| Teaching ESL with a dictionary sounds like as much | | | | student is a true beginner. |
| fun as a 24 hour read-a-thon of Chomsky's theories | | | | 4) All levels of students find the book useful and fun. |
| on innateness (if that sounds life fun to you...stop | | | | 5) The teacher's manual and workbooks are excellent |
| reading now). Honestly, when I first began teaching | | | | and make teaching and learning much easier. |
| English as a Second Language (ESL), I never thought | | | | 6) It is inexpensive for most students (between $11-$19 |
| that I would be teaching classes with a picture | | | | US) |
| dictionary. However, I've come to find that the Oxford | | | | The only disadvantage that I could find is that it is a little |
| Picture Dictionary, 2nd Edition is the book of ESL | | | | heavy. I suggest cutting the book into parts, or |
| textbooks to use in any ESL class. Use it with the | | | | suggesting to your students to get backpacks with |
| Teacher's Manual and you will have the ultimate ESL | | | | wheels. |
| curriculum. | | | | Of course, even with these many advantages, how do |
| The Oxford Picture Dictionary, 2nd Edition (Monolingual | | | | you get around the fact that you are teaching from a |
| English) can be used by ESL students of all levels, and | | | | reference book? Well, you need a wise and |
| contains important English words or vocabulary. We | | | | experienced ESL teacher, one who is also not afraid |
| use this book at our ESL school, Hawaii Literacy's | | | | to use the Teacher's Manual! |
| Drop In Center ( because it can be used with any level | | | | For my class, I don't even prepare. I open up the |
| of student. As long as the student has learned their | | | | Teacher's Manual and go from there. It already has |
| basic ABCs and the basics of English reading, they | | | | ready made sample dialogues (which are very |
| can learn from it effectively. | | | | realistic), lists of sentences for dictation, discussion |
| To understand the almost magical adaptability of this | | | | questions, related vocabulary and other suggested |
| ESL textbook, I will discuss a little more about how it is | | | | activities. I might throw in a quiz or two to help the |
| used in our school. The Drop-In Center is a free ESL | | | | students check their comprehension. Then I have them |
| school for the local immigrant community of Hawaii. | | | | go home and review the vocabulary on their own at |
| Therefore, student attendance is not always | | | | ESL teacher ( a blog recently created to help students |
| consistent. Students are free to come and go and thus | | | | and teachers all over the world learn and teach ESL |
| it is difficult to have a traditional lesson plan structure. In | | | | on the internet. ESL teacher has a video lesson and a |
| addition, since the school is mostly run by volunteers, | | | | review lesson of the words in the book. We have the |
| there are often not enough ESL teachers to divide | | | | students work on only one page of the book a week, |
| students into different levels. | | | | so that they have the opportunity to go home and |
| The Oxford Picture Dictionary offers many | | | | absorb the words effectively. |
| advantages for us: | | | | Some of the other ESL teachers at our school |
| 1) It has up-to-date vocabulary relevant for all levels of | | | | integrate the vocabulary into their grammar practices, |
| students. | | | | or into their own self-created activities. Whatever your |
| 2) Students and ESL teachers can begin on any page | | | | classroom focus is or what methods you use, the |
| at any time, so new students will not feel like they are | | | | Oxford Picture Dictionary is by far the best textbook |
| behind the class. | | | | workbook series for building American English |
| 3) Pictures can be easily understood even if the | | | | vocabulary building. Enjoy! |