Review - Life Advanced

Criterion

Grade: 5/4/3/2/1

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

Originality

4

While no coursebook is truly original nowadays in dealing with the requisite skills, systems and functional language at each level, LIFE does have one big advantage that other course books don’t have. With access to the National Geographic vaults for articles, pictures and videos, LIFE has a plethora of high quality original and authentic material with which to peddle the necessary language points. This means that the material is not only visually and intellectually stimulating, but students are learning about the real world and real lives around it while simultaneously improving their English. There is no celebrity - it deals with real people in real places in real situations and this is to its credit, making it a book without cultural boundaries. So, while the topics of the books may seem to be familiar, they are presented in such a way so as not to patronise the student and indeed encourages them to look at things from a different angle. In other words, it treats the students like adults.

Practicality

4

The coursebook is well structured and each individual unit is well organised and therefore easy for students to follow. Each unit starts with two language-based (grammar/vocabulary) lessons, followed by an extended reading and critical thinking lesson, then by a real life (functional language) lesson, a dedicated writing lesson and finally a DVD lesson, before a final review. In this respect all skills and systems are well covered, with plenty of opportunity for spoken practice. Generally there is an inductive approach to the introduction of grammar appropriate to the level, and while there is always a need for more controlled grammar practice in any course, the book has a useful grammar summary section at the back of the book, along with further practice. From a teaching point of view, due to the rich nature of the themes and source material, it is a book which is relatively easy to develop and supplement with extra materials.  

Presentation

5

Visually the book, like the others in the series, is striking, which is unsurprising given the wealth of top-quality photographic material available from the National Geographic archives. The strong images combine well with the texts and activities and rarely do the pages look cluttered, making it easily manageable for students. As mentioned above, it is well organised and there are useful boxouts for language presentation. All in all, it’s a coursebook that wouldn’t look out of place on a coffee table.

Overall rating

4

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

Strengths

Undoubtedly the main strength of LIFE Advanced is the material, taken straight from National Geographic, but by no means is it a coursebook that relies solely on its look and source material.

The reading texts are particularly strong, especially as they are rich in high level vocabulary which is generally exploited well.

The emphasis on an inductive learning approach and the development of critical thinking skills.

The DVD content is generally very good, with appropriate activities for various stages of the lesson.

Weaknesses

While there is sufficient amount of controlled and guided grammar practice there could be more freer practice.

With the content of the book being very cultural and therefore quite serious, there is a potential for there not being enough ‘fun’ in the book, thus relying on teachers to make it so.  As such, newly qualified or reasonably inexperienced teachers might struggle with it.

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

Due to the nature of the source material, LIFE is a coursebook that certainly appeals to more adult, serious learners. Furthermore, although it is essentially a General English coursebook, it could also serve well on pre-sessional or even academic English courses - the critical thinking exercises, task types for the readings and listenings and the subject matter for the writing lessons certainly lend themselves to this. By the same notion, it probably wouldn’t be suitable for summer courses where students are looking to have fun as much as they are here to study.

Other comments

While enjoyable and interesting, LIFE Advanced is a coursebook that will be best used and exploited by teachers with more experience, rather than newly qualified or inexperienced teachers who might struggle to make the most of the material.

It links well with the workbook and to get the most out of it, it needs to be used in conjunction with the workbook, especially in regards to word-building.