Reading for a Reason Student Book 1: Expanding Reading Skills
by Laurie Blass and Elizabeth Whalley
Copyright @ 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
TLINES EXAMPLE
CHAPTER 1 PSYCHOLOGY
Chapter Preview Short Survey
Reading 1 Before You Read
As You Read
After You Read
Reading 2 Before You Read
As You Read
After You Read
Vocabulary
Expressions
Internet Research
Write About It On Your Own
Wrap UP
Crossword Puzzle |
I could imagine myself using the Reading for a Purpose reading series either for a college EFL class in Taiwan or for an ESL class in this country. When I attended the ESL school in Austin, TX, I had to take the English Placement Test to know at what level I should be placed. Students at that ESL school came from all over the world to get ready for either undergraduate or graduate study. Reading for a Purpose 1 would be a good one for the class that is one lower level than the one that I was at, the intermediate level.
This reading series emphasizes very much a top-down approach. The content of Reading for a Reason 1 is appropriate for those young ESL/EFL students who have finished high school in their own countries. It can be used for young adults or older as well. Since I do not have the Teacher’s Manual with Tests, I do not know how the authors will use this material to teach. I wonder how much of each lesson will be used in class and how much of it will be assigned as student’s homework. However, I do think that teachers have a lot of freedom to create an interactive learning experience for students by assigning students into small groups for discussions or pairing students up for any of the exercises. These are some of major strengths: (Please see a typical chapter's outlines on the left) 1. Focus on readers: activating background knowledge 2. Great intensive reading exercises 3. Offer strategic reading and study skills Major Weakness: 1. Offer more exercises: I believe that students will be benefited by doing more exercises in order to get familiar with each two reading skills that are covered in each chapter. Since one of the assignments in each chapter is doing their Internet Research, students could be the ones looking for the supplemental materials. Teachers can collect them and use them for extra exercises in class to practice their reading skills. |