The Importance of Using an ESL Textbook

Hello Fellow ESL Teachers and ESL Tutors,

Thank you for visiting ESL Teacher, the place were teachers grow to be wise and revered educators, making the world an amazing place for all!





In this blog we will touch on the importance of using textbooks in the classroom. Here are some points I wanted to share:

1) Using a good textbook will save an ESL teacher tons of time! You won't have to prepare as many materials, and you won't have to spend time photo copying.

2) A good textbook will be cherished by students more than a binder of handouts, usually. Students will be more likely to use it, to keep it and to study from it.

3) If you pick a textbook, and have the students invest their money into it, then you should use it! Use it regularly. You can use it every Tuesday and Thursday, or everyday, but make sure your students know what days to bring their books!

4) To get your students to bring their books to school, use it consistently! Don't copy the book for students who do not have the book. In our school, if students don't have to book, they have to share with other students.

5) A common textbook used in all of your ESL classes allows for easy teacher substitution, if a teacher can't make it to teach on a certain day.

I hope these tips will help you in the classroom. In the case of the school I teach in, students come and go as they please. Sometimes they don't want to buy the textbook, and sometimes teachers give up on using the book. However, if the book is a good one, then it is worth the effort to expect your students to bring it.

Also, I find that the Oxford Picture Dictionary is an amazing book. I really enjoy using it and it saves me so much time! I highly recommend it!

Let everyone know if you have other points, ideas, comments or complements you would like to share!

Thanks again for visiting =)

Your fellow ESL teacher,

Meylysa