Short Cuts is a three-level series for teaching English to young adult and adult students. Each level of the program contains the following components: a student text a teacher's manipulative kit (available in posters) an optional teacher's audio program an optional student audio tape a teacher's manual One of the most unique features of Short Cuts is its use of manipulatives, or cut-ups. The use of these manipulatives: addresses a variety of learning styles: visual, aural, and kinesthetic; provides immediate feedback for both teacher and student; focuses students' attention on accomplishing specific tasks during an extended receptive period; encourages the use of English for the negotiation of meaning through student interaction; provides opportunities for student-centered cooperative learning. Perhaps the best reasons for using manipulatives are that they are fun, they create student interest, and they work! Using them is a little like playing a computer game, and it's a lot more fun to do that than to sit passively and listen to the teacher. A Complete Course At each level, the Short Cuts student text features a balanced presentation of reading, writing, listening, and speaking materials to allow your students to develop all language skills - without having to buy a separate workbook! Each student text provides between 100-130 hours of language instruction. While Short Cuts was designed to correlate to the California Model Standards of Adult Education, the series correlates to most other standards as well. Further information about placement is found in the preface to each student text. Each of the three books in the Short Cuts program is divided into ten thematic chapters. Each student text also includes worksheets (and manipulatives) for each chapter, audio tapescripts, and a complete conjugated list of all verbs found in the book. Other highlights of each student text include: lively chapter themes and situations that encourage classroom communication; clear and colorful illustrations to aid comprehension; self-study review pages for each chapter so students can check their own progress; an innovative visual presentation of grammar, along with practice exercises, and more! Flexible supplements to meet your classroom needs All the supplemental materials included in the Short Cuts program work together to help you provide a truly communicative learning experience for your students. We encourage you to mix and match these supplements to fit your particular teaching style and classroom configurations. Teacher's Manipulative Kit - Poster Version Teacher's Manipulative Kit - Transparency Version These kits correspond directly to the student worksheets found in each text. The poster kit comes with a set of adhesive manipulatives; the transparency version comes in color acetate form. You can use either kit in many different ways - model specific language activities, introduce new vocabulary, create information gaps - the list is endless. Optional Teacher's Audio Cassette Program Optional Student Audio Tape The Teacher's Audio Cassette consists of two separate audio tapes. The first tape contains recorded versions of all the dialogues found in the Listen sections of each lesson of the book. The second tape is the same tape as the Optional Student Audio Tape; it features passages from the self-review sections of the book. Since all tapescripts are printed in the student text, both audio programs are optional - you decide when and how to use them! Teacher's Manual Written by the author, the Teacher's Manual contains a wealth of helpful ideas and suggestions for using all of the materials in the Short Cuts program - including detailed lesson plans for each chapter! Ideal for low-beginning ESL students.
Chapter 1-School
BE in the present tense
Affirmative statements
Contractions
Questions with WHERE
Sentences with subject(+) BE (+)
Prepositional phrase
understand and use school vocabulary
give and understand directions
Ask for the location of a person or place
Understand and use the numbers 1-100
Ask for clarification
Pauses, hesitations and false starts in listening
Chapter 2-A Kitchen
BE in the present tense
Questions
Singular and plural count nouns
pronouns
Understand and use vocabulary related to cooking and eating
Make a polite request
Make an offer of help
express simple needs
Express thanks
Present continuous tense
imperative form
varieties of register (formal, less formal answers)
Chapter 3-Time
BE in the present tense
Negative statements
Questions about time
Intensifiers (very late)
Understand and use time vocabulary
Ask for and give the time
Describe location
Apologize for a situation
Present continuous tense
Frequency adverbs
Simple present tense of additional verbs
Chapter 4-A Restaurant
Count/noncount nouns
Questions with HOW MUCH
Understand and sue vocabulary related to eating and Restaurant
Ask for and give prices
Ask about the condition of something
make a request using I'D LIKE
Clarify prices
Comparitives and Superlatives
Chapter 5-Your Neighborhood
THERE IS/THERE ARE
questions
Understand and use neighborhood vocabulary
Ask about and understand simple descriptions of location
Describe one's own neighborhood
Get someone's attention
Simple present questions with DO
I'D LIKE to express wishes about the future
Chapter 6- At Work, At Home, and on Vacation
Present continuous tense
Imperatives for giving instructions
Understand and use work, home and vacation vocabulary
Ask for and give instructions about where to put things
Ask for and describe the location of self and others
Answer a request for help
Tag questions
chapter 7-The Supermarket
simple present tense with DO
Questions
Negative statements
Understand and use vocabulary related to shopping and groceries
Ask for and understand the location of something in a store
Tell if an item is expensive or cheap
Check on someone's feelings
Other expressions of emotion
Chapter8-Your Body
Present Tense with DOES
Questions
Negative statements
Understand and use health and body vocabulary
Ask about and report common medical problems
Introduce yourself
call in sick
Past tense of BE
Past tense of additional verbs
Chapter 9-The Family
Possessive Adjectives
The possessive 'S
Understand and use family Vocabulary
Ask and answer questions about the family
Introduce someone to another person
Present tense
Past tense of additional verbs
Chapter 10-A Daily Schedule
Frequency adverbs
Understand and use vocabulary related to daily schedules
Describe a typical schedule
Ask for additional information when an answer is negative
Past tense of additional verbs
