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Teaching English for Primary School

Title : Grow with English Book 4

Author : Mukarto, M.Sc. et al.
Publisher : Erlangga
Year : 2003

1. What sort of methodology does the book appear to adopt?

This book appears to adopt topic-based for the methodology. Each lesson unit
in the book has specific theme. For example “Bobby is ten years old” in the
unit 6.

2. Does one approach predominate? If yes, what are the implications of this in
relation to the rest of the curriculum?
The approach which is used by the GwE 4 is theme-based approach. GwE 4
contains twelve lesson units and four units for review. The lesson units are
theme-based and to some degree sequential and structured.

3. How are new teaching points graded? How frequently are they introduced
and how much practice material separates them?
The new teaching points are graded by introducing students some pictures
which represents the topic or material that they are going to learn. Then,
students are asked to describe what the picture tells about. After they are
introduced by the pictures, the teacher gives them the new vocabularies. And
after that students are asked to pronounce those words. After learn
pronouncing the words, students are asked to complete the dialogue or
sentences. By looking these steps, it can be concluded that every activities in
this book are integrated skills. This book does not only focus in one skill, but
also for the four skills of English; listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

4. Is the organization of the course linear or cyclical? Linear- teaching points are
added one at a time, each being practiced before moving on to the next.
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Cyclical- a particular teaching point recurs in a different context to be

enlarged on throughout the course. What are the implications of this to
young learners?
The GwE used linear syllabus in organizing the materials. Every item from
each lesson units is introduced one at time and is practiced by the children
before moving on to the next lesson unit. A teacher doesn’t need to follow
the lesson units start from lesson unit one, a teacher can use the lesson unit
randomly. However, it is much better if the teacher starts the lesson from
lesson unit one to lesson unit twelve because level of difficulties keep grow
from each lesson unit.

5. Are there any special pages for revision, self-testing, self-assessment or

reference?
There aren’t any pages for revision, self-testing, even self-assessment, but
there is special page for reference.

6. Are opportunities for independent work provided such through project work?
There isn’t project work for the independent work. Most of the activities in the
GwE 4 are individual works, but some of activities are peer work or work
team. I think this is good for children that they are learnt to work together
with their friends. For example, children are asked to complete the dialogue
and practice it with their friends.

7. Are learning strategies developed in a systematic and explicit way?

For the learning strategies, all the materials are arranged in a good and
systematic way. It starts from the easier one and it will be more complex in
the next of lesson units.

8. What are the illustrations and layout like? Are they attractive? Are they useful
or only decorative? Will your pupils like them?
The illustrations and the layout are attractive for the children. The GwE uses
pictures to introduce the lessons for the children. This is good because by
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using pictures the book will look interesting for the children. Some of the
pictures are colored by the colorful ways, but most of the pictures are used
black and white colors. It will be much better if all the pictures are colored by
colorful way, children will much love it. Not only pictures is used by the GwE
but also uses games and songs. In some lesson units, the writers put song or
games which relate to the topic. A song will help the children to improve their
speaking ability and also it will be fun. Moreover, children don’t know that
singing a song they also learn how to pronounce words which means it
improves their speaking ability.

9. Does the course include any examples of authentic language and materials?
Yes, it does. Each of units are based on the real live, it can be said that the
book is used authentic materials. For example in the lesson unit 1, the lesson
is about greetings. This book consists of formal and informal greetings. Also,
the book introduces name of the things which consist in our daily live.

10.What components does the course offers (books, tests, CDs, videos,
flashcards, posters, puppets)?
The GwE 4 book doesn’t provide a cassette for the listening activity. In fact in
the page 112 “How to Use the Book”, it is said that for the listening activity, it
needs a cassette. So, this is not match. Supposedly if in the RPP the listening
activity uses a cassette, so the teacher should use the cassette or if there is
no cassette, the teacher should say the tape script clearly and correctly. So
the children will catch what the teacher’s meant easily.

11.Is the teacher’s guide easy to follow? Does it contain interleaved pages from
the pupil’s book?
Yes, it is. The teacher’s guide is easy to be follow because the GwE 4 uses
simple words.

12.What is the socio-cultural context represented in the materials? Do they

avoid sexual, racial and cultural stereotypes? Are there opportunities for
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cross-cultural comparison? What values are projected through the materials?

What scope is there for developing citizenship education?
This book represents cultures of Indonesia. For example in lesson unit 4, it
represents culture like the custom houses from each culture in Indonesia.
This is good for children; they will know that Indonesia is rich of cultures. The
aim of this lesson is introducing cultural of Indonesia. Children will know that
each region of Indonesia has different culture, different food, and different
clothes. So, children are asked to respect and love the differences.

13.Can you spot any notable omissions? Will you have to supplement the
coursebook in any way?
As my explanation in number ten, if the listening skill needs a cassette, it
should provide it. If the cassette is hard to be found then, the book should
give the link. So the teacher can download it the recording. In addition, if
there is no cassette or the link, the teacher should have master in speaking
ability.

14.What sorts of demands are made on the teacher in terms of management

skills and fluency?
Most activities in this book are interesting. Even inexperienced teacher can
use this book. It means that the management of the book is systematic and
easy to be used.

15.How is each unit titled? Will it be clear to your pupils what they are expected
to learn in the unit and what they have to do?
Each unit is titled based on the theme. By looking the title of each lesson
unit, the pupils will know that they are going to do. For example in lesson unit
6 the title is “Bobby is ten years old” and in lesson unit 8 the title is “My
address is 3B Supratman Street”. I think, if pupils look these titles they can
understand it that in lesson unit 6, they will learn about “asking answer about
age” and for the lesson unit 8, the pupils also will understand that they will
learn about “asking and answer addresses”.
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16.How is new language presented? How is the meaning of items conveyed? Are
new items related to what has been leaned previously?
The new languages are presented by giving the children some pictures. It is
used to recall the students’ background knowledge. If students find
difficulties in catching the meaning of some words, the can check in the page
103 that is the page of list of vocabulary. They can check it on that. I think
this is good and will help students to understand the difficult word they
found.

17.Does the presentation of new language force the teacher to follow the unit
sequence of the coursebook?
The new language contains for about 60% of the lesson unit. A teacher
doesn’t need to follow the lesson units start from lesson unit one, a teacher
can use the lesson unit randomly. However, it is much better if the teacher
starts the lesson from lesson unit one to lesson unit twelve because level of
difficulties keep grow from each lesson unit.

18.How much new language is printed in each unit? Is the rate at which new
material is introduced appropriate for your pupils?
It is printed for about 60% in each lesson unit. Yes, the rate of at which
material is introduced appropriately for the pupils.

19.What kind of practice activities are there? Is there an appropriate balance

between controlled and freer practice, accuracy and fluency? Are they
motivating and meaningful? Do they provide opportunities for real language
use and possibilities for interaction?
The practices in this book are various. There are matching, practicing
dialogue, filling in the blank, puzzle, arranging pictures, etc. These activities
involve students to use real English especially for practicing dialogue and
other activities can improve their vocabularies.

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20.Does the book offer L1 translation? Do you regard this as useful or not?
In this book, it uses full of English (target language). The language
instructions and explanations use English. I think this is useful for the
children. It will make the children accustom with English. However,
sometimes students will find difficulties about how to do the exercises, and
this the role of teacher to make them understand what the children have to
do with the exercises. However, in the page 103 there is a list of vocabulary.
This can help students, if the students don’t know the meaning of particular
words.

21.How are the different skills treated? Are they integrated?

All activities in each topic of this book are integrated. This book is not focus
only for one skill, but focus on all four skills. For example, this books starts
from listening activity after that it moves to the speaking activity. If it starts
from reading activity then the next activity is writing activity.

22.How much variety of activity is there?

The activities in this book are various. There are games, songs that can
motivate children in learning English. This is interesting for children. This is
what primary students need in learning.

23.How much does the course cost? Can your school or the children’s parents
afford it?
It is about Rp 35.000. Children’s parent can afford it.