HOME PAGE | Region 2 DVDs: Tales of the Unexpected | Region 1 DVDs and Books supplied from the USA
--Published materials supplied from the UK: Amazon.co.uk
Click on any topic below to see my recommendations for published resources:- Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language
- Lesson Planning and Classroom Dynamics
- Teaching English Pronunciation
- Pronunciation Practice for learners
- Listening to Spoken English
- Listening Practice for learners
- Speaking - resource books for teachers to use with learners
- Speaking - resource books + audio recordings for learners to use independently
- Grammar Practice for learners
- Grammar Activities and Games for teachers to use in the classroom
- Grammar Teaching
- Vocabulary Teaching
- Vocabulary Practice for learners
- Vocabulary Games for the classroom
- Simple reading and writing tasks
- Developing reading tasks for intermediate to higher levels
- Handwriting practice materials for basic literacy
- Britain: British habits, culture, humour, history and travel
- DVDs short episodes Tales of The Unexpected (intermediate to advanced)
with strong character roles, drama, narrative and situation - DVDS: full-length feature films (higher intermediate to advanced)
Click on any category below to go directly to a list of resources at www.amazon.co.uk
:
- English as a Foreign Language
- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
- English Grammar
- English Pronunciation
- Speaking Skills
- Listening
- English Vocabulary
- Reading Skills
- Graded Readers (Oxford Bookworms) Headwords:
Stage 1: 400
Beginners-----Elementary-----Pre-intermediate----Intermediate---High Intermediate---Advanced - Writing
- Handwriting
- Learn English with DVDs
- Communication Games
- English Language Examinations
- ELT Dictionaries
Click on the title (below) to go to Amazon.co.uk where you can review or buy the published resources:
Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language
A Course in Language Teaching Penny Ur [*****] [British based]
The Cambridge Guide to Teaching English To Speakers Of Other Languages Ronald Carter (Ed.), David Nunan (Ed.) [*****]
[Nunan is from Australia, but is currently based in Hong Kong]
Learning Teaching Jim Scrivener
How to Teach English J. Harmer
The Practice of English Language Teaching (4th Edition) (With DVD) (Longman Handbooks for Language Teachers)
A Training Course for TEFL Peter Hubbard
Practical Techniques Michael Lewis and Jimmie Hill [easy overview for trainees embarking on CELTA courses]
A Practical Guide to the Teaching of English Wilga Rivers, Mary Temperley [an American based classic of its time]
Lesson Planning and Classroom Dynamics
Planning Lessons and Courses Tessa Woodward [****]
Five-minute Activities Penny Ur, Andrew Wright [excellent for pacing and varying lessons] [*****]
Lessons from Nothing Activities for Language Teaching with Limited Time and Resources - by Bruce Marsland
Resource Books for Teacher: Classroom Dynamics Jill Hadfield [*****] [excellent advice for teachers on how to motivate learners]
Teaching Practice Handbook Roger Gower, et al
Teaching English Pronunciation
Learner English Michael Swan (Ed.), Bernard Smith (Ed.) [*****] [covers common phonological & grammatical errors by language background]
Learner English: Audio Cassette
Learner English: Audio CD
Phonetics for Learners of English Pronunciation (book and audio CD) by Marianne Jordan
Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (17th Edition) (With CD-ROM) [*****]
Longman Pronunciation Dictionary with interactive CD [*****]
The Communicative Value of Intonation in English David Brazil (Ed.) et al [Brazil's system for describing how intonation works]
Teaching English Pronunciation Joanne Kenworthy #excellent and practical.
Pronunciation Practice for learners
[L1]-[L2] Tree or Three? : Student Book (2nd Edition) and 3 audio CDs - by Ann Baker, Leslie Marshall [****]
[L2]-[L4] English Pronunciation in Use Elementary Book with Answers, 5 Audio CDs and CD-ROM [*****]
[L2]-[L4] Ship or Sheep? Student Book (third edition) and 4 audio CDs - by Ann Baker [*****]
[L3]-[L5] English Pronunciation Illustrated: Student Book John Trim, Peter Kneebone [*****][excellent collection of minimal pairs]
[L3]-[L5] English Pronunciation Illustrated: Cassette
[L3]-[L5] English Pronunciation in Use Intermediate Book with Answers, Audio CDs and CD-ROM [*****]
[L3]-[L5] Elements of Pronunciation Colin Mortimer [*****] [covers consonant clusters, link up, contractions, weak forms, stress patterns]
[L3]-[L5] Elements of Pronunciation Set of 4 Cassettes
[L3]-[L5] Jazz Chants Old and New Carolyn Graham, Marilyn Rosenthal (Editor) [*****] [American English, though widely in UK language schools as fun resource for practising rhythm and intonation]
[L3]-[L5] Jazz Chants Old and New CD Carolyn Graham, Marilyn Rosenthal (Editor)
[L4]-[L6] Intonation in Context: Student's Book Barbara Bradford, David Brazil (Ed.)
[L4]-[L6] Intonation in Context: Teacher's Book [Brazil's system of intonation]
[L4]-[L6] Intonation in Context: Cassette
[L4]-[L6] English Pronunciation in Use Advanced Book with Answers, 5 Audio CDs and CD-ROM [*****]
Listening to Spoken English
Teaching Listening Comprehension Penny Ur [*****] [the bible for materials production - listening]
Teaching the Spoken Language Gillian Brown, George Yule [*****] [excellent for those essays on the characteristics of spoken English]
Listening Practice for Learners
[L3]-[L4] Task Listening: Student's Book Lesley Blundell, Jacqueline Stokes [*****] [British English]
[L3]-[L4] Task Listening: Cassette
[L3]-[L4] Task Listening: Teacher's Book
[L3]-[L4] Listening Tasks: Student's Book [****] [American English]
[L3]-[L4] Listening Tasks: Cassette
[L3]-[L4] Listening Tasks: Teacher's Manual and Answer Key
[L4]-[L5] How to Listen : An Intermediate Course on Listening Skills [***]
[L4]-[L7] Poetry Archive
[L4]-[L7] BBC Radio 4 Listen Again
Speaking - resource books for teachers to use with learners
[L1]-[L2] Beginner's Communication Games Jill Hadfield [*****]
[L2]-[L3] Elementary Communication Games Jill Hadfield [*****]
[L3]-[L5] Intermediate Communication Games Jill Hadfield [*****]
[L5]-[L6] Advanced Communication Games Jill Hadfield [*****]
[L4]-[L7] Discussions That Work Penny Ur [*****] [the bible for materials production - speaking]
Speaking - resource books + audio recordings for learners to use independently
[L3]-[L4] Situational Dialogues: Student Book Michael Ockenden [*****] [dated, but a classic]
[L3]-[L4] Situational Dialogues: Cassette
Grammar Practice for learners
for independent study, self-access centre or occasional class use
[L1]-[L2] Basic Grammar in Use with Answers Raymond Murphy [*****]
[L2]-[L3] Essential Grammar in Use (with Answers and CD-ROM) by Raymond Murphy - Self-study reference & practice book [*****]
[L3]-[L5] English Grammar in Use (with Answers and CD-ROM) by Raymond Murphy - Self-study reference & practice book [*****]
[L6]-[L7] Advanced Grammar in Use (with Answers and CD-ROM) by Martin Hewings
[L4]-[L6] How English Works: a Grammar Practice Book: With Key Michael Swan, Catherine Walter [****]
[L4]-[L7] Practical English Usage, 3rd Edition Michael Swan [*****]
[L6]-[L7] A Practical English Grammar Thomson and Martinet [*****]
Grammar Activities and Games for teachers to use in the classroom
[L2]-[L3] Elementary Grammar Games Jill Hadfield [*****]
[L2]-[L5] Grammar Practice Activities Penny Ur [*****] [the bible for materials production - grammar]
[L3]-[L4] Grammar Games Mario Rinvolucri
[L3]-[L4] More Grammar Games Mario Rinvolucri, Paul Davis
Grammar Teaching
Teaching Tenses: Ideas for Presenting and Practising Tenses in English (Paperback) by Rosemary Aitken
Grammar for English Language Teachers With Exercises and a Key (Paperback) - by Martin Parrot
How to Teach Grammar Scott Thornbury
Meaning and the English Verb Geoffrey Leech [*****] [excellent for those essays on the uses of the Present Perfect]
A Communicative Grammar of English Geoffrey Leech, Jan Svartvik [*****] [handy for those explanations of grammar with reference to meaning]
The English Verb Michael Lewis [covers similar territory to Geoffrey Leech's classic]
Vocabulary Teaching
Vocabulary : Description, Acquisition and Pedagogy Norbert Schmitt (Ed.), Michael McCarthy (Ed.)
Vocabulary, Semantics and Language Education Evelyn Hatch, Cheryl Brown
Specialist English Dictionaries for ESP/EAP (occupational &/or academic purposes) some with vocabulary workbooks
Vocabulary Practice for learners
[L2]-[L3] English Vocabulary in Use: Elementary with Answers and CD-ROM by Michael McCarthy, Felicity O'Dell, Geraldine Mark [*****]
[L2]-[L3] Test your English Vocabulary in Use Elementary
[L2]-[L3] Elementary Vocabulary B. J. Thomas [*****]
[L3]-[L4] English Vocabulary in Use Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate with Answers and CD-ROM by Stuart Redman and Lynda Edwards [*****]
[L3]-[L4] Test your English Vocabulary in Use Pre-Intermediate & Intermediate
[L3]-[L4] Intermediate Vocabulary B. J. Thomas [*****]
[L4]-[L5] English Vocabulary in Use: Upper Intermediate with Answers and CD-ROM by Michael McCarthy, Felicity O'Dell [*****]
[L4]-[L5] Test your English Vocabulary in Use Upper-Intermediate
[L4]-[L5] The LTP Dictionary of Selected Collocations Jimmie Hill (Ed.), Michael Lewis (Ed.) [Popular with learners preparing for FCE]
[L4]-[L5] Idioms Organiser Jon Wright [Popular with learners preparing for FCE]
[L5]-[L6] English Vocabulary in Use Advanced with Answers and CD-ROM by Michael McCarthy & Felicity O'Dell [*****]
[L5]-[L6] Test your English Vocabulary in Use Advanced
[L5]-[L6] Advanced Vocabulary and Idiom B. J. Thomas [*****]
[L5]-[L7] Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary: CD-ROM Pack (Paperback and CD) [*****]
[L5]-[L7] Specialist English Dictionaries over 25 subject areas - occupational &/or academic (some with dedicated vocabulary workbooks)
Vocabulary Games for the classroom
Elementary Vocabulary Games: Teacher's Resource Book Jill Hadfield [*****]
Intermediate Vocabulary Games: Teacher's Resource Book Jill Hadfield [*****]
Simple reading and writing tasks
The following materials were written with children in mind, though the tasks are functional and can easily be adapted to the needs of other age groups.
Many books about teaching writing focus on "what?" and "how?". Jill and Charles Hadfield believe that in order to encourage children or adults to write, lesson tasks should emphasize "who for?" and "why?".
- Simple Reading Activities - by Charles & Jill Hadfield [ 72 pages: Oxford Basics 2000]
30 activities at elementary level, complete with ideas for boardwork and pictures teachers can copy. All the activities are simple and adaptable. They are particularly well-suited to classrooms where there are few resources apart from a board, paper, and pens - and of course the teacher and the learners themselves. - Simple Writing Activities - by Charles & Jill Hadfield [ 72 pages: Oxford Basics 2001]
The two Oxford Basics books (above) are organised into 30 useful topic areas eg. numbers, food and drink, describing people. Each book has the same format with units clearly laid out in the form of an actual lesson plan giving ideas for activities, checking comprehension, pronunciation points and follow-up activities. - Reading Games - Photocopiable ELT Games and Activities by Charles & Jill Hadfield [114 pages: Longman Nelson 1995]
pairwork, small group and whole class games and activities, using reading texts from newspapers, magazines, notes, maps etc. - Writing Games - Photocopiable ELT Games and Activities by Charles & Jill Hadfield [116 pages: Longman Nelson 1997]
contains descriptions, brainstorming, poems, story writing, postcard exchanges, etc. Review.
Developing reading tasks for intermediate to higher levels
Production of your own materials is time-consuming, but learners are most likely to be encouraged to read if practice texts and tasks reflect their needs i.e. their likely reasons for reading. In this way, the reading lesson can emphasize who for?" and "why?" as well as what?" and "how?". The following book saved me considerable time by providing an index of exercise-types and numerous model texts and tasks:
- Developing Reading Skills - by Françoise Grellet [ 256 pages: Cambridge 1981]
In order to consider a wide range of reasons for reading, teachers producing their own materials should be aware of the many different reading techniques (corresponding with "what" and "why" we read), different aims and functions within reading texts, and the different exercise-types needed to serve the full development of reading skills. Developing Reading Skills contains a most accessible 23-page introduction which highlights all these points. It is followed by numerous examples of texts and exercise-types, providing helpful models for teachers wishing to tune reading texts and tasks to their learners' needs. Most of texts used in the examples assume a certain level of literacy, though there is no reason why most of the exercise-types could not be used with texts which are less demanding linguistically. Françoise Grellet's classic should be compulsory reading on all CELTA and DELTA TEFL courses and should also prove invaluable for anybody planning to develop literacy materials beyond the basic level of decoding the letters of the alphabet. The key to producing motivating reading lesson materials is an interesting and appropriate text and an interesting and appropriate task.
Handwriting practice materials for basic literacy
For adults (also suitable for most teenagers)
- Start By Writing - suitable for Arabic language backgrounds - John Naunton [88 pages: Longman 1985]
- Basic Handwriting in English - suitable for Arabic language backgrounds - Bernard Hartley & Peter Viney [62 pages: Nelson 1982]
- Handwriting: Work Book - Bright and Piggot [32 pages: Cambridge 1976]
- Handwriting: Teachers Book - Bright and Piggot [34 pages: Cambridge 1976]
- Practical Punctuation - Ian Gordon [80 pages Heinemann 1978]
- Collins Good Punctuation - Graham King [192 pages: Collins 2004]
For young learners (aged 12 to 16)
- Rainbow 2000: Beginning Handwriting Skills - young learners within an Arabic-world context [24 pages: Macmillan ELT 1991]
- English Punctuation (Usborne Better) - well illustrated rules and practice for young learners aged 12 to 16 [32 pages: Usborne 2003]
For small children (aged 5 and 6)---------including early reading / synthetic phonics
- Handwriting Skills: Copybooks (Paperback 1994) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | - Christopher Jarman [32 pages: Nelson Thornes Ltd 1994]
- Learn Cursive Writing - Jillian Harker & Geraldine Taylor [32 pages: Ladybird 1994] - National Curriculum English Stage 1 (children)
- Learn Reading Skills - Jillian Harker & Geraldine Taylor [32 pages: Ladybird 1994] - National Curriculum English Stage 1 (children)
- Learn Phonic Spelling - Jillian Harker & Geraldine Taylor [32 pages: Ladybird 1994] - National Curriculum English Stage 1 (children)
- Oxford Reading Tree: Stage 1+: Songbirds Phonics: by Julia Donaldson. Pack (6 books, 1 of each title)
- Oxford Reading Tree: Stage 2: Songbirds Phonics: by Julia Donaldson. Pack (6 Books, 1 of Each Title)
- Oxford Reading Tree: Stage 3: Songbirds Phonics: by Julia Donaldson. Pack (6 Books, 1 of Each Title)
- Oxford Reading Tree: More Stage 3: Songbirds Phonics: by Julia Donaldson. Pack (6 Books, 1 of Each Title)
- Oxford Reading Tree: Stage 4: Songbirds Phonics: by Julia Donaldson. Pack (6 Books, 1 of Each Title) (Pack of 6)
- Oxford Reading Tree: More Stage 4: Songbirds Phonics: by Julia Donaldson. Pack (6 Books, 1 of Each Title)
- Oxford Reading Tree: Stage 5: Songbirds Phonics: by Julia Donaldson. Pack (6 books, 1 of each title)
- Oxford Reading Tree: Stage 6: Songbirds Phonics: by Julia Donaldson. Pack (6 Books, 1 of Each Title)
- Get Ready!: Handwriting Book Level 1 - for very young children - Felicity Hopkins [32 pages: Oxford 1988 ]
- American Get Ready!: Handwriting Book Level 1 - for very young children - Felicity Hopkins [32 pages: Oxford 1990 ]
- Get Ready!: Handwriting Book Level 2 - for very young children - Felicity Hopkins [32 pages: Oxford 1988 ]
- American Get Ready!: Handwriting Book Level 2 - for very young children - Felicity Hopkins [32 pages: Oxford 1990 ]
Stages 1+ to 6 of the Oxford Reading Tree cover the National Curriculum Strategy - Word Level requirements for Key Stage 1 (5 to 6 year-old children). The materials provide systematic practice of synthetic phonics: consonant clusters, sound segmentation and blending. Stages 1 to 6 (of songbirds or e-songbirds) cover all 44 English phonemes (vowel and consonant sounds) and offer activities to develop new reading skills, contextualising phonic learning and increasing comprehension of the written word. This is a fun approach. Julia Donaldson is one of the most successful living writers of stories and educational materials for very young children, including The Gruffalo and The Snail and the Whale.
Teaching small children (aged 5 and 6) to read via the interactive Whiteboard using e-songbirds Phonics: CD-ROMs
- Oxford Reading Tree: Stages 1+-2: e-songbirds Phonics: CD-ROM Single-user Licence
- Oxford Reading Tree: Stages 1+-2: e-songbirds Phonics: CD-ROM Unlimited-user Licence
- Oxford Reading Tree: Stages 3-4: e-songbirds Phonics: CD-ROM Single-user Licence
- Oxford Reading Tree: Stages 3-4: e-songbirds Phonics: CD-ROM Unlimited-user Licence
- Oxford Reading Tree: Stages 5-6: e-songbirds Phonics: CD-ROM Single-user Licence
- Oxford Reading Tree: Stages 5-6: e-songbirds Phonics: CD-ROM Unlimited-user Licence
Note: all the above Oxford Reading Tree titles are designed for the UK National Curriculum Key Stage 1 (5 to 6 year-old children)
Britain: British habits, culture, humour, history and travel
[L2]-[L4] Welcome to Britain
[L3]-[L5] Mrs Joyce Hoover's How Do You Do?: A Quick 'n' Easy Guide to Britain and the British
[L3]-[L5] Mrs. Joyce Hoover's How to be British: An Impractical Guide to the Country, Language and People
[L4]-[L7] A Dictionary of Modern Britain (ELT)
[L5]-[L7] Britain, Second Edition: Britain, Second Edition Pack (with Workbook)
[L5]-[L7] Britain: The Country and its People - An Introduction for Learners of English
[L5]-[L7] An Illustrated History of Britain (Longman Background Books)
[L5]-[L7] The Rough Guide to Britain (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
[L5]-[L7] The Great Britain Guide (AA Illustrated Reference Books)
[L5]-[L7] The Most Amazing Places to Visit in Britain (Readers Digest)
[L5]-[L7] Britain from the Air
DVDs: full-length feature films
Projection of DVDs---------Educational Technology
Cinema on DVD now provides a relatively inexpensive way for intermediate to advanced level learners to improve their language skills. The Educational Technology section of this site features a DVD projector with built-in speakers, which allows presentation of DVD/CD/JPG/PC Computer media to individuals and fairly large groups. Together with blackout and a white wall, the DVD projector can function as a Home Cinema. Classic films are usually more moderately priced than the latest blockbusters. I go for films based on literature or the lives of famous novelists to practise my French, recently choosing such classics as Le Dîner De Cons, La Gloire De Mon Pere, Le Chateau De Ma Mere, Jean De Florette/Manon Des Sources. I like the landscape photography in the film adaptations of Marcel Pagnol's books.
If I were an advanced learner of English, I would go for adaptations of Thomas Hardy novels such as Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Far From The Madding Crowd, The Mayor of Casterbridge as well as The Charles Dickens BBC Collection: The Pickwick Papers / Oliver Twist / A Christmas Carol / Martin Chuzzlewit / David Copperfield / Tale Of Two Cities / Great Expectations / Our Mutual Friend [DVD]. Literature on DVD can do what many good language coursebooks do in contextualising language through characters and settings using narrative to maintain interest.
Key to symbols showing resources for learners to use (or for teachers to use with learners)
[L1] Beginners, though learners will already have basic literacy in the Roman Alphabet
[L2] Elementary and Post Elementary
[L3] Lower intermediate and Intermediate
[L4] Intermediate and Higher intermediate
[L5] Higher Intermediate at Cambridge First Certificate
[L6] Advanced at Cambridge Advanced
[L7] Advanced at Cambridge Proficiency
[*****] five stars means highly-rated;
I do not list items I judge to be poor.
--rss webfeed--Ted Power's recommendations: Published resources for English language learning and teaching:
This feed is intended for learners/teachers/Directors of Studies wishing to review or select books/CDs/CD-ROMs on English language learning and teaching including areas such as teacher training, pronunciation, listening to spoken English, oral fluency, grammar, vocabulary, reading and writing (including handwriting & basic literacy).
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