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Introduction: The following report has been written after having carried out a
deep analysis of the course book Total English intermediate by Antonia Clare and
JJ Wilson-Pearson Longman. It does not contain an introduction with reference to
teachers or students or how the book is organized. It provides educators with just a
list of contents and topics divided into units. Keys are presented at the end of the
coursebook.
Inclusion of pronunciation practice: There is a pronunciation practice section in
some units of the book. Not all the exercises are presented in the same form:
Some of them aim to teach the phonemic symbols. Example: In Pgs 8 and 9, Unit
1, there is an exercise providing different words, which you must distribute into two
columns, each one for two different vowels. In pg. 30, 31, Unit 4, there is an activity
to practice stressed syllables, although, there is no explanation for this.
There is no friendly explanation regarding pronunciation in activities referred to it.
In some units we can find activities related to:
Introduction of new vocabulary and practice: As in almost every book, this one
provides plenty of vocabulary. It is worth mentioning that it contains lots of useful
phrases, collocations, antonyms, a full range of verbs and nouns, examples of
word formation, and also specific vocabulary based on friendship, education, jobs,
media, life style, spare time, holidays and memories. In addition, there is a section
that introduces the vocabulary containing specific vocabulary in order to revise it.
Listening and speaking communicative Tasks: In connection to the audio
material, listening and speaking abilities are fully trained. In every unit, there is a
different section for each of these tasks. Speaking activities consist of instructions
to organize a discussion group, in a controlled environment (i.e. providing the verb
which should be used) or through a loose activity, such as a game. During these
speaking activities, the assignments encourage the learners to make an effort to
think about the future, to make use of their imagination and express their opinions.
As regards listening activities, the student can make use of the CD (which matches
with the Workbook) at his/her disposal; and the teacher is able to present the
activities contained in the Class-audio CD.
Reading texts: Every unit has a main text to be read, which contains the topic of
the unit. Vocabulary and Grammar taught in the unit is based on this main text.
This text tends to be "long", according to the level and the age of the learner. Also
each unit has two or three readings which are shorter in comparison with the main
one.
Critical aspects:
Underhill. 2007. Page 1) . In our opinion, the course book contains only
activities that prop up speaking and practice activities of some vowels and
consonants regardless of the way they are produced articulatorily.
According to Novak, students will be able to learn a new content only if they
contain relevant or relative concepts in their cognitive structures. The
i) Vowels: monophthongs
ii) Vowels: diphthongs
iii) Consonants
iv) Joining individual phonemes to make words
v) Stress in words
vi) Sounds and simplifications in connected speech
vii) Intonation and word stress
Proposed activity number 1:
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The pronunciation content lays on producing and recognizing the long vowel
sounds /i:/, /u:/ and /:/.
The coursebook should provide some examples as well as small pictures
portraying the way those sounds are produced, so students can notice the
lips/mouth position.
After the teacher has introduced the topic, he pronounces the words aloud
and then, he does it again, but this time in a silent mode while asking
students to put attention to the way the mouth/lips move. Once he does this,
he pronounces the words one by one again almost exaggerating and asks
for students repetition.
The book should contain funny short phrases or tongue twister for students
to play with them. Lets consider the case of a coursebook which contains
them and requires students putting their fingers on each side of the mouth,
or the bridge of the nose and the jaw. This works in those cases where the
teacher or the book aims to make students aware of the differences in the
sounds production. When promoting those kinds of activities we are
following Underhills ideas of Pronunciation Teaching.
Why is important to chose a course book?
The course book provides a rich resource of materials and a structured, well thought out
syllabus. The good course book offers the students stability and security. The good course
book offers the students a sense of progress and achievement. There is always something
to go back to and revise. It offers the students a sense of confidence and satisfaction as
they feel they are working within a framework and they know where they are headed and
where they've been.
Below we have some questions that can help use to decide what kind of course book is
adequate for our students:
Is the teacher's guide comprehensive and does it offer many extra ideas?
Does the book follow the rationale of the current English curriculum?
o
Are these varied and include both oral presentations and written ones?
Is the font size or style appropriate for the age group of my students?
http://www.etni.org.il/etnirag/issue4/miri_yochanna.htm