Cambridge International English Course (3) Teacher's Book

Author: Richards et al. (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-12-01
Features: New Interchange, an English course for non-native speakers, is one of the most influential English teaching materials in the world and the best-selling published by Cambridge University Press globally. New Interchange adopts the "Communicative Language Teaching" approach, emphasizing fluency, flexibility, and accuracy in practical communication. It aims to develop comprehensive skills, with main activities including: theme discussions, grammar structures, language functions, vocabulary expansion, and pronunciation training, providing students with maximum practical opportunities. New Interchange primarily uses American English but covers various countries, regions, and cultures. It not only features fresh and diverse topics with a modern touch but also provides extensive information on cultural differences between the East and the West, fully reflecting the richness and diversity of English as an international language of communication.
■ General Introduction New Interchange is one of the most popular and influential English textbooks globally. It incorporates eight years of classroom experience from around the world and has been extensively improved based on feedback from students and teachers. Major revisions include new conversation exercises, cultural snapshots, reading passages, more comprehensive grammar explanations and activities, and richer listening materials. The teacher's manual, workbook, and video content have also been significantly updated. New Interchange is a large-scale English course designed for non-native speakers. It covers listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, along with pronunciation training and vocabulary expansion. It places particular emphasis on listening and speaking skills. The primary goal of this course is to develop English communicative competence—flexibly using English based on communication contexts, purposes, and audiences. The course primarily uses American English but is not limited to any single country, region, or culture, reflecting the richness and diversity of English as an international language of communication. The course is divided into four levels: Introductory, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3.
Introductory Level: Designed for true beginners with no English foundation, it covers basic grammar structures, vocabulary, and language functions. Upon completion, students will master 1,000 active vocabulary words.
Level 1: For learners with basic English proficiency, it aims to further develop grammar, vocabulary, and pragmatic skills, enabling students to reach a low-intermediate level. Upon completion, students will master 2,200 active vocabulary words.
Level 2: For learners with intermediate English proficiency, it aims to further develop grammar, vocabulary, and pragmatic skills, enabling students to reach an intermediate level. Upon completion, students will master 3,400 active vocabulary words.
Level 3: For learners with intermediate English proficiency, it aims to develop the ability to communicate in relatively fluent and accurate English. Upon completion, students will master 4,700 active vocabulary words.
Through a variety of thought-provoking and challenging exercises, the course helps students further consolidate and develop their communicative skills in English. In addition to applied skill exercises, the textbook also includes advanced discourse comprehension activities. Listening exercises include: listening to narratives, advertisements, discussions, and interviews. Reading activities include authentic reading passages on topics such as cross-cultural communication, lifestyles, and different values. Upon completing all four levels, learners will reach a mid-high level of proficiency.
■ Key Features
■ International Content
Topics are relevant and closely tied to the lives of both teachers and students, making the course suitable for classes with similar student backgrounds as well as those with more diverse backgrounds.
■ Comprehensive Curriculum
The New Interchange curriculum aims to integrate multiple skills, combining topics, communicative functions, and grammar. Grammar, as the foundation of second or foreign language learning, is always explained within a communicative context, accompanied by teacher-guided controlled exercises based on accuracy and communicative activities based on fluency. This approach establishes a connection between grammatical forms and communicative functions. The teaching follows a progressive principle, gradually increasing in difficulty.
■ Practical and Engaging Learning Activities
Dynamic and interactive activities provide ample practice opportunities for every student, allowing them to apply what they have learned. The textbook includes numerous "information gap" exercises, role-playing activities, pair work, group activities, and class activities. Task-based and information-sharing exercises maximize communicative practice. The variety of activities not only adjusts the pace of the classroom but also gives every student more opportunities to interact with peers, making the textbook suitable for both large and small classes.
■ Focus on Applied and Cognitive Skills
Application and comprehension are the foundations of language learning. In this course, students' applied skills are trained through conversation and writing exercises, while cognitive skills are developed through listening and reading exercises. Through learning, students can understand language slightly more advanced than their applied skills, preparing them for real-world communication outside the classroom.
■ Teacher and Student Roles
The teacher's role is to explain new learning points. During pair work, group activities, and role-playing, the teacher's role is supportive, mainly helping students prepare for activities and then guiding them to use their language resources to complete the tasks. In these activities, the teacher provides minimal informal guidance, such as brief evaluations. The teacher's main task is to encourage students to participate actively.
The student's role is to actively and creatively engage in the learning process, not only applying the language learned in class but also flexibly using knowledge and language resources from other areas of life. Each student should be an individual with intelligence, independent thinking, and insights. They not only learn language through various classroom activities, such as pair work, group activities, and class activities, but also learn by flexibly applying their knowledge and communicative skills.
■ Easy-to-Teach and Learn Content
The course is easy to teach, with clear and focused objectives, well-organized units, a progressive and moderate pace, and adjustable content as needed. Additionally, there are various creative and engaging learning activities to inspire students.