LEARN ENGLISH AT HOME: How to choose a textbook

http://www.engvid.com/ When you have the right textbook, you will find that learning English doesn't have to be hard or boring. If you are studying English on your own, I'll show you how to choose the right textbook -- what to look for, and what to avoid. These are the two English textbooks I mention at the end of the video: http://www.engvid.com/out/amz_basicgrammar http://www.engvid.com/out/amz_azar Take a quiz on this lesson here: http://www.engvid.com/how-to-choose-a-textbook/

I need a book on how to be a gentleman. I need to know my -- hi. James, from EngVid. This book is called "How to Be a Gentleman", by John Bridges. It's sort of like a textbook. And what is a textbook? A textbook is a book designed to teach you something with exercises that will bring you from one place to another. So when you're finished doing the textbook, you should learn a skill. Unlike a book that you read for enjoyment, which is fun -- you enjoy; you put away -- a textbook is usually used in schools to teach skills. And through exercises and tests, you master it. This is sort of like a textbook, but it's a little bit fun.

My job today is to do something we haven't done before. You come to EngVid to learn English, which is true, and this is great. But you could also buy books outside. I'm sure some of you have bought books outside. When I teach, some of my students, before they go back to their countries, they say, "Teacher, I need a book to help me with my grammar or my English." One of my colleagues at EngVid has done a lesson. You should check it out. It's about books you should read. But this one is specific. This is on textbooks, the books that teachers may use in schools or you can buy by yourself, which will help you increase on your IELTS, on your TOEFL, or on your grammar or vocabulary. And these are books designed for people who are learning English as a second language, okay? And that's what this lesson is today. "How to pick a good textbook." So see, gentlemen? How to pick a good textbook, a textbook that would help you.

I can give you ten books that I think are good textbooks. But I am not you, and I'm not your teacher -- well, I am. I know. I'm sorry. I like you, too. Okay, we love each other. But I mean, I'm not there to help you. If I were sitting with you, talking to you, I'd say, "You know what? This book isn't good for you. This book is good for you." And because I wanna help you -- see, I said "wanna". See that's a grammar thing. Because I want to help you, I'm going to give you something that you can use to find a textbook for yourself. There are probably many books in your country, and you don't know which is a good one. I don't want you to waste your money, and I want you to learn. Okay? So let's go to "How to Pick a Good Textbook".

I found there were approximately ten points that you should have when you're going to buy a textbook. They can be very expensive and very helpful, okay? If you pick the wrong one, though, it's not a good use of your money, and it will take time -- valuable time from your learning.

The first thing you should look at is when was the book made? If the book is old -- it is 20 years old; it's not a good book because they probably don't talk about computers or laptops or email and addressing any of that. And you're going to be looking at books where you're saying, "Well, golly gee, sir, I think the rain on the plain in Spain is mainly..." -- it's out-of-date. We call something "out-of-date". If the book is over ten years old -- probably not good to use, right? Probably want to say away. Get a more up-to-date book, one with more modern examples that will talk about technologies you're using today. Okay?

The next one is what do you need? I don't know how many students come to me and say they want to listen -- get better hearing skills. And then they tell me how they're watching the news. And they're level two or three. And I'm like, "Stop immediately!" You shouldn't be watching the news until you have 80 percent of the language. It's just too much for you. What do you need it for? "Well, Teacher, I want to watch my TV program." Well, watch your TV program. "What do you need" is what you work on. If you need IELTS or TOEFL, don't use a basic grammar book. You should be high enough that you can use the books that you're testing for. What do you need? Do you need it for work? Then you need technical books, books that work specifically with technical language or formal language. Are you going on vacation? Then, you need a book with pictures and drawings and fun stuff. Heck, heck, you can even watch TV programs for children. What do you need? So in a textbook, look at what do you need, and the textbook addresses -- when we say "address", it's working towards what you need, not what you think your friend has or someone would tell you.