Reviews of books (and occasionally other resources such as software and games) of special interest to English teachers, edited by Alex Case. New reviews are added regularly. If you would like to review books for TEFL.net, please click the “Be a Reviewer” button on the right.
A good general English textbook with ample opportunity for students to practice both in and out of the classroom, using both the book and the accompanying CD-Rom.
Author: Sue Kay & Vaughan Jones
Publisher: Macmillan
Components: Elementary Student’s book with CD-R
This is a general English textbook using British English. I haven’t seen the old version of this textbook, so I can’t comment on the writers’ stated (more…)
Jam packed full of extraordinarily interesting and useful ideas whilst maintaining clear links with theory and recent research.
Author: Jeremy Harmer
Publisher: Pearson Longman
Components: Book & DVD
You might be tempted to ask why, or whether, we need yet another edition of this old favourite. I don’t know the answer to that question, but I do know that this new edition is jam packed (more…)
A collection of activities that will prove indispensable to new teachers, and make life a little easier for the more experienced. (more…)
Very well written and practical “how to” approach to English teaching.
Author: Scott Thornbury & Peter Walkins
Publisher: Cambridge
Components: Trainee Book (reviewed below), Trainer’s Manual (not reviewed)
In my experience as a teacher, head of ELT of some high school departments and teacher trainer, I have observed that there is a broad difference between English teachers in England and first language (more…)
An excellent series for kids who need more of a challenge and interest in their English courses. (more…)
A collection of drama-based speaking activities to stimulate interaction in the classroom through imaginative language practice; ideal for large group classes.
Author: David Heathfield
Publisher: Delta Publishing
Components: Teacher’s Resource book
Spontaneous Speaking is a handy resource book for quickly locating something fun and different to do with students to get them speaking. Whether it be to break the ice or have them practising narrative tenses, there is something in (more…)
A reference book primarily focused on research in the area of second language reading. (more…)
An excellent niche English dictionary for business professionals and MBA students.
Author: Various
Publisher: Longman
Components: Dictionary and CD-rom
Linguists and ESL teachers may remember the first decade of the 21st century as the period when dictionaries began to realize their tremendous potential to be both essential reference works and practical teaching tools. The ability of computers to track linguistic patterns, advances in (more…)
An ELT dictionary that is more than just a reference book, Thornbury’s An A-Z of ELT is practical, readable and an excellent addition to the collection of any ESL/EFL teacher.
Author: Scott Thornbury
Publisher: Macmillan
Components: Teacher’s resource book
This new teacher’s reference book by Scott Thornbury is worthy of a place on the book shelf of any language teacher, veteran and beginner alike. For veterans, the book is an excellent reference. For beginners, it’s also a resource book, (more…)
A book about using literature as a resource for teaching English as a foreign language. The book includes over 50 activities, most of which come with a sample text that can be used in class.
Author: Alan Duff, Alan Maley
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Components: Teacher’s resource book
The second edition of this popular book includes new activities and, for the activities that were in the first edition, new sample texts. Activities are divided into seven sections - Starting Points, Contrast and Comparison, Creative Adaption (more…)
TEFL Reviews is edited by Alex Case.
