 
Ask the Author allows you to send your questions to Dr. Ken Beatty, author of Read and Think!
| A question about vocabulary |
Dear Ken,
I find that some of the vocabulary used in Read and Think! is quite challenging, even for me. How can my students be expected to understand it?
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Ken replies: What our students learn is not limited to what we know; hopefully, they will learn a lot more than we know, about a greater variety of things than we do. For example, my six-year-old son became fascinated by dinosaurs a year ago. He asked us what their names were so my wife and I had to learn the name ourselves in order to teach him; however, it wasn't long before he became the dinosaur expert in our house. The key is having high (but realistic) expectations and providing the environment for learning to occur.
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| A question about timing |
Hi, Ken:
Sometimes, I don't seem to have enough time in class to cover everything in the lessons and don't know what I can skip. Any suggestions?
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Ken replies: The two lessons in every unit are structured with the core material being introduced before the optional material. However, as Read and Think! is so rich in content, it is a shame to skip any of the material. I suggest you should assign any parts of the lesson that are not covered in class for homework or as self-study. For example, the debates can be turned into short writing assignments.
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| A question about levels |
Dear Dr. Beatty,
In my class, half of the students are really comfortable with the level of the material in Read and Think!, while the other half seem to be struggling a little. How can I teach a lesson to a class of such mixed abilities?
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Ken replies: In every class, there are more able and less able students. An effective way to manage this is to pair students from both groups together. Students who support a partner (or partners) through peer activities are not held back; rather, they consolidate what they know, which helps them and enhances their understanding. In Read and Think!, there are numerous pair and small group activities, but even individual activities can be made into pair activities to provide additional support if needed. Remember, the goal of any good ELT book is for all your students to improve his or her English, not for them just to complete the book.
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| A question about quotations |
Dear Ken,
Most units feature quotations from famous people. What is their purpose?
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Ken replies: The purpose of the Read and Think! series is not just to encourage our students to develop reading skills, but rather to encourage them to think about what they have read. When students do this, they are better able to remember what they have read, and they improve their reading comprehension and fluency faster than they would with more traditional reading courses. The quotations help stimulate interest by providing a variety of perspectives on the material read. The quotations can also be used by students in the debates. Additionally, quotations are often witty and memorable. Anything that helps our students remember more English is useful.
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