just wondering if there are favorite/well known texts used by teachers of English here in Spain. Specifically, for the teachers who have been in Madrid/Spain for some time, have you noticed any reoccuring texts on your job sites? Any personal favorites? If anyone has taught in countries besides Spain, and then came here, do you find any texts that Spanish students respond to especially? i currently only have Practical English Usage, Swan (Oxford)) and Grammar in Use, Murphy (Cambridge) in my "collection". If (and when) i need to supplement my materials, what recommendations do you vets have?

stephen

Apart from the standard grammar books (R. Murphy�s English Grammar books are excellent)... I am a strong believer in methodology and structure for lower level learners (up through high intermediate).

I use the New Headway series in many of my classes and supplement the different levels with additional material. The series itself is excellently presented on a basic level...however, I am known for "dando ca�a" and really push my students and challenge them to work a little harder.... to go "m�s all�" as they say in Spanish.

Too many times I have walked into classes with students who are frustrated because they had a parade of teachers who came in with photocopied sheets or copies of newspaper/magazine articles, but no real learning purpose behind them except to learn vocabulary. You need to have a logical structure and order to English teaching, and need to know what your goals and aims are for each class.

Apart from the New Headway series, there a number of other multilevel methods/courses... each equally competitive.... Pacesetters, Cambridge..etc. Some are more juvenile in their content and approach than others. You need to find the texts that are appropriate for the classes that you are teaching.

Chica,
I like your comments very much. You don't do teacher training do you? I really enjoy teaching, but I feel there is so much I need to learn about it. I have had many friends take TEFL, Celta, and Vaughan courses and overall they have said the same...great for learning grammar, but not very practical overall. Those judgements plus the ridiculous cost of the programs have made me decide not to take one.

So, where could I go for more training as a teacher? I fear that at times I am one of those who shows up with photocopies. I really believe that if I am to be a teacher, I need to do it well. I won't work for academies that just shove students and teachers in a room and care about nothing but the tuition.

I have lots of books, courtesy of a TEFL teacher dropout, but still would like to know how to do what you do...push them for example.

Any suggestions mm'ers?

Candela

Chica,
thanks for the New Headway suggestion, i have seen it, and it has come up in interviews over the past few days. that is exactly the kind of text i was referring to when i asked what are the more well-known. now, only other question is; where do i go to buy books? i have been to Happy Books and Petra's Intl., Petra's is great, but alas, no great stock of what i was looking for.

Hi Stephen
Try the big bookstores...Casa del Libro, El Corte Ingles, maybe even FNAC. They all have big English learning sections. Also, there is the British Library, you can join for a small fee and have access to all their English teaching resources. Finally, scour In Madrid and Broadsheet classifieds for folks selling books.

Good luck,
Candela

BOOKSELLERS has an extensive collection and specializes in English texts. They are at c/Jose Abascal, 48.

I�m with Juliette on this one...

my personal favorite is Booksellers. The staff is bilingual, and they know their stuff. There is an enormous collection of English teaching materials as well as books in English. Apart from series of English text books, there are volumes of dictionaries, translation text books, English teaching methodology books, etc. (I was looking today, but didn�t see the kind of book that you are looking for on English tests). If they don�t have what you are looking for, they will order it and have it within a week for you. They will even reserve material that sells-out quickly for you at no additional cost. The metro closest to them is Line 10- Gregorio Mara�on.

In second place is Casa del Libro on Gran V�a. The language book section is on the lower level and they also have a very complete selection. However, I don�t find the personnel to be as friendly and there is often a long wait to get someone to help you or to pay.

The books at FNAC are generally 1-2� cheaper, but they don�t always have what I am looking for... particularly when it comes to the audio component to a book. When they do have the audio, generally it�s the cassette version, and for teaching, I prefer using CDs.

Happy shopping...any other questions just post away!

Good morning!
Just a little note to say I agree with Chica about the staff of Casa del Libro...some of them are not very friendly... :cry:

hi all, i have a similar question with a little spin on it... I have been teaching English for almost two years now and my favorite type of class is beginners, for a lot of reasons... they are fresh, they don't compare you to other teachers or think that they know more than you, etc... and we use the headway book in most of my classes... but i can't say that i am really pleased with headway, and i feel that sometimes it doesn't fulfill the needs of the students or the teacher... i understand that learning is LIFELONG but I want to get my students talking more and really learning more... sometimes I think that none of my students study! and i wonder if they really want to learn english..

so i guess in my question are really a few questions.. like how to -darles ca�a- like chica said, and have them respond... how to get them to learn more... like what you use outside of headway... i do know all the websites, www.esl-lounge, etc... maybe i need another book that has extras, maybe a game, also practical english!!... most specifically for beginners and pre-intermediate... and do you speak little to no english in your classes? My students only have 3 hours of class per week and they have so much to learn- grammar,vocabulary but also to get their ears used to english..but it's also frustrating when they don't understand anything, for them and for me! it's not that i want to rush my students;i think it's more that i want to make more out of classes and get them using the english they know and get them to really learn what it is we are studying...i guess this issue is close to home also because my boyfriend has just started studying english and we are supposed to practice together, and i guess it should be easy but i don't know where to begin! as in, the best ways to do conversation with beginners, i guess... i frustrate myself because i want to use vocabulary beginners know but i don't want to, and can't revert to speaking like a four year old!!! okay, i apologize for the rant but hopefully you can find the core of the question and help me! and for those of you, at least jer and chica (i think) and rocco and tony(read your interview) and the muffin man i am julie who played volleyball with you all for a few sundays, good fun! hopefully can make it to a to a get together sometime soon! peace to all

Hi Julie!

It�s good to see that you finally joined the board and have posted! Yes, we played volleyball together this past fall. We missed you and your kick-ace serves in the last few games!

Ahhh...teaching beginners. Kudos to you. It�s a tough group to teach, but also very rewarding when you see their progress and know that it was due to you and not some previous English education they received.

The trick with foreign language teaching, especially true beginners are the R�s� recycle and repeat. Teach a basic concept and then recycle and repeat it. Some teachers do the repeat part ad nauseum without much creativity, like counting to 10 forwards and backwards. The key is you want them to repeat the concept not the lesson. Look for ways to have them repeat the concept in different circumstances.

For example, numbers and basic vocabulary� use old magazines. Tell them to find you x number of pictures of a key vocabulary word�let�s say you are teaching basic foods. Tell them to find, for example 8 pictures of fruit, or 5 different pictures of bread, etc. You are recycling and repeating the numbers and basic food vocabulary, they are doing audio-visual association. Or ask them to turn to a certain page number in the magazine and identify the objects they see on the page. If they don�t know the word, have them look it up in a dictionary�don�t tell them.

Create vocabulary flash cards and play a modified version of taboo. I had one elementary learner almost in tears saying that she couldn�t do it, she doesn�t know how to speak in English. I told her she knows words..and to use those words to get her concept across. She was really surprised when the students could guess her words. She said, �what am I doing? They are guessing my words?!�. My response� �surprise! You are communicating in English!�.

Reward the smallest progress and set small, realistic goals for each class session. Keep a record of those goals and then give them out as a list at the end of a month so students can see what they have learned over a month�s time. Sometimes they don�t even recognize their achievements because they get so bogged down in the �learning everything� mode.

I make every attempt NOT to use Spanish in the classroom and am known to resort to meowing, jumping up and down, singing and other crazy theatrical stunts to get them to understand me.

Apart from the standard ESL websites, there are tons of other websites out there that can help you in your teaching. One of my favorites for audio files is Voice of America (VOA) . They do radio broadcasts in �special English�� slower reading and no phrasal verbs or idiomatic expressions. You can download the audio and text files and use them in class. To practice numbers go through the text file and delete all numbers mentioned and have students listen to the audio following the text and fill in specifically the numbers. Tell them that you have blanked out only numbers and that will help them to isolate and identify the sounds of the numbers being said, even if they don�t understand the rest of the text. Pre-teaching the numbers�reviewing their pronunciation and sound�will help the students be successful in the activity.

I�ve written a ton here�.these are just some ideas�feel free to pick our brains for anymore!

Good luck!

Oh...I have another thought...

In the outset of all classes that I teach, I tell the students that I have a 15 minute rule. That rule is that they must, on their own, incorporate a minimum of 15 minutes of English into their day. I don�t mean doing 15 minutes of grammar exercises, everyone says they don�t have time to do that.

I mean, spending 15 minutes of your day doing one of your daily activities IN ENGLISH. This is especially important for developing an ear for the English language as you mentioned. I tell them to learn the words to their favorite English song, to watch a DVD in English or go to an original version film. Even if they are reading the subtitles in Spanish...they are gaining exposure to the sound of English. For elementary level classes, I also tell them to tune into the news in English and try to pick out words and that they recognize... they can see the news on CNN or listen to it online.

It�s especially hard to learn the language when you aren�t in the country where it�s spoken which is why the students have to make that much more of an effort to expose themselves to it.

hey juliebean5, i will leave the excellent info on teaching to Chica, she is the pro.

i will say it is great to have you aboard the board!!!

did not know it was the juie until i read your post today

saludos,
jer...

Hello!!! I'm just looking for some opinions. I have a couple years of experience teaching both English and Spanish. My training in ESL came from Vaughn Systems when I once lived in Madrid while I was going to school/teaching English. I'm moving back in January to teach English (I DO actually like and want to teach) and am looking for ways to expand my methods. I've been reading through the Headway Series and I like that and have also been looking through Essential Grammar In Use by Murphy.

- Headway seems to give a logical learning process which is what I'm interested in. Is there anything else out there giving advice on how to take English students from point A to B in somewhat logical steps?

- Also, I'm looking for another grammar reference book and am considering Practical English Usage - yes? no? thoughts?

English teachers!!! Can I get some feedback?

Thank ya so much!

Chadulaaaaaa