A list of texts and resource materials for language teachers is available for book reviews in TLT and JALT Journal. If none of the titles we have listed appeal to you or are not suitable for your teaching context, please feel free to contact us to suggest alternate titles. We invite publishers to submit complete sets of materials to Julie Kimura at the Publishers’ Review Copies Liaison postal address listed on the Staff page on the inside cover of The Language Teacher.
Books for Students (reviews published in TLT)
Contact: Julie Kimura — jaltpubs.tlt.pub.review@jalt.org
! Breakthroughs: Japanese women entrepreneurs—Tanner, P. 2024. [This coursebook comprises 20 chapters based on 20 Japanese women entrepreneurs. Each chapter begins with a dictation exercise, followed by a vocabulary exercise, which helps students prepare for a 600-word reading passage. Chapters end with comprehension and discussion questions.
* Everyday science and technology: News you can use—Knudsen, J. (Annot. Y. Satake). Nan’un-do, 2024. [Science and technology make front-page news every day. The readings in this coursebook are presented in technical, yet accessible language. Twenty need-to-know topics offer readers a look at great discoveries, key breakthroughs, and game-changing innovations. The subtitle, News you can use, reflects the hope that the book will provide a go-to manual for navigating through this exciting yet perplexing moment in history. A teacher’s manual, an audio CD, and a review test are available.]
Magic speaking— Kim, C., Lee, J., & Wilburn, J. e-future, 2024. [This three-book series is written to help young learners master an elementary level of conversational English. Each unit contains 10 easy-to-follow lessons, which offer ample opportunities for practice and review. Resources, such as MP3 files, flashcards, and answer keys, are available through the publisher’s website.]
TOEFL® skills 2—Graham-Marr, A., Naismith, B., & Castro, A. Abax ELT, 2022. [All three titles in this series are geared towards learners at the CEFR A2/B1 level, but this book is suitable for students aiming for an iBT score between 40 and 55. There are six topic-based units, each of which has a focus on language and a focus on the test itself. Activities that focus on language help students develop the skills they need for success on the test. Activities that focus on the test are done under time pressure in order to help students get used to the time constraints of the test. Audio is available through the publisher’s website.]
! The yellow sticker girl—Gudgeon, S. ELI Readers, 2023. [This graded reader is about a girl from the north of England whose family has big problems. Themes of the story include family, food waste, poverty, and bullying. In addition to the story, there are post-reading activities to support comprehension, as well as productive language skills. CEFR A2. Audio download is available.]
* Our world: How technology will change our lives tomorrow—Murray, A. & Passos, A. Nan’un-do, 2024. [The 15 units of this coursebook are designed so that students can hone all four skills in an engaged and meaningful way. A CLIL approach introduces technologies that foster progress towards SDG goals. This second book in the series places a greater emphasis on critical thinking by introducing case studies that can be used for small group discussions and debates. Audio files are available for students to download, and a manual is available for teachers.]
* What are global Englishes? A CLIL course for learners of English—Kane Hinohara, E. Perceptia Press, 2025. [This 15-unit coursebook is scaffolded for learners and provides a mix of communicative tasks, receptive tasks, and focus on form through teaching NAWL vocabulary and academic language skills. Topics progress from considering what global Englishes are, learning about the history and spread of English, and what the future holds for global Englishes. This coursebook is suitable for CLIL courses, introductory linguistics courses, and English seminars. A teacher’s guide will be available shortly through the publisher’s website.]
