Updating Resources
Although the resources in the post that follows this one were collected a year ago; they are still very good ones to consider for specific purposes. What I will attempt to append here is a recent list of favorite new textbooks I have used to prepare lectures and test preparation materials for ESL/bilingual teacher certification candidates.
These are texts I have recently used or am currently using in courses I teach. My rating system involves the following considerations:
- Readable by undergraduates without background in the content.
- Current with regard to theory and practice in the profession.
- Thorough with regard to topics I view as important for teachers.
- I enjoyed reading it.
- Students enjoyed reading it.
Brown, S. & Attardo, S. (2005). Understanding Language Structure, Interaction, and Variation: An Introduction to Applied Linguistics and Sociolinguistics for Nonspecialists, 2nd Edition. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0472030388 or 978-0472030385
(Five Stars—with support from the workbook exercises for in class group practice (as “bell ringer/sponge” activities spread over several classes while one continues to other chapters, this makes the linguistics “intro” course survivable and functional for the instructor and the students.)
Carr, J., Sexton, U. & Lagunoff, R. (2007). Making Science Accessible to English Learners: A Guidebook for Teachers, Updated Ed. San Francisco, CA: WestEd. ISBN 978-0914409403
(Five Stars—this inexpensive book and the companion text “Making Mathematics Accessible…” are much needed resources and make unique contributions not found in general ESL/bilingual methods texts. There is overlap in several chapters of the two books, but each provides valuable and unique material that is directly usable by teachers.)
Gonzalez, V., Yawkey, T. & Minaya-Rowe, L. (2006). English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) Teaching and Learning: Pre-K-12 Classroom Applications for Students’ Academic Achievement and Development.New York: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 978-0205392513
(Good depth in some areas, but editing is uneven; harder to read than it needs to be.)
Horwitz, E. (2008). Becoming a Language Teacher: A Practical Guide to Second Language Learning and Teaching. New York: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 978-0205430826
(Good synthesis in some areas; better suited for Alternative Short Training.)
Lessow-Hurley, J. (2009). The Foundations of Dual Language Instruction, 5th Ed. New York: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 978-0205593279
(Five Stars, excellent for reviewing for bilingual/ESL certification tests)
Lightbown, P. & Spada, N. (2006). How Languages are Learned, 3rd Ed. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0194422246
(Five Stars, outstanding synthesis and balanced consideration of various theories and approaches.)
Peregoy, S. & Boyle, O. (2008). Reading, Writing, and Learning in ESL: A Resource Book for Teaching K-12 English Learners, 5th Ed. New York: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 978- 0205611362
(I have not taught using this book, but it is widely regarded as “the” methods text.)
Zainuddin, H., Yahya, N., Morales-Jones, C. & Ariza, E. (2007). Fundamentals of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages in K-12 Mainstream Classrooms, 2nd Ed. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt. ISBN 978-0757542077
(Four stars—Online graduate students liked it very much because it had both an overview of theory and practical applications in one book and they could compare text recommendations to their own experiences; I enjoyed it a bit less than they did because I have enjoyed other books a bit more. However, all students who have used this book and the previous edition in courses I have taught have been very pleased with the cross-cultural information contained in the content and appendices, which I also have appreciated.)
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