Helen Solorzano – författare

NorthStar: Building Skills for the TOEFL® iBT: High Intermediate, by Helen Solórzano (Series Editors: Frances Boyd and Carol Numrich) is published in cooperation with ETS.

 

Pearson Longman and ETS combine their expertise in language learning and test development to create an innovative approach to building the skills assessed in the new TOEFL® Internet-based test (iBT).

 

Each text features 

Ten thematic units to develop academic skills in English while building test-taking confidence Integrated skill practice to develop critical thinking and communicative competence Authentic TOEFL® iBT practice sets created by ETS especially for this series Practical tips to sharpen test-taking strategies Teacher's Manuals with evaluation tools to track students' progress and actual student responses (speaking and writing) at all score levels

 Available in Intermediate, High Intermediate, Advanced levels.

 

Use NorthStar: Building Skills for the TOEFL® iBT with the integrated skills series NorthStar to build a strong foundation for success on the TOEFL® iBT.

 

(ETS, the ETS logo, and TOEFL are used registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS), used under license by Pearson Longman.)

Focus on Writing is an academic writing program that provides students with essential tools to master not only the key steps in the writing process, but also the grammatical structures, lexical knowledge, and rhetorical modes essential for academic writing.

This five-level series progresses with students as they grow in confidence and ability from sentence level (Book 1) through paragraphs (Books 1–3) and essays (Books 3–5). Each unit leads writers step-by-step through the process of prewriting, writing a first draft, revising, and editing before producing a final draft. Not only do students write an entire paragraph or essay in each unit, they are also given plenty of practice at the sentence and word levels.

Features:

Each unit teaches students how to use one or more common organizational structures: narrative, description, opinion, persuasion, compare-contrast, problem-solution, and cause-effect. High-interest readings and a choice of writing assignments provide a springboard for students’ writing. Grammar presentation and practice correlated to Focus on Grammar make the connection between grammar and writing clear. Building Word Knowledge mini-lessons and exercises teach students’ how to use word forms, collocations, idioms, compounds, descriptive details, phrasal verbs and other types of vocabulary in their writing. Revision and Editing checklists for each writing assignment help students rewrite and polish their first drafts. Online Teacher’s Manuals contain model lesson plans, unit overviews, timed writing assignments, authentic student models, and answer keys.

Who are some of the key figures in the history of abstract art? Can video games be good for children? What are some ethical approaches to decision-making?

You’ll find the answers to these and other questions in Contemporary Topics 1, which features college lectures from several academic disciplines, including art history, media studies, and psychology. Contemporary Topics 1 prepares students for the challenge of college lectures with practice in a wide range of listening, speaking and note-taking skills and strategies. The lectures (available on CD and DVD) were filmed in realistic academic setting before live student audiences.

DVD Features

Realistic college lectures from a range of academic disciplines (also on audio CDs) Student discussions of the lectures (also on audio CDs) Instructors’ Presentation Points Coaching Tips that guide students as they take notes Subtitles for lectures and student discussions

Course Features

Corpus-based vocabulary drawn from the Academic Word List Practical listening and note-taking strategies Note-review practice that allows students to analyze their note-taking skills and consolidate their understanding of the lecture Academic research and speaking tasks: presentation, discussions, and role plays A Teacher’s Pack for busy instructors with: Suggested bonus activities Teaching notes Answer keys Audioscripts Simulated TOEFL® Listening Test for each unit

See also:

Contemporary Topics Introductory (High Beginner)

Contemporary Topics 2 (High Intermediate)

Contemporary Topics 3 (Advanced)

The new and improved Listening and Speaking strand now offers an Interactive Student Book

powered by MyEnglishLab. The Interactive Student Book allows students and teachers to better

assess progress. Teachers can now monitor student performance to personalize learning and

increase student motivation.

The five-level NorthStar series engages students through a seamless integration of compelling

online content and empowers them to achieve their academic and personal goals in order to meet

the challenges of the 21st century.

• Current and thought-provoking listening selections from a variety of contrasting authentic genres stimulate students intellectually. Authentic content engages students, links them to language use outside the classroom, and encourages critical thinking and personal expression. • Explicit language skills are reinforced and practiced using models from the unit listening selections, while the pronunciation and speaking skill selections expose students to the sounds and patterns of English to prepare them to express their ideas on a higher level. • Productive vocabulary and grammar structures are targeted, reviewed, practiced, and expanded upon for the final speaking task. • Group projects inspire students to inquire further and prepare students to engage in real-world activities. The projects incorporate Internet research, helping students build digital literacy skills. • A variety of online assessments tied to learning outcomes allows teachers to individualize instruction and track student progress. • Teacher Resources in MyEnglishLab include the scope and sequence, digital student book, downloadable achievement tests, classroom audio, audioscripts, video activities, videoscripts, teacher’s manual, answer keys, and a downloadable placement test.

Now in a fourth edition, Contemporary Topics expands on its highly respected approach to developing academic listening and study skills. Organized around realistic college lectures, the text guides learners through carefully sequenced activities in skills such as note-taking, focusing attention, intensive listening, and vocabulary building. It also helps students evaluate their interests and explore possible career paths.

New to This Edition

New subject areas, presented as one-on-one academic lectures, emphasize professional applications such as software engineering, multimedia design, information technology, urban planning, and social psychology. Learning Outcomes listed at the outset of each unit let students know the goals of each unit and what their learning experience will be. New audio interviews with topic experts provide context for the upcoming unit lecture. Bottom-up listening and pronunciation exercises emphasize important principles and improve real-time perception. An oral presentation activity, supported by specific preparation and delivery strategies, concludes each unit and includes the opportunity for peer evaluation. Proficiency assessments composed of short academic audio lectures and multiple-choice exams simulate TOEFL-style test format for practice on high-stakes tests. New Essential Online Resources include audio, video, and teacher materials (assessments, teaching notes, answer keys, audioscripts, presentation points, and more).

Other Highlights

Corpus vocabulary drawn from the Academic Word List ensures that students are exposed to core academic vocabulary. Collaborative activities with presentation strategies and peer evaluations allow students to make connections and develop critical thinking skills. Unit comprehension tests assess students' grasp of key concepts presented in the unit lecture. Mapped to the Global Scale of English.

NorthStar is a five-level, two-strand (Reading & Writing and Listening & Speaking) integrated-skills English course that empowers adult and young adult English language learners to achieve their academic and personal goals. Engaging content, integrated skills, and critical thinking continue to be the touchstones of the series.

NorthStar is rigorous in its approach to critical thinking by systematically engaging students in tasks and activities that prepare them to move into high-level academic courses. The cognitive domains of Bloom’s taxonomy provide the foundation for the critical thinking activities. The Reading & Writing strands are designed to challenge students to move beyond basic comprehension to higher-level analysis.

Academic Progress is a four skills course that provides an accelerated path through English language and 21st century skills to success in a university classroom and beyond.