Cambridge International English Course Workbook (3B)

Author: Jack C. Richards et al. (USA)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features:
Overall, New Interchange is one of the most popular and influential English textbooks internationally. It summarizes eight years of classroom experience worldwide and has been improved in many aspects after extensively soliciting opinions from students and teachers. The main revisions include: new conversation exercises, new cultural snapshots, new reading exercises, more comprehensive grammar explanations and activities, and richer listening materials. At the same time, the teacher's book, workbook, and video content have also been extensively revised.
New Interchange is a large-scale English textbook designed for learners in non-English-speaking countries. The content covers four skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—as well as pronunciation training and vocabulary expansion. It places particular emphasis on listening and speaking skills. The primary goal of this book is to develop English communicative competence, which means the ability to flexibly use English based on communicative contexts, purposes, and audiences. The book primarily uses American English, but its content is not limited to any specific country, region, or culture. Instead, it reflects the richness and diversity of English as an international language of communication.
The textbook is divided into four levels: Introductory, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3.
Introductory Level:
Targeted at "true" beginners with no English foundation, this level explains basic grammar structures, vocabulary, and language functions. Upon completion, students will master 1,000 active vocabulary words.
Level 1:
Designed for learners with a basic English level, this level 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:
Targeted at learners with a low-intermediate English level, this level 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:
Designed for learners with an intermediate English level, this level aims to develop students' 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 textbook helps students further consolidate and develop their ability to communicate in English. In addition to applied skill exercises, the textbook also includes advanced discourse comprehension exercises. Listening exercises include: listening to narratives, advertisements, discussions, and interviews. Reading activities include authentic passages on topics such as cross-cultural communication, lifestyles, and different values.
After completing all four levels, learners will reach an intermediate to advanced level.
■ Key Features ■
International Content:
Topics are up-to-date and closely related to the lives of both teachers and students. It is suitable for classes with similar student backgrounds as well as those with diverse backgrounds.
Comprehensive Curriculum:
The New Interchange curriculum aims to integrate multiple skills. Its teaching framework closely links topics, communicative functions, and grammar. Grammar, as the foundation of second or foreign language learning, is always explained in 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, with gradual advancement.
Practical and Engaging Learning Activities:
Lively and interactive activities provide ample practice opportunities for every student, allowing them to fully 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 opportunities. The variety of these activities not only adjusts the pace of the classroom but also gives every student more opportunities to interact with peers. At the same time, the textbook is suitable for both large and small classes.
Focus on Applied and Cognitive Skills:
Application and comprehension are the foundation of language learning. In this textbook, students' applied skills are trained through conversation and writing exercises, while cognitive skills are developed through listening and reading exercises. Through this learning process, students can understand language slightly more advanced than their applied skills, preparing them for life 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 plays a supportive role, mainly helping students prepare for activities and then guiding them to complete them using the language resources they have. In these activities, the teacher provides minimal informal guidance, such as brief evaluations. The teacher's main task is to encourage students to participate as much as possible.
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. Every student should be an intelligent, independent individual with their own thoughts and insights. They not only learn language through various classroom activities, such as pair work, group activities, and class activities, but also learn language by flexibly applying their knowledge and communicative skills.
Easy to Teach and Learn:
The textbook is easy to teach, with clear and focused teaching points, well-organized unit content, a progressive and moderate pace, and adjustable progress based on needs. Additionally, there are various creative and engaging learning activities to inspire students.