Using coursebooks, How to Teach English, Jeremy Harmer, new edition.

1. Using coursebooks
Gladys Altamirano
Rebeca Carrera
Freddy Cedeño
Melida Farinango
Maria Gavilanes
Cristina Gómez

2. Using coursebooks

3. Options for coursebook use
 Course books are very important teaching tool that
supports teacher to clarify and simplify material and
provide needed assistance.
 They are organized and carefully planned and provide
the students assistance.
 The sequential presentation of information in an
orderly manner, allows the teacher to present didactic
and extra material in a balanced and sequential way
and also provides a sequence of teaching
procedures, that tells what and when to do it.

4. Options for coursebook use
 On the other hand, it is necessary to provide teachers
strategies and extra activities, so that everything is
carefully planned for the students in this important
process. As a result, we will obtain teachers with a
complete and comprehensive program.

5. Options for coursebook use
 There are four alternatives to take in consideration, if
we do not agree with a course book:
 Firstly, there is no problem if we omit lessons, teachers are
evaluating all the time.
 Secondly, provide our own material, should be better than
exercises from course book and also could be more
interesting than exercises provided by mention course
book.
 Thirdly, teachers could add activities and exercises, in order
to have enthusiastic and interested activities, using and
revising grammar and vocabulary according the topic they
are working on.

6. Options for coursebook use
 The last alternative is for teacher to adapt what is on
the course
book, rewriting, redoing, reordering, replacing, reduci
ng, etc. so students and teacher can feel more
comfortable using the course book in adequate way.

7. Adding, adapting and replacing
 Course books are probably the teacher’s and the
student’s most valuable resource as they work together
through the school curriculum.
 Course books are normally quite well organized and
help us to progress step by step through everything the
curriculum wants us to work on.

8. Adding, adapting and replacing
TO USE THE COURSEBOOKS MORE CREATIVELY
ADDING
Add some
activities that
are not in the
course book.
ADAPTING
Adjust the extra
activities to be
suitable for
your lesson and
for your
students’
needs.
REPLACING
To use variety
of activities, to
the lesson
class .

9. Adding, adapting and replacing
 Teacher will be able to address your students’ needs in a
more accurate, targeted way by having greater control
over what materials you use with them and what
activities you provide for them in your lessons for
achieving a better developing in learning process.

10. Reason for (and against) coursebook
use
SOME ADVANTAGES
 GOOD course books present:
 Well-structured syllabus
 Interesting content
 Consistent grammar
 Appropriate vocabulary and use of language
 Excellent reading and listening material

11. Reason for (and against) coursebook
use
 Because of the lack of time for teacher to plan, that
takes the course book as an ideal option to prepare
each class. Besides, there we can find teacher´s guide
which is an excellent monitor for every lesson plan.
 Students feel comfortable with course books, they can
see through the contents and be ready to the next
topic.

12. Reason for (and against) coursebook
use
 ON THE OTHER HAND
 There is the risk that the course book becomes the
ONLY material to work with. Both, students and
teacher will feel locked in the book suggestions
 Each class might develop a course book – centered
approach causing lack of creativity.

13. Reason for (and against) coursebook
use
 ASPECTS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
 The best thing teachers and students should do is
taking the course book as a proposal for action without
rejecting ideas from other sources.
 The course book might work as a primary source
accompanied by multiply fonts of information.
 The teacher is who decides how and when the material
is used and of course it must be employed according to
the students´ progress.

14. Choosing coursebooks
 Teachers have to make competent choice what books
to employ. To carry out it teacher should determine the
pertinent course book analyzing the books under
consideration through checklist of questions
 Besides, Teacher asks the learners´ point of view to
take into account students´ needs and discuss with
colleagues which benefit teacher come to a final
decision.

15. Choosing coursebooks
 There are possible areas for consideration which are
fundamental to take a precise decision such as: Price
and availability, Add-ons and extras, Layout and
design, Instructions, Methodology, Syllabus, Language
skills, Topics, Cultural appropriacy, Teacher’s guide

16. Choosing coursebooks
 So when choosing books, these factors should be taken




into consideration:
Analyze it. Check areas like the list in the further
chart.
Pilot it. Use it in one or two classes and see the results.
Consult other teachers.
Consider opinion from students.

17. Choosing coursebooks
POSSIBLE AREAS
FOR
CONSIDERATION
Price and availability
Add-ons and extras
Layout and design
Instructions
Methodology
Syllabus
Language skills
Topics
Cultural appropriacy
Teacher’s guide
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR COURSEBOOK ANALYSIS
Consider the students´ acquisition power
Check amount if extra resources in comparison with other books
See the structure design and if it is easy to manage
Check if language instructions and how independent could be its
use.
Test the relation between study and activation. Analyze the steps
from learning to production
Compare the objectives and learning goals with class levels
Take a look of how the book covers each language skills
Take in consideration attractive issues for your students considering
age and social context.
Customs, ethnicities, economic context should be taken in
consideration which may be engaging at the teaching time.
Review the teacher´s guide and how easy to follow is.

18. Conclusions
 In this chapter we have considered an important issue
because it is decisive for the teaching-learning process to
choose an appropriate course book .
 Initially, we have analyzed several options for
adding, adapting and replacing and how important is the
teacher´s creativeness in selecting these options apart from
not to depend on merely the book content but assessing
with extra resources for reinforcing lessons.
 It is very important to realize that a textbook is an aid, not a
sacred text. Teachers should work out the best ways to use
their books but they should never let the book use them.
Course books must be at the service of teacher and
learners, not their masters.

19. Conclusions
 Quite often teachers complain about course books that
need supplementing. The truth is: all course books need
supplementing. The point is just to decide how much and
what kind of supplementing a course book requires, always
according to the needs and characteristics of a particular
learner or a group of learners.
 After that we have consider a range of elements before
choosing an appropriate course book.
 With these guidelines, we as teachers will get the best of
our selected book and students will be comfortable when
working with an appropriate material on their hands.