Just Grammar
Just Reading and Writing | Title: | Just Grammar
(Intermediate)
Just Reading and Writing (Intermediate) | | Authors: | Jeremy Harmer, Hester
Lott | |
Publisher: | Marshall
Cavendish | | Summary: | A very successful
attempt to combine learning process, pleasure, and development of an
intelligent person. | | Reviewed by: | Darya Bashlakova | | Review date: | January 2005 | |  To begin with I'd like to say that these books are of
real help to those who work with adolescent and adult intermediate learners.
They contain up-to-date texts that provoke a lot of response, marvellous
illustrations (huge thanks to the cartoonist, your pictures were very vivid and
funny, we sometimes couldn't help laughing), well-structured and
logically-organized exercises (beginning with simple ones and leading to mixed
activities). A lot of attention is paid to enriching the vocabulary of the
students, rules are given in simple, clear words, and topics included are of
interest for learners.
My students and I especially liked the Section Cs, which are
very original, creative and stimulating. For me, as a representative of Russian
culture, the story about Eugene Onegin was particularly interesting. These are
the first books I have come across where there is a special focus on writing
SMS text messages, on buying goods on-line, on distinguishing different genres,
etc. There is a lot of educational potential in these books as well. The
information about the Great Pyramid, the Titanic, Thomas More, the Roman
Army, etc. helped not only to brush up grammar but also to enrich and broaden
my students' outlook. Some extra data about life in Great Britain, samples of
surveys, library rules and diagrams gave us a closer look at your culture and
mentality. I was really fond of trying out these books but if I were the
author of these books I would add some more pre-reading activities that
introduce each story to students, and some more communicative grammar exercises
that prompt students to use grammar in speech. To sum up, I'd like to recommend
these books to all teachers who would like to make their lessons more
productive and compelling, and to help their students be more enthusiastic and
eager to learn English in and out of the classroom (as these books can easily
be used as self-study resources, too). I am confident these books will be of
benefit for both teachers and learners.  Darya Bashlakova |
