FL561 Fall Aaron Backlin Textbook Review #1 Text Title : Realidades (3) 1.

3 The themes in this series are relevant to students interests and contain good cultural insights. 2. 2 - Student interaction is provided and encouraged !ut instructions and topics are some"hat di##icult to understand. 3. 2 - Students are re$uired to negotiate meaning !ut the intent o# the prompts is some"hat isolated and again directions are di##icult to understand. %. 3 - &ourse provides a "ealth o# samples o# native spea'ers and other oral input. (. 2 - )uthentic texts ("hatever that means*) are provided !ut o#ten in a dum!ed-do"n and parsed manner. +. 2 - Strategies are given !ut mostl, in the teacher text. -eriodicall, the, appear in student texts. .. 2 - )nticipator, set is present in nearl, ever, lesson. /. 2 - Students have opportunit, to spea' and0or "rite to an audience. 1. 1 - 2 #ound the ma3orit, o# the activities provided #or classroom use to !e pedantic and irrelevant in a !roader context. That !eing said 2 m,sel# am pedantic much o# the time !ut 2 do not !elieve there is such a thing as too much context. 14. 1 - 2 have ,et to encounter a text series that plainl, explains grammatical concepts in a coherent manner. 2 al"a,s ta'e it upon m,sel# to do this aside #rom the text. 11. 3 - 5oca!ular, is presented thematicall, "ith context and visuals. 12. 2 - )gain $uite a #e" o# the activities are contrived and not !ased in realistic situations !ut the practice itsel# is sometimes $uite good #or its purposes. 13. 3 - &ultures are presented accuratel, to the !est o# m, 'no"ledge (2 can claim onl, limited expertise*) 1%. 3 - 5isuals are included and plenti#ul. 1(. 2 - 2 am unclear on ho" a text!oo' series "ould actuall, per#orm this tas'. 2t seems to me that this sort o# enrichment "ould !e more something #or "hich the teacher "ould !e responsi!le. 1+. 2 - See comments in num!er 1( a!ove.

1.. 3 - This series does a good 3o! !ringing in relevant voca!ular, #rom other disciplines. 1/. 3 - This series does a good 3o! o# providing #rame"or' #or in$uir,. 11. 1 - This is another area that 2 have never #ound a text series to cover ade$uatel,. 2 generall, rel, on m, o"n preparations to demonstrate similarities and di##erences !et"een languages. 24. 2 - The text tries to do this at times success#ull, at times not so success#ull,. 21. 2 - )gain the text tries to do this !ut the suggestions are not al"a,s practical #or a !us, teacher in a !us, classroom "ith deadlines to meet* 22. 2 The authentic texts ("hatever that means*) suggested in the !oo' are generall, good and there are good supplements included "ith this series though again the texts are generall, adapted !e,ond recognition. 23. 2 - The assessment program included "ith the series is #ine !ut is so generic that it must al"a,s !e ad3usted to match circumstances o# individual classes. 2 suppose that is a good thing though as it doesn6t loo' li'e it "ould !e di##icult to ad3ust these assessments in situ. 2%. 2 - The text ma'es suggestions !ased on the )&T78 9S788 "hich is good as that is the #rame"or' our department has adopted. 2t is also pro!lematic at times as the suggestions do not al"a,s correspond "ith realit, in terms o# student a!ilit, or time constraints. 2(. 3 - The text series does a good 3o! o# including media in ever, lesson and provides a "ealth o# supplements to this end. This "as actuall, one o# t"o text series that our department considered adopting a #e" ,ears ago. :e #ound that the text sets reasona!le standards is overall "ell-paced and includes a ver, use#ul assortment o# supplements. ;o"ever "e ultimatel, did not choose this series due to "hat "e #elt "ere signi#icant lac' o# relevance in the activities that accompanied it and poor explanations o# grammatical content that "ere dis3ointed in their presentation. The text is also laid out in a manner that appears ver, dense and is potentiall, daunting to !eginning students. 2# this "as the text "e had to "or' "ith "e certainl, could !ut as "e "ere given the choice "e elected another.