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Selecting
Texts for the Adult ESL Classroom: Part 4 Looking at Support (page
1 of 2)
Oliva Fernandez, Marketing
Director, Adult and Higher
Education
(This article is excerpted and
adapted
from a monograph by MaryAnn
Florez, series consultant for Pearson Longman's Center
Stage. Florez is
currently director for the Adult Education Professional Development
Center for DC LEARNS,
a coalition of adult education and literacy providers in the District
of Columbia.)
In the previous article we discussed three questions to consider during the text selection process.
This month we look at issues relating to support. Remember to
have a copy of the checklist handy as you read this
month's article.
How
much support is built in?
A good textbook builds in support for both the teacher
and students who use it. Is there a balance of
adequate guidance and stimulation for the teacher to help him or her flesh out the activities and flow of the
lessons? Do units and activities build on each other?
Are there accompanying materials available to support
the textbook and those who use it (e.g., workbook,
teacher’s guide, resource book, audio options, test
preparation, or companion web site)?
How well does the publisher support adoption/
retention of the program materials?
In addition to the books themselves, publishers can
provide support that can maximize the experience
with a textbook. So it is a good idea to see what the
publisher can offer you to meet your needs or even
bring unexpected dimensions to the process.
Consider the support you want and whether the
publisher you're considering can provide it during
and after the text-selection process.
- Is the local
representative responsive to your needs and requests
and knowledgeable of all the options available for
you?
- Does the publisher provide opportunities for
sample copies of materials or more intensive piloting
of the text?
- Is training and staff development offered
upon adoption of the text and does the publisher
provide ongoing support as teachers use it and need
follow up, or as new teachers continually come on
board and need baseline training?
Positive answers
to questions like these can be value-added elements
to the investment you make in a textbook or series,
particularly the availability of both initial and ongoing
training by the publisher.
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