggestions for proceeding through the book (I'm a new teacher). Still, it has allowed me to organize the class into pairs and groups, when I wish, quite well for the practice exercises in order to create a more relaxed and student centered atmosphere. I also recommend alternating between chapters focusing on paragraph/essay and those on sentence structure. Overall I highly recommend it for upper-intermediate/advanced high school or university students. Very well done!
buyer review.......2006-08-05
i'm very satisfied with the condition of the book. The package arrived on time. Very trustworthy!
Teacher & Engineer.......2006-02-25
This is a good introductory book on academic writing.
The content is very well organized and clearly presented.
I would highly recommend you to have a copy of it.
Top of the Pile.......2001-11-24
Most Australian universities today are dependent on overseas students to fill admission quotas. Overseas students must first convince the universities that they have sufficient skills to deal with the rigours of academic writing. This book is designed to do just that. Writing Academic English has been written for intermediate to advanced international and English as a Second Language high school students who are writing essays to gain good marks before they enter university. This book will continue to be very useful for students who have gained admission to university because most academic writing is expository in nature. In the same way the book should appeal to native speakers of English who need to develop or refresh their basic composition skills.
The authors' straightforward writing style is reflected in the book as their personal teaching philosophy. The book has numerous attributes, the first one of which is the exclusion of double page organisational charts at the beginning of the book. These well-meaning charts dividing the book into sections, categories, or chapters have hopefully been relegated to the far flung corners of publishing houses for all eternity. Instead, the contents of Writing Academic English are clearly stated and spaciously arranged. It is crucial that books of this type are effectively organised with the important components taught in small step-by-step units. The authors' commitment to concision and clarity is again reinforced with clear illustrations and examples.
The book is divided into three parts and fourteen chapters with no less than four appendices. Intelligent use has been made of a word processor, the charts, diagrams, shading around boxes, and highlighted headings add character to the presentation without overdoing it. At all times the presentation remains clear and focused. The charming pictographic inclusion of artifacts from academies and museums, for example, the Native American symbols from Alaska on page two, add a welcome degree of relief and interest from the rigorous textual demands. Other attractive features of this book include the practice lessons and culturally appropriate model paragraphs, tips and tricks on how you can use your computer to support your essay writing, thoughtful annotations at the base of each page explaining tricky vocabulary for the non-native speaker, and a sprinkling of cross references to guide the student painlessly through.
The popularity of Writing Academic English (1999) by Oshima and Hogue and their team of assistants is universal. Educators and students everywhere use and refer to their books including the University of Western Sydney, Ohio State University, the University of Toronto to mention only three. If you want to write well and can afford a AUS$50 book, you should buy it. As an afterthought, can you afford not to buy it?
Book Description
How can you make a discussion really work? What sort of activities produce genuine and enthusiastic exchanges of ideas? How can you prepare such exercises quickly and easily? These are some of the questions that Discussions that Work sets out to answer. The first part provides some general guidelines on the organisation of successful task-centred activities. The second part consists of some fifty practical examples which have been tried and found effective in the classroom. They range from fairly simple to complex and sophisticated, and can thus be used with a wide range of learners, from elementary to the most advanced, in both secondary and adult education.
Customer Reviews:
waste of money.......2006-06-28
sorry, but I found it a total waste of money. No new ideas - just the usual.
I also had to pay custom charges, so it turned out very expensive.
Don't Buy It.
What a great resource.......2005-06-12
I teach an advanced oral English class for professionals, in China. I am very impressed with the books in this series, and with this one in particular. I received Discussions That Work a couple of weeks ago and have gone through it cover to cover. I was amazed to find that I could imagine my class discussing almost every topic given, participating in almost every activity suggested. This book is full of wonderful ideas, clearly presented by the author and requiring little advance preparation by me. Ms. Ur is a master at her craft. Highly recommended!
Exceptional ! A well thought out resource for ESL teachers.......2004-08-03
I bought this book and, if you are an ESL instructor, you should too. The author, Penny Ur, successfully bridges that gap between ESL theory and pratical application. What is the "task-based" teaching approach to ESL ? It is NOT just assigning tasks and then moving around the classroom from group to group, correcting the student's English. Although this is what I observed many times in all the years I have been teaching ESL at the university level, this is not what task-based learning is about. It's about knowing the skills involved in performing language tasks then assigning them, based on the student's ability. Penny Ur takes the reader from the approach to application in her text.
An exceptional resource........2002-03-20
I relied on this book during my three years as a teacher of English as a second lanugage in the Peace Corps. I do not know what I would have done without it.
Discussions that may not always work........2000-04-02
I don't know just how old this book is, but it reminds me of the kinds of language activities that I did as a pupil in English as my first language when I was eleven or twelve. There are lots of cognitive and logical activities and a few balloon debates, which are fun if you like that kind of stuff. However, these activities may not necessarily be the best way to promote fluency in your EFL class simply because they are mentally too taxing. They require silent reflection, which is not what you would want in your oral English lessons. The book is divided into two parts; The first section discusses general principles, which is both lucid and informative. The second section, which is about three quarters of the book, gives practical examples. The best activities for me in my high school teaching situation, are the simple ones which have a real-life purpose, such as planning for a trip or doing a survey, and which are easy enough to get students talking straight away. Overall, this book does have quite a lot of useful and workable activities and I'm pleased that I can refer to it from time to time. If you are an EFL teacher looking for new ideas for facilitating discussion in your language classes, then most likely, you will not be disappointed with this book.
Customer Reviews:
CLAD Text.......2003-12-31
A well written text essential for acquiring CLAD credentialing. Myths are perpetuated which greatly reduces the credibility - there is only one "race", humans or Homo sapiens. Very few of us were born or came from the Caucasus Mountains of eastern Europe, yet 17th century artificial constructs of "race" and "Caucasian" are used. There is no discussion of how skin pigmentation is an ecotype adaptation, not a "race." Science, Scientific American, Discovery and other peer-reviewed journals have corrected "race" misconceptions repeatedly - yet the authors, with education backgrounds, appear to have not completed a review of current literature.
There is no discussion of critical thinking (www.criticalthinking.org). Children of "color" are discussed, but there is no discussion of children of "pallor". The 3rd edition can be greatly improved by being current, i.e., people of pallor (so-called "white") are now the "minority" in many communities; a CD-ROM or DVD and online video streaming resources; correct use of the term "race."
Inquiry is discussed under Science, but only the Natl Science Education Standards are acknowleged - TIMSS, Geography, Project 2061 (AAAS), GLOBE (www.globe.gov) 15,000+ schools in 100 countries on 7 continents and multiple other standards are ignored.
The authors get it wrong regarding the language of Science, many students with nonEnglish backgrounds have an advantage over English speakers because of the Latin and Greek roots. Effective teaching uses "hands-on, minds-on" not "familiarize, memorize, regurgitate and forget." Effective K-12 and university instructors minimize lecturing and maximize opportunities to internalize knowledge across curricula.
A wealth of current critical thinking, classroom management and teaching techniques will go a long way toward helping make this a credible, rather than a required text.
Golden resource.......2002-08-06
I almost felt like I was cheating on the CLAD test. This handbook was a wonderful resource and the only one I used to pass the test .... the FIRST time!!
Preparing to take the CLAD test........2001-10-27
Chapters 1 & 2 seemed very dry but I'm not big on theory. The remaining chapters were much more interesting. I highly recommend reading it before taking the CLAD test.
Book Description
As the first of its kind for this course, THE SPEAKER'S HANDBOOK has established itself as both a reference for the individual speaker and an excellent textbook for use in the public speaking course. The new edition of the THE SPEAKER'S HANDBOOK continues to distinguish itself by providing another innovation -- a new spiral bound, tabbed format. Each of the chapters can stand alone, enabling the speaker to consult only those parts of the book covering the aspects of public speaking with which they need guidance. The new edition also offers expanded and updated research and presentation coverage, a new text-specific CD-ROM with interactivity that guides students through the speech-making process, and links to the Web-based Speech Builder Express speech-outlining program.
Customer Reviews:
Professional Speaking.......2001-02-24
An excellent source for professors and people interested in Professional Speaking. It was the textbook for my professional speaking class and I found it an excellent source of reference in addition to excellent examples that helped me prepare my speech.
Book Description
This landmark volume provides a broad-based, state-of-the-art overview of current knowledge and research into second language teaching and learning. Fifty-seven chapters are organized in eight thematic sections:
*social contexts of second language learning;
*research methodologies in second-language learning, acquisition, and teaching;
*contributions of applied linguistics to the teaching and learning of second language skills;
*second language processes and development;
*teaching methods and curricula;
*issues in second or foreign language testing and assessment;
*identity, culture, and critical pedagogy in second language teaching and learning; and
*important considerations in language planning and policies.
The Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning is intended for researchers, practitioners, graduate students, and faculty in teacher education and applied linguistics programs; teachers; teacher trainers; teacher trainees; curriculum and material developers; and all other professionals in the field of second language teaching and learning.
Customer Reviews:
Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning.......2005-11-07
Incredibly useful! Exactly what I need all in one place!
Customer Reviews:
A Speaker's Guidebook.......2001-08-21
An excellent text for novice public speakers. I've found it particularly helpful for students who are unfamiliar with public speaking. The tabs make it an easy reference guide to tailor a speech to your personal topic. For people who are experienced, or who have never given a public speech, there is invaulable information about audience analysis, presentation, and the basic construction of a good speech. This is the kind of text that public speakers will keep in their library as a personal reference guide to aid them in the construction of any speech.
Book Description
Lessons from Nothing is an invaluable resource for busy teachers everywhere who are looking for easy-to-use activities that do not require extensive facilities or preparation. It is a practical source of around 70 language teaching activities that encourage interaction and co-operation in the classroom. Special features: * activities for immediate use * activities for all ages and levels * clear presentation * no photocopying required.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic resource for inspiration.......2007-07-23
I'm an English teacher in China, doing both classroom and private small-group teaching. Language learning definitely requires more than the "chalk and talk" approach that Mr. Marsland warns against, and his book is a great resource for avoiding such a bland style of teaching. Language learning should be engaging, and this book offers good inspiration for making it so.
I have to cope with very unsatisfactory teaching materials oriented towards memorization and drills -- not good for achieving fluency. Also, I'm frequently asked to teach last-minute classes with little or no time to prepare. Resources are frequently limited to little more than a chalkboard, if that. It's easy to become frantic and stuck in a pattern of "Oh God, how do I fill this 90 minutes of class time? What do I do?!"
Many thanks to Mr. Marsland for giving this concise, well-organized and thoughtful book. It's like a splash of cold water in my face when I make my own job more complicated than it has to be. /Lessons From Nothing/ is a nice reminder that you can easily turn "nothing" into "something" if you make it engaging and interactive.
Not satisfied.......2007-04-10
I don't think that this book is what it claims to be. Too difficult to read and the lessons weren't really that great. I threw it out.
Must Have No Matter Where You Are.......2002-02-11
This is a small compact book that has tons of activities that
you can use with absolutely no resources. In many LDN nations
there will be no resources at all. At times, not even a chalk
board. This book can however, be used anywhere, because it
focuses on Communicative methodology and student-centered activities which allows for better development of L2 acquisition. No matter where you are teaching in the world, if your teaching TEFL/TESOL it should be on your shelf.
Book Description
This updated edition is a practical reference guide which compares the relevant features of a student's own language with English, helping teachers to predict and understand the problems their students have. Learner English has chapters focusing on major problems of pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and other errors as well as new chapters covering Korean, Malay/Indonesian and Polish language backgrounds.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Resource for ESL Teachers.......2006-10-31
This book is an asset to understanding which aspects of English may cause students from various L1 backgrounds the most trouble. Excellent for a multicultural classroom.
Great resource for EFL instructors, learners, and linguists.......2001-10-29
This is an amazingly thorough resource that explains different problems different learner groups have with English. The books is organized by language group (Chinese, Vietnamese, Spanish, etc.) so that you can easily look up your area of interest. Each chapter covers phonology, orthography, grammar, vocabulary, culture, writing/translation issues, and more. Each EFL teacher should have a copy of this book, to help him/her understand his/her students better, and it would be great for EFL students to have a copy too, so they can more readily see their pattern of errors.
The only thing missing is some kind of section on exercises to do to correct the errors. You'll have to go to another book for that.
Customer Reviews:
Penguin Russian Course.......2007-08-13
This book is fantastic. I'm new to the language and have several resources on hand, but this book is my favorite. It systematically presents key concepts and is very thorough.
Outstanding book for beginners to learn Russian.......2007-04-11
Alright, i'll break it down for you. This book gives you EVERYTHING you need to learn how to speak russian fluently. The book itself is broken down into lessons and throughout the lessons its broken down further into Exercises. Then, at the end of the lesson they have anywhere from four to six exercises. Make sure your actually DOING THEM! they will help you immensely. At the end of the book they have a Russian to English and then after that an English to Russian vocabulary section that covers most of the common words in russian (the vocab. takes up the last 200 pages). DONT BE INTIMITADED, stay open minded, ask questions (if you have the resourses), have fun and enjoy it. Russian is an awesome language!
After a year, still my favorite russian book.......2007-03-12
There's not much I can add to what all the other reviewers have already said. I'm an expat living in Russia for a year so far and I'm currently taking classes using a different text (Ben Clark), and I still pull this book out regularly. People of course have many different learning styles and I guess for some genius polyglots, this may not be the best method, but for me the material seems to have a very organic presentation to it. It's certainly not a phrasebook, but the author does tend to present commonly used words and phrases as earlier in the text rather than later. This is a serious book and you can expect to be doing some concentrated studying if you want enjoy its full benefit. I highly recommend this book and it's some of the best money I've spent before coming here.
Brilliant!.......2007-02-13
This is possibly the most helpful self-teaching book I've ever seen. If you stick with it and do all the exercises, you'll be shocked at how quickly and how well you learn the language. Keep in mind that you will still need to either take classes with a live teacher or get an audio teaching course on top of using this book, or your pronunciation will probably be terrible. I also got some vocabulary flashcards (and make my own for the alphabet), but whether or not you'd find those helpful just depends on how you learn best.
russian reader.......2007-01-06
The New Penguin Russian Course- is very good for a beginner. It explains the grammar very well and in easy steps.
Books:
- 2007 People's Toolkit for Federal Grants and Government Benefits: Grant Writing, Proposal Writing Tips and Resources, Applications, Forms, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (Book and CD-ROM Set)
- A Complete Guide to Sermon Delivery
- A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar
- A Manual For Eucharistic Visitors
- Alcoholics Anonymous - Big Book 4th Edition
- Algorithm Design
- Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing, Brief Edition, The (4th Edition) (MyCompLab Series)
- Applying UML and Patterns: An Introduction to Object-Oriented Analysis and Design and Iterative Development (3rd Edition)
- Basic English Grammar, Third Edition (Full Student Book with Audio CD and Answer Key)
- Basic Italian: Learn to Speak and Understand Italian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur)
Books Index
Books Home
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General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
Introduction to Academic Writing, Third Edition (The Longman Academic Writing Series, Level 3)
Understanding and Using English Grammar, Third Edition (Full Student Book with Answer Key)
Academic Writing for Graduate Students, Second Edition: Essential Tasks and Skills (Michigan Series in English for Academic & Professional Purposes)
College Reading 4 (Houghton Mifflin English for Academic Success)
Focus on Grammar 4 (3rd Edition)
