Non Received Pronunciation British English courseware

[Lusophile]

I wasn't putting you in your place. Read it again. I'd already said in my previous post tha tI agreed with you on this point. Here I was saying that most real teachers (as opposed to transient backpackers) would also agree.

oops. I have just read it again myself - I wrote, 'I don't think you will mind' , when I meant 'I don't think you will find'. The typo-demon strikes again. Sorry. I am off to edit my original, though it will be preserved for all posterity in your quote.

Also sorry that I can't recommend any materials. I retired three years ago, and hadn't used much mainstream stuff for some time before that, so I don't really know what's around these days.

lol ok. I did think that mind was kind of offish, but I restrained my Irish temper as I realised maybe some of the stuff I had written could have been put better. Yeah I know all about the typo-demon :( At the tender age of 40 I already have problems with my finger joints as a result of using the computer for years and so frequently make typos - I have to keep re-editing stuff as a result

As I say it's difficult to debate over the internet. If you differ in viewpoints it can be much harder to avoid unhelpful arguments rather than constructive discussions as opposed to real life scenarios.

Anyway thanks for giving me your points of view and if you do hear of alternative courseware do let us know!

[BobK]

Hmm, this is strange. I've taught from books by Oxford, Cambridge, McMillan and Pearson/Longman, and I haven't come across a single example of what you say. The only RP voice I hear is the person who says the page and exercise number. In fact, I often have to stop myself from laughing at some of the obviously fake accents they put in to attempt to diversify. The only thing I can think of that is largely South of England stuff are some of the Cambridge tests we do, but a lot of those are very old.

Absolutely! There are some very old materials out there (I was once asked to teach from some audio examples recorded 40 years ago ) and I think Lusophile's problem is related to this: older teaching materials did push one unrealistic accent. Modern ones, in my experience, don't.

b

[I'm With Stupid]

Maybe it's just the course materials I have then. I'm using Upstream from Express Publishing. So far all the material I've heard on the CDs is RP. My boss is a native of India and I think he thinks RP is the bees knees so yip fivejedjon from that aspect it helps to prove the case for RP.

Is there any particular course you would recommend IWS?

I've looked at Upstream, and I can't work out whether it's a book for adults or teenagers, so it's quite hard to recommend anything.

But for adult books, I personally think Cutting Edge by Pearson are the best books I've taught from (and their business offering Market Leader is really good too). I've also taught from New Inside Out and New Headway, but Cutting Edge is definitely my favourite. All of them have a variety of (mainly British) accents though.

For teens, I'm currently quite impressed with English in Mind 4 by Cambridge (upper intermediate). There's about 4 units that I'm currently working my way through that are massively preachy, but there's a lot of content in there, and it's really well structured. If anything, there's too much in it, and it makes you a bit reliant on the book. Other than that, I've used Adventures Starter and Elementary, a More 3 (pre intermediate). I don't really like Adventures, and find it a bit lacking in content, and boring in structure. More 3 is better, but I find it a bit disjointed. Definitely not a book to just teach out of, but full of stuff to build a lesson around. Again, all three include a variety of (British) accents, including the most hilarious attempt at a Welsh and New York accent I've ever heard.

[Lusophile]

I've looked at Upstream, and I can't work out whether it's a book for adults or teenagers, so it's quite hard to recommend anything.

It seems to be geared towards teenagers. So far I am just teaching adults so that's yet another reason why I'm not that enamoured with it.

But for adult books, I personally think Cutting Edge by Pearson are the best books I've taught from (and their business offering Market Leader is really good too). I've also taught from New Inside Out and New Headway, but Cutting Edge is definitely my favourite. All of them have a variety of (mainly British) accents though.

Thanks I'll look into Cutting Edge. Usually I can find things via Google search quite easily but my searches for course materials were fruitless. Anyway I found this (as in usingenglish.com) very good site which appears to have a very strong forum so a positive result in the end . Now of course what would be really cool if there was a course with some Irish accents . I guess in the end what I'd like to find is a course that I feel I can believe in myself more than the one I currently use - not that I'm criticising the one I'm using at the minute, there's lots of positive elements to it and perhaps other teachers would like it.

Looking into different material can't but help anyway.

For teens, I'm currently quite impressed with English in Mind 4 by Cambridge (upper intermediate). There's about 4 units that I'm currently working my way through that are massively preachy, but there's a lot of content in there, and it's really well structured. If anything, there's too much in it, and it makes you a bit reliant on the book. Other than that, I've used Adventures Starter and Elementary, a More 3 (pre intermediate). I don't really like Adventures, and find it a bit lacking in content, and boring in structure. More 3 is better, but I find it a bit disjointed. Definitely not a book to just teach out of, but full of stuff to build a lesson around. Again, all three include a variety of (British) accents, including the most hilarious attempt at a Welsh and New York accent I've ever heard.

Sounds like fun . I do think that maybe there is a risk of going too far with promoting different accents. In my opinion any accent chosen would be best if it was a mild version of that region. One from someone who has moderated their accent to be easily understood by other English speakers.

[BobK]

It's New Cutting Edge now. I think some levels upgraded before others, but they're all 'New' now. I've used them too, and Market Leader - both have a good mix of accents, both native speakers from all regions [not much Irish, as I recall] and speakers of English as a second language.

b

[Lusophile]

I've checked out the prices for the Cutting Edge material on Amazon. There appears to be quite a few materials for each level - I think we're talking in excess of a £100 per each level if you wanted to purchase the complete package. . Not quite willing to fork out that sort of money at the minute.

Are there any short more affordable courses out there? Perhaps a course that would break up the typical levels of Beginner, Elementary, Pre-Intermediate... and so on into 2 or 3 parts and possibly with exams at the end of them. That in my opinion would give the students some attainable goals in a shorter period of time, perhaps keeping them interested and challenged. Just a thought anyways.

Thanks for any help - I'm going to do a bit of searching myself meanwhile.

[konungursvia]

Also, didn't the Beeb stop requiring all of its news & weather readers to speak RP some 12 to 15 years ago? If you use their online materials, you will find a range of accents. Few Canadians though.

[Tdol]

In fact, I often have to stop myself from laughing at some of the obviously fake accents they put in to attempt to diversify.

Ahh, the painfully fake American voices. Why do they do that ? Is it something to do with Equity and foreign actors?

[BobK]

I've checked out the prices for the Cutting Edge material on Amazon. There appears to be quite a few materials for each level - I think we're talking in excess of a £100 per each level if you wanted to purchase the complete package. . Not quite willing to fork out that sort of money at the minute.

...

Don't buy all the stuff out there. Longman Pearson aren't philanthropists; they're after your money. Everything they sell isn't essential.

(Some years ago, preparing for a new job, I forked out £30-odd for Market Leader Upper-Int Teachers Book, thought the world was going to end when it arrived a day late, and have scarcely opened it since then.)

b

[I'm With Stupid]

This might be a stupid question, but don't your school pay for course materials?