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DID YOU KNOW ...? |
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Q: What kind of ESL material is Spotlight?
A: Spotlight is high-interest,theme-based complementary material in a magazine format. It is project-based and aims at developing communicative competency in learners.
Q: Which skills does Spotlight cover?
A: At the moment, Spotlight is focussing on reading, speaking and writing skills. We hope to include listening in the future.
Q: What level of ESL student is Spotlight suitable for?
A: Spotlight is specifically designed for ESL students in the last three years of high school. The magazines range in difficulty from a low intermediate level to a low advanced level.
Q: Which other students can use Spotlight?
A: Spotlight can be used by any ESL students who have mastered basic or beginner's English.
Q: I'm a teacher at primary and someone told me that I could use Spotlight with my advanced groups. Is that right?
A: Well, why not if your students are ready and interested by the topic? However, you might want to check what the teachers in your local high school are using as material and make your choices accordingly.
Q: I teach in a rural area and have one or two bilingual students in each of my classes. Could I use Spotlight with them? Would it work?
A: Spotlight should work very well with such students. They would do the reading individually and then work on the other activities as a team. They could present their final project to their classmates. We expect that it wouldn't be long before other students in the class were asking if they could use Spotlight, too!
Q: How is Spotlight different from other ESL materials available?
A: It consists of high interest themes in a sixteen page magazine format rather than a textbook. Teachers can order the themes they like. Many people find Spotlight less academic than textbooks. Moreover, the magazines invite students to use their prior learning and creative abilities.
Q: What are the advantages of using Spotlight?
A: There are many advantages. Here are two main ones. Students will love the contemporary, appealing magazine format and themes and this will reflect upon learning and their attitude in class.
Teachers will love the short, practical teaching notes and the extra activities on the website.
Q: What are the theories underlying Spotlight?
A: Spotlight appeals to the different intelligences. It is based on constructivist theories; that is, students are encouraged to integrate the new things they are learning into their prior knowledge. The focus is on the students learning rather than the teacher teaching.
Spotlight is also project- and competency-based.
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