 dr
richards talks about
the new interchange series-with Heather Armstrong new
interchangeNew Interchange is the second edition of Interchange, one
of the world's most successful English courses for adult and young adult learners
at the beginning to intermediate levels. It is a four level series that provides
a thorough coverage of all the language skills (grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing,
speaking, listening), with a particular emphasis on practical listening and speaking
skills in American English. A higher level course called Passages
follows on from the New Interchange series. Passages consists of two levels. New
Interchange together with Passages thus provides a six-level series that takes
students from beginning level to high intermediate. Major Features
of New Interchange
- An integrated multi-skills syllabus
- Contemporary,
real-world topics
- Practical authentic conversational language
- Grammar
taught in communicative contexts
- Natural listening exercises with a variety
of accents
- Maximum opportunities for guided speaking practice
- Student
friendly and teacher friendly design
- Regular review activities
- Fun
to teach and use in the classroom
Each of the four levels of New Interchange
consists of: - A student book
- A teacher's book
- A workbook
- A
video
- A video activity book
- Class cassettes, used by the teacher
- A
student cassette, for students to use at home
- A Lab guide
- A CD-ROM
In
addition, placements and achievement tests are available, plus a free teacher-training
video. HA: Why do you think New Interchange has become so popular
around the world? JCR: I think the success of the series is due
to the fact that students and teachers enjoy using it and find that it really
helps develop students' fluency in English. Many students around the world have
spent a great deal of time at high school studying English, but haven't really
learned very much. When they start studying with New Interchange they find that
their confidence develops and they soon see progress in their English. HA:
Why is it that students in so many countries learn so little from their English
courses at high school? JCR: Partly because in many countries,
high school English courses focus mainly on grammar and reading and on preparing
students for a university entrance test. There isn't a strong focus on practical
communication skills, and many teachers aren't sure how to teach speaking skills
in English. HA: What methodology is New Interchange based on? JCR:
The methodological principles are really quite simple and can be summarized as
follows: - Teach a little at a time
- Build on what students know
- Link
teaching to learners' lives and interests
- Give plenty of support for speaking
and listening activities
- Teach grammar as a practical tool and not as
an end in itself
These principles reflect those of Communicative Language
Teaching as well as a concern for learner-centeredness. HA: Is
the course difficult to teach? What advice would you give to new teachers using
the course? JCR: Most teachers find the course easy to use. The
purpose of exercises is clear. Each exercise is linked to those that precede or
follow it. And there is plenty of guidance for students. For new teachers I recommend
studying the teacher's manual closely, since it gives detailed suggestions on
how to teach the course, as well as many additional activities that can be used
to complement the course. The teacher training video is also an important resource
for teachers using New Interchange. HA: Do you teach New Interchange
yourself? JCR: Yes, I do. In Singapore I teach the oral-skills
component of intensive English courses we offer at the Regional Language Centre.
I have been using New Interchange 1 and 2 most recently. These courses are three
month full time residential courses for officials from countries such as Indonesia
and Cambodia. I really enjoy these classes. HA: What advice would
you give to a student who really wants to improve his or her English? JCR:
I think it's important to remember that the classroom is only the beginning of
one's learning, and it only provides a few hours a week of input in most cases.
So the more time the student can put in outside of class time, the better. This
may involve listening to cassettes or working with the CD ROM, trying out exercises
from the book with a friend or family member, and trying to build up vocabulary
through reading and self-study. | 
