I understand that you put a lot of effort into the books you write. I understand that the goals of an ESL/EFL textbook author are to make the book not only educational, but interesting, entertaining, and multi-cultural. However, I have some complaints.
1. Avoid names such as Juana, which do not follow English pronunciation rules. I understand that the inclusion of characters of different ethnicities is common in EFL/ESL texts, and I have no problem with this. However, when students – especially those at the lower levels – are struggling to master pronunciation of the English language (and this is especially difficult for those students whose native language utilizes a different alphabet), trying to explain why the textbook’s CD doesn’t say “jew-anna” is not only not useful, but counter-productive.
2. Avoid codes. Talk about useless filler. There is absolutely no practical benefit derived from struggling to explain what a code is and how we must decode it, even if the decoded message is in English.
3. Think about the language level of the students when writing instructions for them to follow. If students are learning to say things along the lines of “My name is Jane and I like cats,” they will not understand the instructions “Select the hidden words, then draw the missing animal.”
4. Don’t overdo accents. Having people who speak English in a variety of accents can be useful, especially considering that most English speakers do not speak like either Tom Brokaw or the British upper classes. It is good for students to have the opportunity to listen to English spoken in a variety of ways. However, there are some problems with overdoing accents on ESL/EFL textbook CDs. Many upper-level students join ESL/EFL classes with the goal of reducing their “foreign” accent when speaking English. Additionally, multiple accents can be confusing and extremely difficult for low-level students. Also: if you’re going to include ethnic accents on your text’s CD, please use actual people who speak with those accents. There is nothing more horrible than listening to obviously fake foreign accents – and there is nothing useful in that, either.
5. Songs should be used for their words, not their music. Songs can make excellent teaching tools, and I love bringing songs into the classroom. However, songs that are useful are those which are easy to understand, slow enough to be sung, and which pertain in some way to the lesson at hand (ie, utilizing the grammar or vocabulary of the lesson). Long musical introductions and interludes are not useful and are a waste of time. Additionally, songs that are too fast or are too strangely/thickly accented for a native English speaker to clearly understand have no place in an ESL/EFL text.
6. Beware of idioms. I actually have an entire post on idioms in the ESL/EFL classroom that will go online soon, so I won’t write much here. The short version: while it is important that advanced-level students understand idioms (so that when a foreign drama student is told to break a leg, he won’t be confused or offended, etc) this is a very difficult aspect of a language for non-native speakers to master and sound natural. Don’t waste too much time on idioms, especially at lower levels. Conversely, if you’re not teaching idioms, don’t randomly throw one into the text.
7. Hire a competent native English speaker to edit your textbook. The best textbooks I have used have been published in either the US or the UK, where this is not an issue. However, many countries (yes, South Korea, I’m looking at you) offer numerous ESL/EFL texts which are written and published locally. I don’t care how fluent you are (or think you are), get a native speaker to proofread. It is easy to tell which textbooks were written and edited entirely by a non-native speaking staff.
1. Avoid names such as Juana, which do not follow English pronunciation rules. I understand that the inclusion of characters of different ethnicities is common in EFL/ESL texts, and I have no problem with this. However, when students – especially those at the lower levels – are struggling to master pronunciation of the English language (and this is especially difficult for those students whose native language utilizes a different alphabet), trying to explain why the textbook’s CD doesn’t say “jew-anna” is not only not useful, but counter-productive.
2. Avoid codes. Talk about useless filler. There is absolutely no practical benefit derived from struggling to explain what a code is and how we must decode it, even if the decoded message is in English.
3. Think about the language level of the students when writing instructions for them to follow. If students are learning to say things along the lines of “My name is Jane and I like cats,” they will not understand the instructions “Select the hidden words, then draw the missing animal.”
4. Don’t overdo accents. Having people who speak English in a variety of accents can be useful, especially considering that most English speakers do not speak like either Tom Brokaw or the British upper classes. It is good for students to have the opportunity to listen to English spoken in a variety of ways. However, there are some problems with overdoing accents on ESL/EFL textbook CDs. Many upper-level students join ESL/EFL classes with the goal of reducing their “foreign” accent when speaking English. Additionally, multiple accents can be confusing and extremely difficult for low-level students. Also: if you’re going to include ethnic accents on your text’s CD, please use actual people who speak with those accents. There is nothing more horrible than listening to obviously fake foreign accents – and there is nothing useful in that, either.
5. Songs should be used for their words, not their music. Songs can make excellent teaching tools, and I love bringing songs into the classroom. However, songs that are useful are those which are easy to understand, slow enough to be sung, and which pertain in some way to the lesson at hand (ie, utilizing the grammar or vocabulary of the lesson). Long musical introductions and interludes are not useful and are a waste of time. Additionally, songs that are too fast or are too strangely/thickly accented for a native English speaker to clearly understand have no place in an ESL/EFL text.
6. Beware of idioms. I actually have an entire post on idioms in the ESL/EFL classroom that will go online soon, so I won’t write much here. The short version: while it is important that advanced-level students understand idioms (so that when a foreign drama student is told to break a leg, he won’t be confused or offended, etc) this is a very difficult aspect of a language for non-native speakers to master and sound natural. Don’t waste too much time on idioms, especially at lower levels. Conversely, if you’re not teaching idioms, don’t randomly throw one into the text.
7. Hire a competent native English speaker to edit your textbook. The best textbooks I have used have been published in either the US or the UK, where this is not an issue. However, many countries (yes, South Korea, I’m looking at you) offer numerous ESL/EFL texts which are written and published locally. I don’t care how fluent you are (or think you are), get a native speaker to proofread. It is easy to tell which textbooks were written and edited entirely by a non-native speaking staff.
