◆Let’s Go Kids Club◆ Ms. Yumi Tanaka （Nagano）
I wanted to build a classroom to have a fairytale-like atmosphere, so I ordered a log cabin from Finland, which my husband built for me. This is what it looked like after the recent heavy snowstorm.
I have been teaching English to children at home by the MAT METHOD with the Let’s Go series since 2004. I started to use Let’s Go 4th Edition this spring. The reason why I recommend this course book is because it has everything the teacher needs to teach English to children, such as dialogues, songs, chants, vocabulary, question-and-answer practice, phonics, reading, etc. So, if you teach with Let’s Go 4th Edition, even if you are an inexperienced teacher, you can teach children listening, speaking, reading and writing, step-by-step, in a fun and balanced way.
Songs and Chants
Each unit has interactive songs using expressions that are useful for dialogue. Children like these songs very much, especially the songs in Let’s Go 1. I especially thought this when I heard that one girl who had come to my trial lesson was singing “The Hello Song” at lunch time at school the day after the trial lesson.
Question-and-Answer
In “Let’s Learn” and “Let’s Learn More”, students learn the vocabulary, sentence patterns and question forms, so your students will be able to speak to each other from an early stage. When I teach vocabulary, sentence patterns, and question forms, I pre-teach them. Then, I let my students open their books and practice with a CD. Since Let’s Go 4th Edition has games for question-and-answer practice, I sometimes use the course book as a game tool.
Phonics, Reading and Writing
Each unit has a page for phonics. And on the next page, there is a story using the words the students learned on the phonics page. I think this is good for both teachers and students. As it is difficult to find reading books that fit the level of the students, you don’t have to struggle to find one if you use Let’s Go (4th Edition). As for students, since they can read the words, they try to read the sentence spontaneously. Moreover your students can learn more reading and writing with their optional workbooks.
Audio CD
One of the best things in the fourth edition is that it comes with a CD, so the students can practice listening at home. I assign listening to the CD to my students． Some students learn more quickly than others. However I can prevent slow learners from being left behind by assigning review with the CD at home.
Vocabulary
Another reason I select the Let’s Go series over other coursebooks is vocabulary. As in most course books, vocabulary is categorized by theme such as food, toys, or animals. Besides this, in Let’s Go, countable and non-countable words are categorized respectively. Let’s Go teaches concepts one at a time. So, grammar is not difficult for children. That is why in my class, even first graders can talk to each other using sentences with correct grammar.
Characters
Lastly, since I have been using Let’s Go for many years, both my students and I have grown to love the Let’s Go characters, Andy, Scott, Jenny and Kate. In my class, many students identify with Andy because he looks childish. They think that Scott must be vain because he is cool and handsome. Andy is popular among boys while Scott is popular among girls.
I think that Let’s Go is the best course book I have ever known.
← The students are viewing 24 action cards. As they cannot read yet, they can remember them by using actions. After attending the IIEEC-OUP Teacher Training Program, my lessons have become better and I am doing Review with the language they have learned from the first lessons.