TEFL Books

Textbooks for teaching Adults English: EFL Press Books

Some TEFL Books I Have Used

(Pictured: The Minamiashigara Cultural Center in Kanagawa)

I had used the "Interchange" series from Cambridge University Press for many years. However I have since come to feel it has too many boring grammar activities and not enough interestingactivities for generating conversation.

When it was first published it was great! Though the Interchange series has been republished with new editions in the past few years, I feel there are better choices for you than Interchange.

Happily many new textbooks have been published. Thesenew books by David Paul, EFL Press and Abax to name a few, are superior to the Interchange series I feel.

My TEFL Books Search

I wanted to find a book that would help to get my students talking. The "Talk a Lot" series was the answer for me. I use it for many of the university English classes I teach and at Kevin`s English Schools.

Talk a Lot was written by a long-term Japan veteran teacher who had a lot of experience teaching Japanese students. David Martin endeavoured to create a series of books that were fun and specifically designed for Japanese students.

The books in the series and the suggested level of student (by the publisher EFL Press):

Talk a Lot Starter: beginner level

Talk a Lot 1: false-beginner level

Talk a Lot 2: low-intermediate level

also by EFL Press:

Topic Talk Issues: low to high intermediate

TEFL book author David Martin is obviously aware that Japanese students have studied a lot of grammar,and need chances to speak. He has been successful in creating an interesting series of books that get my students speaking English.

In large or small classes the pairwork activites in Talk a Lot, work very well.

My only criticism of the series is that sometimes the instructions are too wordy and difficult.

The instructions for Talkopoly often leave my students dumbfounded. I have found it helpful to translate the instructions in Japanese. Once they start the game, it is fun, and a good way to review English.

The books could have done with some photographs in them. But this is a minor concern as they are colourful enough.

I recommend these TEFL books to you if you will be teaching Japanese junior high to adults from a beginner to pre-intermediate level. Indeed like the back cover says: "the course features a wide variety of interesting activities that encourage student interaction."

Let`s Chat

"Let`s Chat," by John Pak, is another textbook by EFL Press. I use it at my school. It is another book that is colourful and interesting.

There are many good pairwork activities and I recommend it for pre-intermediate to intermediate classes.

Let`s Chat continues in the tradition of other EFL Press books by providing many great activities that work with Japanese students. That really is the key to teaching in Japan. The activities must work with the students we have here. Often books have great activities---for non-Japanese. Those activities often don`t work here.

EFL Press recommends Let`s Chat be used with high-beginner and low intermediate level Japanese students. I like the fluency based aspect of it and it is easy for students to use.

(Sometimes it is better to study English at, or work fora smaller school.) Indeed it is sometimes better to buy textbooks from a smaller company that is more specifically aimed at the students you teach.

Check out EFL Press, they are writing the books that you will wish you had years ago for your Japanese students.

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