The Struggle is Real: Finding Good English Textbooks for Adults: I have been teaching “English as a Foreign Language” (EFL) in developing countries for the last 15 years. For many of the later years, I served as a Peace Corps volunteer. At my first job, students couldn’t afford textbooks but spent too much class time writing what I put on the board. They needed something they could keep and take home but that was also low cost. So, I put together these English textbooks.
They have gone over several editions. I’ve corrected errors, and added new material where needed. The documents are A5 and with a duplex printer can be printed with a minimal cost. I have printed hundreds of copies of these books. And I used them to teach students in Mongolia, Thailand, and Armenia. My learners loved them and I’m sure yours will too.
Introducing My English Textbook Series
An Overview of the English Textbooks
The Beginner 1 textbook is for the learner who has no or poor English skills. It should give learners some of the basics to get started using their English. This includes some writing and spelling skills, as well as needed basic vocabulary. More emphasis is placed on vocabulary and speaking, while grammar is held off until the last sections of the book.
The 80-page book includes the alphabet, greetings, feelings, numbers, telling time, regular and irregular verbs, commands, pronouns, verb “to be”, professions, family, possessive adjectives, months, days, seasons, simple present, present progressive, simple past, simple future, and prepositions.
The Beginner 2 textbook helps the student learn how to communicate in real world situations. Some reading and speaking skills are needed to use the material fully. Conversations are short but have multiple versions for variety without complication. There are plenty of writing exercises to help solidify the grammar points taught. The textbook is 100+ pages and at the back of the book is an answer key.
The key feature of these textbooks is their emphasis on conversational speaking in real world situations.
The material covers most daily activities like meeting people, getting around town, housing, food, work, health, shopping, and recreation. And these books have been used with learners from college-age all the way to professionals in their 50s and 60s.
How to Use These English Textbooks
These textbooks are made for all modes of communication but emphasize speaking. For Beginner 2, each lesson has conversation practice, grammar explanation, and written exercises. A typical 40-minute class would:
- Demonstrate the dialogue
- Go over new vocabulary
- Student pairs practice dialogues while teacher observes
- Teacher corrects any errors to the class
- Teacher explains new grammar
- Students complete exercises (or given for homework)
- Students practice sentences at home
In an adult class, especially beginners, hold off on speaking in front of the class until they gain confidence. But provide opportunities as their skills improve.
Download Your English Textbooks and Start Teaching Now!
These free English textbooks provide the perfect solution for Peace Corps volunteers and teachers of adult learners in developing countries. The conversational emphasis and real-world situations will engage mature students. Lesson plans and materials are ready-made, saving you prep time. Download and print! With these books, you can focus on interacting with students rather than on creating materials from scratch.
For more teaching materials, checkout our Resource section. Lots of ideas there plus more being added every month.
