[Alistair Graham-Marr, Hugh Graham-Marr, Lewis Malamed, Martha Robertson, & Nicola DiNunzio, Joan Bailey. Abax ELT Publishing, 2019. (Textbook, audio files and Teacher’s Notes are available online). ¥2,700. ISBN: Level 1: 978-1-78547-087-5; Level 2: 978-1-78547-088-2; and Level 3: 978-1-78547-089-9.]
Reviewed by Ben Joicey, Aoyama Gakuin University
Asian Issues Practice in Critical Reading is a textbook series that has an emphasis on critical thinking (CT) and a focus on east Asian topics. The series has three levels from A1 to B1 of CEFR. The textbooks are divided into seven chapters, with two parts each. Each part can easily provide the basis for two 90-minute classes, so each textbook is suitable for a two-semester course. The series has some well-chosen CT techniques that use the higher-order thinking skills of analysis and evaluation (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). Additionally, the series covers some useful but often overlooked grammatical structures. It also has a quite engaging balance of input and spoken output activities that establish a good rhythm and tempo between the activities.
Each of the seven chapters is typically based on a theme that provides a contemporary topic of debate. Some of the themes, such as values and environment, are repeated across levels, but the specific topic varies. For instance, level 3 has biodiversity and multiculturalism under those themes respectively, whereas level 2 has Asian family values and fish farming. Some of the chapters are based on more everyday themes, such as entertainment, with movies appearing as a topic at levels 1 and 3. This combination of weightier and lighter topics is valuable because it not only gives the students some light relief, but it also demonstrates that CT skills can be used in any area of life.
The chapters are divided into halves, A and B, which are further divided into ten subsections. Part 1 has three warm up exercises. A photo-based elicitation warmup introduces the theme of the chapter. Next, there is a lexis input exercise. These appear in different forms, such as a cloze exercise or matching words to definitions. The warmup exercises end with some discussion questions related to the theme of the chapter. Part 2 is a reading that varies from approximately half an A4 page at level 1 to a full page at level 3, and part 3 is comprised of comprehension questions. Part 4 includes an exercise in which the students have to scan what they have already read for one minute and then write missing words into the summary. In part 5, students practice the reading skill of inferring the meaning of words from context and matching them with a choice of definitions.
In part 6, Critical Reading, the reading skills vary, such as finding main ideas and the use of the CT skill that is introduced in the chapter. In part 7, students practice the CT skill of that half of the chapter and connect it with the reading. Part 8 presents grammatical forms with practice exercises. Both of those parts might require thoughtful supplementary activities by the teacher. Part 9 consists of a second reading activity with comprehension questions. Part 10 includes either a spoken or written output activity of varying types, although it is often a presentation. Different output activities, such as group discussions, can be added by the teacher. This organization of parts 1 to 10 is repeated in the second half of the chapter, even though it introduces a new CT skill and a new grammatical form. The series is well structured in this way to communicate the understanding and function of CT skills while allowing students to practice more standard reading skills. The CT skills vary from use of general higher order thinking skills of analysis and evaluation to more precise techniques for CT, such as arguments from analogy and formal logical fallacies (Hadley & Boon, 2023; Joicey, 2022; Paul & Elder, 2019).
The series has several other virtues. One is that discussing topics of potential interest in Asia might be more compelling than talking about the Anglophone national cultures that feature in many EFL classroom textbooks. Another virtue is that the readings are at an appropriate length to prevent excessive time being consumed on them, allowing more time for input reinforcement and production activities, even though that is less useful if a course is intended to develop more extensive reading capabilities. As was noted, there are some useful grammatical structures, which are well chosen, as they tend to be weak points for Japanese students in writing. Some examples are use of although, infinitives of purpose, and that for reporting clauses. Perhaps the principal virtue of the series is that the focus on CT skills for potentially personally relevant topics seems more engaging for students than only a focus on more standard reading skills.
References
Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.) (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Longman.
Hadley, G., & Boon, A. (2023). Critical thinking. Routledge. doi.org/10.4324/9780429059865.
Joicey, B. (2022). The role of logic in teaching critical thinking through language learning. Critical Thinking and Language Learning, 9(1), 75–86.
Paul, R. & Elder, L. (2019). The miniature guide to critical thinking: Concepts and tools (8th ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.