
NorthStar is a five-level
integrated skills series for language learning. The series is divided
into two strands: listening/speaking and reading/writing. There are five
books in each strand, taking students from the high beginning to advanced
levels.
The two strands at each level
explore different aspects of the same contemporary themes. Each book practices
language learning skills through high-interest thematic content.
The Student Books are supported
by a wide range of components:
- A
Writing Activity
Book for each level of the reading and writing strand expands and
reinforces the process writing.
- The
Audio Program includes all the reading and listening segments
as well as pronunciation exercises on CD or cassette.
- The
Video Program includes 3-5 minute segments for each unit. The
segments are thematically linked to the units to add to listening comprehension
and offer additional material for discussion or writing.
Integrated skills are at the
heart of the NorthStar series. When skills are integrated, language
is apt to be more authentic, natural and motivating. Integrating skills
offers more opportunity for recycling and reinforcing key vocabulary,
grammatical structures, and ideas. Students have more ways and more chances
to assimilate information and language, thereby facilitating retention
of information.
New Second
Edition Features
40%
new topics: new topics range from bartering, skateboarding,
and cell phone etiquette to food trends and crime reduction.
Expanded
Teacher's Manuals: Teacher's Manuals with Achievement Tests
(one for each book in the series) include:
- step-by-step teaching suggestions;
- time guidelines;
- expansion activities;
- answer keys;
- reproducible unit tests.
- The
Reading/Writing Teacher's Manuals include a test-generating CD-ROM
that allows teachers to customize their own tests.
- The
Listening/Speaking Teacher's Manual has an audio CD of all the
listening and speaking material for the tests.
NorthStar
Video Series: Ten short segment per level (Basic/Low Intermediate
through Advanced) showcase various genres, including documentaries, interviews,
and cartoons, all correlated to the unit theme.
More Writing
Practice
The NorthStar Writing Activity
Books, companions to all NorthStar Reading and Writing Student
Books, contain:
- four
sections on the writing process: Prewriting, Organizing, Revising,
and Editing;
-
assignments drawn from topics discussed in the Student
books;
-
peer review and pair work exercises to build confidence
and communication skills;
-
checklists following each draft to help students to
build specific skills at each stage.
About
the Editors and Authors of NorthStar; Second Edition
Program
Components
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