Category Archives: textbooks

EFL textbook editions between editions

Posted on 25/03/2013 by alexcase

Mistakes in EFL textbooks like wrong answer keys and typos are nothing new, though I’d swear they are becoming more common. There has also been a totally new (for me?) variation in the last couple of years: – I’m reading … Continue reading →

Posted in ELT publishing, textbooks | Leave a comment

Kaizen TEFL

Posted on 16/10/2010 by alexcase

I would love to be able to come up with a catchy name or consistent philosophy (like Dogme) for the process that I described in my worksheets post below, but long-winded and random are much more my personal ways of doing things. … Continue reading →

Posted in ELT publishing, textbooks | 4 Comments

The dreaded last unit

Posted on 14/10/2010 by alexcase

Of all the changes in ELT publishing since I’ve been teaching, the worst has to be the five year plans that lead to a book being launched in August 2012 however ready it is or, more likely, isn’t. A prime example of … Continue reading →

Posted in ELT publishing, textbooks | Tagged | 8 Comments

Why are Advanced level textbooks so crap?

Posted on 11/09/2010 by alexcase

I’m not a huge fan of Cutting Hedges, but Cutting Edge Advanced makes me dream of the day when I can get back to New Cutting Edge Int again. Ditto for Headway, which I actually don’t mind until it gets … Continue reading →

Posted in General English textbooks | 20 Comments

Next time a publisher tries to sell you a new textbook

Posted on 15/03/2010 by alexcase

… remind them that there is already a title available that is, according to their own website, ‘Flexible, stimulating, enjoyable, simply PERFECT.’ That’s right, it’s The New Cambridge English Course, still being sold and with its own brand new, funky … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge University Press, ELT publishing, ELT World, General English textbooks, New Cambridge English Course, TEFL forums | 7 Comments

Random ideas 3- English at Home, English Away

Posted on 14/03/2010 by alexcase

This is my idea for a glocal textbook range that I’d be happy to use if anyone else writes it (as I know I’ll never manage anything longer than 3000 words), so am more than happy to just give away. … Continue reading →

Posted in ELT publishing, Materials, textbooks | Leave a comment

EFL and ESOL: worlds apart?

Posted on 28/02/2010 by alexcase

 A guest piece by winner of the TEFLtastic award for most interesting recent blog/ most recent interesting blog, 26 Letters “First, a warning: for the sake of brevity, in this post I’m going to employ ridiculous, sweeping generalisations about adult … Continue reading →

Posted in ESOL in the UK, TEFL in the UK, textbooks | 26 Comments

Interview- TEFL Hero Jon Marks on the life of a full-time TEFL writer

Posted on 31/12/2009 by alexcase

It’s been a while since I’ve used the TEFL hero category, and I’ve even stripped some people of the honour (and Sandy MacManus has been pretty close a couple of times), but I’m glad I kept it going because Jon Marks deserves it for … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge Young Learner Exams, Delta Publishing, EFL exams, ELT publishing, English Teaching Professional, General English textbooks, getting into ELT publishing, Getting published, Grammar games, IELTS, links, Photocopiable worksheets, PPP (Presentation practice production), Teaching English in Korea, TEFL, TEFL career planning, TEFL games, TEFL heroes- Jon Marks, TEFL pay, TEFL Tradesman, textbooks, Writing ELT textbooks and materials | Tagged | 2 Comments

On the CELTA, Japan, and very small learners

Posted on 22/11/2009 by alexcase

An interview with Charlie Richards of Learning Tree English, a private language school for 16 and unders (sometimes far unders!) in Osaka. “I first came across your school through your excellent examples of young learner lessons on YouTube. Typical lessons … Continue reading →

Posted in CELTA, Cultural differences/ cultural training, Discipline in the classroom, EFL CD ROMs, English through craftwork, Lesson planning, Phonics, pre-school/ kindergarten/ very young learners, Teaching English in Japan, Teaching Japanese primary school children, Teaching young learners, Technology, TEFL career planning, TEFL games, textbooks, Using songs with kids, Using storybooks | Tagged | 2 Comments

If your students hate classes based on the textbook

Posted on 12/11/2009 by alexcase

… there are six possibilities: 1. The whole concept of using a textbook is wrong 2. Having a textbook is wrong for that class 3. You’re using the textbook too much 4. You’re using the wrong textbook 5. You are … Continue reading →

Posted in Business English and ESP, ELT publishing, Experience of Language Teaching, IELTS, textbooks | 8 Comments