Criterion

Grade: 5/4/3/2/1

Comments (5 being the highest grade and 1 the lowest)

Originality

          4

Cutting Edge has always been a popular coursebook, due in part to its Task Based Learning approach which has always set it slightly apart from other coursebooks aiming at the same market. As you’d imagine, rather than reinventing the wheel, the 3^rd edition is more a revision and update, building on and adding to its strengths.

While this is a revision rather than an entirely new book, the majority of the input material (texts, audio) is new and the design gives it a fresh new look, while still easily identifiably Cutting Edge.  The reworked tasks remain the main focus of each unit and the series’ main selling point, while the Wordspots also remain, encouraging more of a lexical approach to language learning. This mix of methodologies is key to the appeal of the book. The Study, Practice & Remember section has also been reworked, now at the back of the book and it is better for it, giving students the chance for more focused controlled practice.

Where the course has really developed is with the addition of the World Culture and, to a lesser extent, Language Live lessons, which occur on alternate units. While the Language Live lessons are in essence the Real Life and Writing sections from the previous edition reworked, World Culture is a real step forward for the series.  The lessons encourage learners to look at current topics in a wider context, with good quality video input – a requisite for all courses now. Each lesson has two videos, one with the main content and one set out as a vox-pop listening task. This is then followed up by an online research task and written follow-up, thus developing students’ online skills and encouraging learner autonomy.

Unfortunately the coursebook no longer comes with a mini-dictionary which was always a useful classroom tool,  though it has been replaced by a DVD ROM which contains all of the video and audio content from the book (along with scripts), as a well as a digital version of the aforementioned mini-dictionary. From a students’ point of view, this is useful in terms of reviewing the material after having done it class and a push towards greater learner autonomy.

Practicality

         5

Cutting Edge has always been a book which students and teachers alike can pick up and dive into without too many issues. It is certainly user friendly and can be a lot of fun to teach, with students responding well to the content and activities. There is a good mix of systems and skills work with aims clearly set out at the beginning of each unit, and these are generally well integrated with one another with good contexts being set for grammar and vocabulary.

What’s especially pleasing, and wholly appropriate for this level, is that the course takes an inductive approach to learning much of the time, encouraging students to work rules and meanings out for themselves. However, at its heart is a focus on communication and there are plenty of opportunities for this throughout, as epitomised by the Tasks and the Language Live sections. Both encourage students to produce accurate, fluent language through a variety of input, thus developing student confidence in using the language.

Presentation

         4

While it packs in as much as it can, it is never done in a way to overcrowd the pages and overwhelm the student. The units and individual pages are well organised, with aims clearly signalled and activities clearly signposted and divided up so that it’s easy to follow. All the time it is done in a colourful and visually stimulating way, with good use of images and animations to pique the students’ interest.

Overall rating

      4

What outstanding strengths/ weaknesses do you feel this title possesses?

The mix of methodology approaches works well – it incorporates task based learning, inductive learning and a lexical approach at different stages.

With an emphasis on spoken production, communication is at its heart.

On which courses do you envisage being able to use this material?

Cutting Edge Third Edition is much like previous editions whereby the book is very firmly entrenched in the young adult General English category and certainly this is the type of course that it should be used on. Similarly, with a mainly Western cultural focus, it might not be appropriate for Arabic or Asian markets.

Other comments

With the audioscripts and videoscripts available, they can easily be used for extra listening tasks or for raising language awareness activities.

Use the online research and writing as extended homework for your students.