Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Three titles worth checking out…

Teachers looking for global issues material that also considers issues the classroom itself, including learner autonomy, will want to take a look at these books.

The first is “Gender Issues Today”, edited by Jane Nakagawa and written by a dozen teachers, priced at about 1200 yen; 56 pages A4 size book. Written in intermediate level English, this book provides an introduction to gender issues around the world and emphasizes active learning, critical thinking, and learner use of multiple intelligences. Themes of its 16 chapters include: What is gender? Gender socialization, Gender and language, Gender and family issues, Gender and employment, Gender and violence, Gender and health issues, Sex work, Gender stereotypes, Masculinities and men’s movements, Heterosexism, Reproductive rights, Gender and the environment and others.

The second is “Learn to use English, use English to learn” is by Jane Nakagawa and priced at 1000 yen for the book only; 1000 yen for student listening CD (2000 yen as a book plus CD student set); 40 pages A4 size book. Written in intermediate level English. Themes of its 16 chapters include animal rights, the environment, materialism, education, crime, volunteerism, war, prejudice, and others. Active, student-centered learning is emphasized; language skills include reading, speaking (role play, discussion, and debate), listening, writing and pronunciation.

This book is both a textbook geared especially for nonnative undergraduates of intermediate English level studying to be language teachers, as well as a possible resource
book for practicing language teachers.  “Language teaching approaches: current practice and future directions” is priced at about 1000 yen, 60 pages A4 size. Written in intermediate level English by Jane Nakagawa, this book was designed especially for Japanese college students in language teacher training courses.  Although older approaches are briefly summarized in the first chapter, the book emphasizes newer communicative, collaborative, and student-centered approaches.  Themes include:  learner autonomy, cooperative learning, task-based instruction, content-based instruction, stimulus-based teaching, learning styles, and classroom dynamics. Each of the twelve chapters contain activities requiring students to think critically about / apply concepts described in the chapter. Individual and collaborative activities include finding the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and creating lesson plans.

Perhaps reading this last book will be of help to those teachers, native and non-natove alike, who want to go beyond presentation of thought provoking content and look at learning dynamics and teacher-learner relationshiops, which exist within the social contexts such as gender that are explored in the other two books.

Ordering Information
All 3 books above may be ordered directly through the publisher, only.  Please address queries to the publisher, Tokyo Shuppan Service Center, Tokyo:

Mr. Munetoshi Kawamura
Tokyo Shuppan Service Center
401 Saint Office Akihabara
1-33-6 Taito
Taito-ku
Tokyo to 110-0016 JAPAN
EMAIL
Fax 03-5688-5803
Single copy or bulk orders can be made directly through the publisher (only):

Indicate quantities and date needed when ordering.

Overseas orders welcome. Overseas orders may incur additional shipping/handling
charges.