Previous

 TOPIC AND METHODOLOGY

Topic

Topic and Subject Content

Reality Of Topics Included In Coursebook

            Primary role of coursebooks is facilitating language learning but this is not the only role of the coursebooks because language is used in real situations for real purposes. A study of a language just as an abstract system wouldn’t help students to use it in real world. As a result coursebooks must and so represent language as it is actually used and therefore they contain subject matter and deal with topics of various kinds.

            In Cutting Edge, real topics are included. They are taken from real life and are common situation that can be seen in daily life. The ‘Real Life’ section at the end of each module is a clear proof of the usage of real topics. In these modules, the topics are taken from real world for example at the first module we see a conversation, which tries to show the students how they will act when they come up such a situation. Also there is a picture of such a situation, which makes better comprehension. 14

Book’s Relation To the Learners’ Knowledge System

            Learners come to the class with a specific background. Each of them has their own attitudes, knowledge, skills, cognitive abilities, curiosity and experience. Language learning as a process will relate to and engage these attributes so that the learning process is enriched and made more meaningful. Coursebooks can do this by including topics and subjects which, whilst being primarily designated for language teaching, is also informative, challenging, amusing, exciting and occasionally provocative.

            In Cutting Edge in each module there is subject matter that is the source of the task. These subject matters are taken from real life and deals with different situations that students may face during their daily life. In the third module the title is ‘Adventures and Mishaps’, at the ‘speaking’ section teacher want the students to focus their attention on the pictures and ask them what the people on the picture are doing and whether they enjoy doing these. After getting the answer of ‘Bungee Jumping’, teacher tells them how this activity is done and any other information about this activity if needed. The students focus little on the title of the quiz ‘Are you a risk taker?’, teacher checks understanding of to take risk and ask the students how those people are taking risks. In this section students come up with a subject which they met before but do not know exactly what it is. By teacher’s explanations and with the help of quiz they engage their knowledge system about this activity.

Effects Of Topics On The Students

            Informative, challenging, amusing, exciting and occasionally provocative topics can provide opportunities for expanding students’ experience in general, as well as in language learning. Using English to convey information about an aspect of the real world provides a better model of language use than describing some imaginary construct, also topics from real life motivates the learners more than the imaginary ones. Student may learn better when they are not only concentrating on learning the target language but are also using that language to do other things or to learn about other subjects. The topic does not have to be heavy and intellectual in other to be worthwhile, they can be about human and human-interest stories. The things that should be looked for are authenticity and communicative approach. Really authentic material creates an authentic response that informs, challenges, stimulates, enriches experience, encourages curiosity, develops judgment and does other things that real language does.

            For example in the sixth module of Cutting Edge the main subject for the task is managing time. During all the sections the subject is taken from different angles, students add something from themselves and learn something from their teacher. At ‘Writing Skill’ section there are some roles from a lecture of time management and personal organization expert. When students look at these roles they can learn more about the management, also by the exercises of the section teacher becomes sure that the students understand the points. By this new information students become aware of time managing and enrich their experience.

Social And Cultural Values

‘Are the social and cultural contexts in the coursebook comprehensible to the learners?’

            Coursebooks set their material in social and cultural contexts that are comprehensible and recognizable to the learners. The relationships, modes of behaviors and the intensions of the characters in the book should be interpretable by the students so that they can relate the language used to its purpose in the social context.

            Social and cultural contexts used in Cutting Edge are not just about one specific nation; the values, content of situations are universal, so each learner can comprehend social and cultural context easily. The best example of this is the tenth module; ‘Getting Together’. At this module there is a section in which different people from different places of the world comment about different universal topics such as Olympics, tourism, internet, monetary union. The common point at these topics is the unifying power of these values. The context used at this exercise is comprehensible to the learners because it is culturally and socially appropriate to each student.

‘What do we learn about inner lives of the characters?’

            In coursebooks the underlying value system is not explicit and is unstated, it’s necessary to look at coursebooks in some detail in order to unearth what some of their unstated values are. Value system of a coursebook can influence the perceptions and attitudes of learners generally and towards learning English in particular. Sometimes negative stereotypes (housewives are being seen as only able to attain fulfillment in life through their man or being portrayed as illogical and excessively emotional) are unearthed, they can be taken into account in evaluating material in future use or if the material is already in use, they can identified, confronted and discussed openly with students. This may in fact provide useful teaching material. Pervasive negative stereotyping is more serious and if it offends sensibilities it may well cause the coursebook not to be used.

In Cutting Edge we find characters in activities, expressing their thoughts or what they had experienced about the subject of the task, so we can guess their inner lives from their expressions. For example in the seventh module of the book ‘Big Events’ we see characters talking about two big events ‘Thanks Giving’ and ‘Notting Hill Carnival’ which affect them most. These events are old and traditional events and our characters Beth and Claire express their dependence to them. So we can infer that these ladies are faithful to the old traditions and try to make them survive. We cannot have more information because we just have their opinion about limited subjects.

 Reality Of Social Relationships

             In some coursebooks the characters exist in some kind of social network, whether the focus is on the family, the peer group or the workplace and interact with one another. But in others characters come from nowhere, they are imaginary and disappear just as quickly. This fragmented portrayal of social relationships does little to give credibility to the characters, doesn’t help the learners relate to them and provides little context for meaningful language learning.

                In Cutting Edge social relationships are portrayed realistically. In each ‘Real Life’ sections at the end of each module there is always a situation taken from real life and portrayed realistically to teach students how to act in such situations. For example in the seventh module the topic of ‘real life’ section is awkward social situations and people’s reaction to it as seen in everyday life.15

 Methodology

 Teaching Of Different Skills

              The general principles that underlie the actual methodogical procedures of teaching skills are made explicit in the case of several courses. Almost in each course the procedure is nearly the same;

           According to Connect (Revell, 1990):

-All four skills should be practiced in an integrated way and separately

According to, Grapevine (Viney, P. and K. 1990)

-A balanced approach to skills development

           The main theme of these principles is that, skills need to be learned both separately and in an integrated way. 16

            In Cutting Edge, the skills are presented in an integrated way. Listening and speaking are more dominant skills but they take place mixed with reading and writing i.e. they do not appear separately. Listening skill is worked through listening materials such as short extracts, mini-dialogues, words and sentences for close listening and to model pronunciation, longer texts, listen and read sections in the workbook. Speaking skill is worked through tasks, less structured discussion about topic and texts, practice through oral exercise and activities, work on pronunciation, role-play of practical, everyday situations in ‘Regular Life’ sections. Reading skill is worked through extended texts, grammar work and language analysis, texts which provide a model or stimulus for tasks and models for writing activities. Writing skill is worked through writing skill section in which there are drafting, redrafting, note taking, formal and informal language and letter writing, ‘follow-up tasks’ section, ‘improve your writing’ sections in workbook.

 Development Of Communicative Abilities

             Communicative abilities develop through;

• Controlled presentation of the language

• Presenting balance of accuracy and fluency

• Communicative practice resembling real life language use

• Actively and fully involved learners in lessons

• Learners who use language creatively, and personalized activities

• A non-judgmental atmosphere and positive attitude to error

• Usage of mother tongue and bilingual dictionaries where it supports learning

          In Cutting Edge communicative abilities are developed through tasks. From the beginning, students start to communicate to achieve a particular outcome or product. By differing tasks, which get more complex through the last modules students try to communicate in different situations, such as interviews, story-telling, mini-tasks, problem solving and discussions. At the end students are equipped with necessary ability of communication.

Discussing And Identifying Student’s Needs

             ‘The authors identify five needs experienced by beginner students when learning a language in a classroom with a teacher and a textbook. These are:

• The need to communicate effectively

• The need to be familiar with the language system

• The need for challenge

• The need to take on more responsibility for their own learning

• The need for cross-cultural awareness’17

           Cutting Edge coursebook doesn’t directly give the needs of students. But in ‘Teacher’s Resource Book’ we find the student’s needs and tips for teachers when they come up with students’ needs. The main problem of the students is their fear when they are preparing the task. According to Cutting Edge the teachers should give students chance to ask about their queries, so when the students are performing the task they should say what they personally want to say. Although the task shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity to ‘practice’ discrete items, there may be specific language that would be useful in order to perform the task successfully. A ‘Useful Language Box’ containing phrases, which can be adapted by individual students to express different ideas and opinions, accompanies each task.

 The ability to respond students’ individual language needs is central to a task-based approach, so in Cutting Edge the students’ needs are very important and they are discussed and identified with its details.

 Sensitivity Of The Coursebook To What Students Need To Learn Well 

             According to Cutting Edge, students need to learn language well in order to perform the tasks better. It is anticipated in the book in a number of ways:                                                                                   

• The vocabulary in the skills work preceding the task is often useful for performing tasks.

• Each task is accompanied by a useful language box with a range of phrases and structures of immediate use for students as they perform the task.

• A personal vocabulary box for students to write in individual words and phrases that they need to perform the task.

• The grammar areas revised and extended in Part B of each module are likely to have come up in the preceding task.

 TEACHERS’ RESOURCE BOOK

 Cutting Edge Upper Intermediate Teacher’s Resource Book consists of three sections:

 1)      Introduction and Teacher’s tips on:

a)      Making tasks work

b)      Responding to learners’ individual language needs

c)      Working with lexis

d)      Making the most of the Mini-dictionary

e)      Using a discovery approach in the teaching of grammar

 2)      Step by step teacher’s notes

 3)      Photocopiable Resource bank

         In the first section (Introduction and Teacher’s Tips), the teaching method of the coursebook is apparently explained as Task Based Approach. Detailed information for the teacher about the meaning and construction of this approach is rendered including the concepts of ‘task’, ‘Task Based Approach’ and the advantages of this method. Hereby, after refreshening the teacher’s information about these terms and method, teacher’s book tracks him through the ‘Teacher’s Tips’ section in which the whole usage and application of this method is presented. For instance in the sub-title of ‘Making The Tasks Work’, there is a to-do list to be applied during the task itself as: treating the tasks primarily as an opportunity for communication, making the task suit to the class, personalizing the task, setting the final objective before students start preparing, giving students the time to think and plan, responding to students’ individual language needs and feed in ‘useful language’, giving the students the opportunity for rehearse, insist of the task’s being done in English and so on. (See Appendix)

In the second section (Step By Step Teacher’s Notes), there is detailed information given to be used during the course and task. This real-time guidance is much of use for the teacher because it supports him about the procedure, on going of the task and possible gaps. The exercises, explanations, questions and all other things in the Student’s Book are also found in the Teacher’s Book; so the teacher can follow the lesson easily. Besides there are also the targets of that lesson and task to be achieved. In the end of the lesson, the teacher can match those objectives with the students’ outcomes.

There is also a photocopiable resource bank at the end of the book. This is also very useful to prepare exercises and tests for the students and these may be used as supportive materials during the lesson, which will certainly make reinforcement to the students’ learning of the course and task.

All the information presented in the teacher’s book is very well organized and when you get accustomed to the plan and placement, it is very easy to find what you look for. Already, the book follows the same parallel way with the students’ book so the exercises, supportive information about a specific module and part is easily accessed. Also, the language used is very clear; it is transferring to the teacher directly – not in a complex and indirect manner. Taking care of those aspects, we can fairly refer to the book as a comprehensive one.

The book also covers the teaching technique of some long items such as grammar. During the ongoing course, in due time when the presented task aims the learning of a grammar rule, the book renders the procedure of teaching that rule involving the task. Of course, applying that way in the teacher’s book for teaching a grammar rule is not obligatory; left just on the selection of the teacher. However it is very useful for an inexperienced teacher to see that guide.

As the package is an international distribution, it is very normal that it includes some themes, stories or games of a specific culture. In our case, as well, the students may feel themselves uncomfortable when facing to such a theme. In such circumstances, the teacher needs to either give detailed information about some attributes of that culture to make the students come to a better understanding or to convert and apply this material to our culture. This crucial information about the culture is also provided in the teacher’s book and can be rendered to the students when needed.

Beside the exercises and questions, the answers are also presented to the teacher so that he can confidently reply and orient the students.    

As a result, Cutting Edge Upper-Intermediate Teacher’s Resource Book is a very useful and indispensable material for the teacher. It is a very guiding application resource for the teacher using the Cutting Edge package throughout their courses.

SOME CONSIDERATIONS

            Cutting Edge series consist of Students’ Book, class cassettes, workbook, students’ cassettes, Teachers’ Resource Book, photocopiable resource bank and a mini dictionary; as a whole package. Students have only the student’s book and the workbook, which cost twenty million liras. Teachers have the whole package and this costs forty million liras. The price of the package represents a good value for the package itself comparing to the other packages; however not so cheap for all. For, some students have the copy of the book; not the original one. Also the cassettes are very expensive, so only the teacher has each of them.

            The book has a tick cover which is also two sided, so that students can carry their mini-dictionaries inside the cover of the book. Papers are glossy made which cannot be easily damaged or torn as long as the owner’s cautious usage. Appraising both its high quality cover and its papers, it is possible to refer as a long-lasting book.

            The book has an attractive appearance because it has a colorful face. You can get the idea even when you look at the cover; also when you look inside there are many colorful pictures in each module. Many of the pictures in the book are taken from authentic materials and real life itself; so they reflect the ‘color’ of real life, which stimulates the attractiveness of the book. With its mini dictionary and distinctive design of the cover, Cutting Edge also differs from other coursebooks. On the cover you can see the top of a huge mountain; the ‘cutting’ part of the mountain, which is a referring to the name of the book. This makes the cover more attractive in appearance.

             2000 is the first in which Cutting Edge is started to be used in Turkey, for this reason at the beginning of the year students could only get the book from their schools but later on, the book was distributed to all bookshops. Now the book can be easily obtained from everywhere.

             Package doesn’t require a language laboratory or a video-player. Only the listening-center is necessary for some sections in the book. In the optional ‘students’ cassette’ features which have exercises on grammar and punctuation, it is required to use the listening center or a tape-recorder.

               The preference of our teacher as a methodogical approach is ‘Grammar Conscious Raising’ approach in which specific attention is paid to function. The importance of that approach comes from the point that you don’t offer chunks of grammar to the students but you make them notice in which situations which grammatical point is used. So focus is on the context. Additionally she added that she doesn’t have to follow the content but will never give up the method she appreciated.

Our question about the level of the students is answered that even though the coursebook’s level is upper-intermediate, except some specific students, the estimated level of students is somewhere close to intermediate regarding their language production.

QUESTIONAIRE

             The first question asked to our observation schoolteacher was about the aims of English teaching program. In her opinion there is not a comprehensive program regarding upper classes. She added that the only objective put forward is to follow the yearly plan in which the topic of the coursebook is divided into specific parts and the dates of the common exams are determined. Since the lesson hours are not enough both for the teacher and the students they all are in a rush in teaching. So this drawback makes the lessons grammar based; as a result, little attention is paid for other skills. For this reason, she adds that, she had to spend more time on vocabulary teaching by preparing extra worksheets by going over each item through discussion. However she falls behind the foreseen program and the fellow teacher. As a result, she accepted that, she panics and by skipping some parts of the book, she tries to compensate those lost hours. Additionally she said that she tries to make students talk as much as possible in that restricted time though it is not sufficient at all and tries to get their thought and ideas on the topic.

             Our second question was whether there is a detailed syllabus but the given answer was similar to our expectations. There is not a detailed syllabus but only what is included in the yearly plan.

             The next question about any recommended book was there in one of a collection of literary works collected in a portfolio, called BRONZE from which stories to be read in class are chosen.

             The fourth question about methods of testing was replied that only the ‘common exams’ are used for that aim and no other accessible measures are used. It is added that another way of testing is observing students in order to have an idea of what progress they are making or how well the material you taught is stuck onto their minds.

             The next question was about the materials and equipment available in school. Regarding English courses it is answered that there is a rich library, a computer room; mostly used by prep. classes. Also each class has a tape-recorder and some classes have videos. It is stated that the students are equal in age and ability but the level of language can show some differences.

The eighth question we asked was about the predominant values of the educational system and whether the emphasis is put on knowledge understanding and practical skills or emphasis on individual development at the students. The answer is a realistic one; explaining that in theory such values are emphasized but the conditions make it difficult to put them into practice. Namely for individual development, it is needed to focus on each student carefully and measure their development by scrutinizing their individual skills. Because each student shows distinctive abilities and reaches success accordingly, only in that way we can be objective.

 A Comment On The Answers Of The Students

             Having a look at the answers of the students, we see that their answers are very close to each other. 18

         To the first question, fourteen student answered that they were sixteen and four students answered they were fifteen. This shows us that there is not an age difference between the students. For this reason, it is possible to say that they have similar development of cognition, ability, learning styles and interest. This is very important for a language course so that the more students’ personalities are identical, the easier to make the course personalized and appropriate for each student.

Twelve students named their English level as upper-intermediate, seven students as intermediate and one student as pre-intermediate. Except for the pre-intermediate student, overall level of the classroom is quite appropriate for the coursebook (upper-intermediate). To maintain a course successfully and access the aims, it is a must that all the learners be at the suitable level for this course and have the required pre-learnings.

The answers of the third question points out that most of the previous learning experiences of the students are from the school. Only one student says he attended to a private language course and any of them had been to abroad beforehand. This shows that school is the most important and dominant resource for them for learning a foreign language. Accordingly the procedure and content of the course in the school is important at most.

The expectations of the students from the course are also identical. A big majority, sixteen students, want to be able to speak and listen fluently and communicatively after the course. This points out that the main objective of the students is to communicate with the second language. Already, with only this objective it is possible to finish the course being fairly successful. Or else, the language would not go beyond memorization.

            To the question of their preferred learning styles, nine students answered that they would study sometimes alone and sometimes with their friends. Six students preferred to study alone and three students said that they would only listen to the language carefully and wouldn’t make an extra study. As we see here, answers are not identical and it is very normal. Habits and personal attributes change from one people to another. If one is successful in his own manner of study, there is no need for an inhibition. Nevertheless, some advices for the students about the how they would be more successful will be much of use.

            Finally in the answers of the last question we see that sixteen students’ purpose of learning English is general culture, business life and future. And four students added that, besides the other purposes of their friends, they liked it. It is not a very good thing to see that only four students liked English, however coming to a decision that students know what English would bring for them is making us hopeful. 

APPENDIX

 Questions For Teacher

 1.     What are the aims of English teaching programme?

2.     Is there a detailed syllabus?

3.     Are there prescribed or recommended coursebook for using in the class?

4.     Is the achievement of the aims and objectives measured in any way? What

methods are used for testing?

5.     How intensive is the coursebook programme? How much time per week is given for learning English?

6.     What resources are available in the school in terms of materials and equipments?

7.     Are the classes homogenous in level ability and age?

8.     What are the predominant values of the educational system? Do they put emphasis on knowledge understanding or practical skills or emphasis of individual development at the students?

9.     What methodogical approach do you usually adopt?

10. How free are you to change the content and the methods of their teaching?

11. Do you have the right to adopt or supplement teaching materials?

12. What is the level of the student’s English?

Questions For The Students

Please answer the following questions carefully. Put one or more ‘√’ when needed.

1. How old are you?

2. What do you think that your level of English is?

3. What are your previous learning experiences you had in your life?

a)     I took the lessons in my previous school

b)    I attended to a private course

c)     I have been to other countries like England, USA…

d)    I do not have previous experiences

 4. What expectations do you have concerning the English course you have in school?

After the course I would like to be able to……….

a)     speak - understand fluently and communicatively

b)    generally say what I want to say and understand what the others say

c)     speak a little and understand a little

d)    read and write in English but not speak

 5. What are your preferred learning styles?

 a)     I study alone

b)    I study sometimes with my friends

c)     I always study with my friends

d)    I listen to the lesson carefully at most

 6. What is your purpose for learning English?

 a)     For general culture

b)    For business life

c)     For future

d)    Because you like it

 REFERENCES

 Cunninsworth, A., (1995)

Coursebook Evaluation

 Cuningham, S., (1998) ; Moor, P. (1995)

Cutting Edge Upper-Intermediate

Longman, ENGLAND