Most adults who take on English classes will have had some previous learning experience at school, at university, in the workplace or while travelling. There is probably a specific need to brush up their English and in many cases lessons have to be squeezed in among the usual activities of adult life. Most adults might find it hard to sustain an English course over a long period of time because of constant and changing commitments.
Many English Language textbooks take a longer approach over several years and are not suitable for the average adult who needs to dip in for a short period and come out with improved basic communication skills and objectives accomplished. A problem with some ordinary course books is that they are long and extensive, with long grammar studies and long listening and reading exercises.
Clockwise Elementary is designed as an intensive refresher course in general English for adults, with an emphasis on improving the quality of the students' language performance. It is designed for university students and adults in the working world with limited time and money, who want confidence in general English quickly and effectively, for social interaction and travel or functional purposes.
The short course learner has distinct priorities and so the emphasis is on developing fluency and building confidence in speaking and understanding. It refreshes key grammar areas, though you may find you need to add some supplementary material according to you students’ needs. The vocabulary topics are pertinent, specific and above all useful. Listening and reading texts are short and productive with a focus on topics like Life and Routine, Tickets and Flights, Jobs and Work, Traveling, and Shopping; mostly topics with a strong international and practical content.
Each lesson focuses on a grammar point, specific vocabulary and reading, listening and speaking exercises. The layout is clear, spacious and with plenty of photos, drawings and learning charts. Learning tips abound, like "Effective Reading", "Think before you speak", "Vocabulary Tips". The “Can You Remember?” sections are really useful for revision and can be used at the end of the lesson, for homework or for revising at the beginning of the next class. The listening exercises are short and can be used in a variety of ways from simple listening comprehension through dictation, reproduction and guessing key words. Activities include controlled oral practice, speed-learning techniques, memory skills, and timed activities.
"Clockwise Elementary is designed as an intensive refresher course in general English for adults, with an emphasis on improving the quality of the students' language performance."
Each lesson consists of three or four pages and can be covered in a session. These short lessons can be used in any order, allowing choice in topic and syllabus coverage. There are clear objectives, which motivate students, giving them the feeling of achievement and focus.
The Clockwise series is also backed up online with extra material and advice. The Teacher’s Book provides a good guide for teachers and with useful teacher’s tips and alternative suggestions. The Resource book supplies some excellent activities for backing up the lessons.
I would highly recommend this text book for summer courses, one-to-one lessons and for students who need an effective and entertaining approach to brushing up their English for international communication. In particular, Clockwise Elementary is ideal for those ‘false beginners’ who need to retrieve what they have learnt and to add to their knowledge of how to communicate better in the English Language.
