Primary Longman Express

keltafan

Dear All Mummy,
       I don't know why on the list is Express but she brings it back is Welcome . Is it the same????
Is it only change the name? Help!!!! Tell me Please       

Vernique2005

Dear All:

Virgokaren: Oxford is certainly harder than Longman both in terms of the vocab and sentence structure used.  If you think about it, Oxford books are written by writers who speak STANDARD and FORMAL English, whereas writers for Longman are most likely primary teachers in Hong Kong (I knew that Longman was hiring primary teachers a while ago.) If you want to get some readers from Oxford, try the Story Tree Pack.  For secondary students, I would highly recommend Cambridge's Strategic Reading.

m1m1sam:  Hi! I was surprised to know that Cambridge books are rarely used in HK.  In fact, the Cambridge University Press should be the one that spends the most money researching second language acquisition.  Their exams, KET and IELTS are also internationally recognized. (I was thinking that the KET is very popular in HK, too.)  Some of the reasons why this occur may be that: 1) books from the Cambridge press is much more expensive that those by Longman--while a reader by Cambridge costs $48, one by Longman is only $30. 2) the level of difficulty is higher, and 3) Cambridge books aim for students who ultimately want to enter English university and use English as their academic language, so this may not be the aim for many primary schools in HK.  

Tommyma: For grade 3/4 students, you actually have a great variety of readers to choose from.  First of all, you should try a set of reader that is different from your children's textbook.

For academic reading, you may try:
1) Oxford's Story Tree Pack
2) Cambridge's ELT edition (this is a series of book simplified for young English reader)

For recreational reading, you may try books from:
Scholastics or McGraw Hill
Penguin Classics is also a very good choice.

If you want to use the communicative approach of learning, you may want to read through playing games. ie: ask your son to read the rules for math games, chess games,etc.

crystalcbh: I am sorry to tell you that I don't know the difference between the 2 books.  I tried looking at Longman's official homepage for you, but that the information that they provide for the two books are almost identical (what a lazy publisher...)  

Ringo-mom

Vernique 2005
you are really wonderful. my boy not using both in school. They are now using story book in English lesson. All the material prepared by teacher.  Their supplimentary excerise not using both for P3 but another locoal publisher. It is a little bit difficult to find right excerise for him coz their sybllus is a little bit different with regular. Any recommendation for me? Thanks.

Ringo mom

m1m1sam

Vernique2005 ,

大致認同你的分析，記得n年前當我讀小學的年代，英文較好的學校大多選用 Oxford 的 Active English，後來先逐漸多學校用Longman Integrated English, Communicative English 等等，當中或可見證了香港小學生英文水準在80-90年間的下降。

而Longman最叻的一招就是把素材simplify and localize，其中的表表者可說是Longman Dictionary of  Contemporary English，這書最初在80年代一出，即把壟斷巿埸多年(當年很多中學書單中的必選字典) 的Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary打殘。

以上是我多年在香港由讀書,至教書,至出版社,至做家長觀察所得，未知你同意否?

說回現今香港小學的教科書，講真，不論Oxford 或Longman 都越出越淺(為適應香港巿場吧)，一些為保住招牌的傳統名校，或新派打响以英語教學名號的新校，大多加以大量補充,worksheets等，有些甚至已棄用TEXT BOOK，由老師自製教材(e.g. D..S)。至於另一些要搏盡上位而力谷的，則轉用新加坡的教材 (個人認為不可取，一味得個深字，不論英語的語境和文化都不能帶出來，內容又沒有親切感，只有圍繞馬拉南洋的名字，風物)。所以你所說的Cambridge 在香港的小學並不POPULAR，但Cambridge的EXam 郤香港家長趨之若鶩。

至於你介紹的reader, Oxford's Story Tree 在香港較普遍，Scholastics都有(有些學校eg. Sa... H...., Vic....a定期幫學生訂添)，但Penguin Classics可能會深左D，除非讀國際學校。

很高興能跟你討論，想請教下你，加拿大(OR 以英語為母語)的小朋友學英文會否學GRAMMAR 呢？多謝賜教!

Vernique2005

m1m1sam:
不用客氣了﹗小妹教書資歷還是很淺﹐ 還有多東西要不斷學﹐ 不斷讀﹐ 大家一起討論吧﹗
有沒有過份一點﹖ 唔用Oxford dictionary 轉用Longman?????? 人家有幾百年歷史﹐ 現在法官研究legal documents 是以Oxford dictionary 的定義來做standard, 連外國英國文學系的老教授出文都唔敢自己寫definition, 一定是quote from OED 的 (小妹我就很喜歡拿著原版OED 來看看其他文豪是怎樣用字的 )

我個人覺得﹐ 要學一件事﹐ 學的好就一定要用最正確的方法﹐ Longman 字典是淺D﹐ 但就只有最常用的usages, 所以很多人到外國讀書時不停在不appropriate 得地方用詞。。。。(更加唔好提電子dictionary.....簡直是慘不忍睹﹐ 現在我在Canada 收補習學生﹐ 第一個條件就是要他們答應不用e-dictionary 轉 Oxford, 如不答應就不教﹐ 因為用e-dictionary 是學不到English 的 )

I tried Singapore's materials before when I was in HK, too. I didn't really like it. 字難不代表學了溝通能力會好﹐ 他們好像不夠comprehensive, vocab 後有grammar, listening, reading, writing, 但他們都沒有顧得很好。。。

老師的self-made 教材絕對是好好的supplementary exercises, 因為他們了解學生的程度嘛﹗ 但如果大家的風氣是把東西弄淺﹐ 那香港的前途就有夠悲哀了。 (美國現在因為中學生的程度不斷提昇﹐ 他們的SAT, 大學入學exam, 越出越難﹐ 加拿大為了提高standard, 也開始加final exams, 知道自己數學不及亞洲﹐ 現在不停地trains new teachers﹐ 為求數年內課程跟Taiwan 和HK 看齊。。。)
英國就被人complain final papers 越來越淺﹐ 也是弄得很亂。

加拿大以前是不教grammar 的﹐ 因為他們信只要是native speaker grammar 自然就好 (哈哈﹐ 最後是笑話一個﹐ 現在所有English teachers 都要有grammar training, 而grammar 是所有學生必考的) 但我要admit that 他們教得很生動﹐ 我小表弟學present tense 時﹐ 是跟science class 一起學﹐ 他一邊寫fish 的生活習性﹐ 一邊學present tense, 寫完以後他不是做 "correction", 只是"right a nice good copy for himself"  他們把愉快學習的concept 做得真的很好。 (Too bad 我是教intensive preparation courses for university entrance exams 的﹐ 所以我很多時都沒得玩。。。。)  

Vernique2005

Dear Ringo-mom:

It's interesting how your son's school teaches him because it's quite similar to North America's approach.  I assume that you don't have a standard text, right?  Instead, the teachers just give students worksheets in class.  If you want to compare your son's level to those of other students, just simply get him supplementary references from a normal bookstore.  What do you have to think about is:
1) Does your son get a great variety of reading materials?
2) How is grammar/writing taught when the main resources are story books?
3) Is there a balance of reading genres? (like story book/poetry/non-fiction/information books, etc)
4) How many reading books does your son read in a year?

I am assuming that you child is studying in an English school or international school.  If that's the case, you may also check your child's standard to other students' in the US.  California has a very strong system of standardized testings.  If you go to amazon.com and search for grade 3 English workbooks/exams, you will see a long list of books.  You may try getting a grade 2/3 book to see if your son is reaching their expectation as well.

When I was young, I loved Enid Bryton's young fictions (because they are relatively easy.  You may also try that.  They are sold in HK bookstores as well) You may give it a try!

diamondring

m1m1sam :

Do u remember me? last time i asked u about some schools? Were u not work in ED?

Where to buy Oxford's Story Tree in HK

m1m1sam 寫道:
Vernique2005 ,
以上是我多年在香港由讀書,至教書,至出版社,至做家長觀察所得，未知你同意否?

說回現今香港小學的教科書，講真，不論Oxford 或Longman 都越出越淺(為適應香港巿場吧)，一些為保住招牌的傳統名校，或新派打响以英語教學名號的新校，大多加以大量補充,worksheets等，有些甚至已棄用TEXT BOOK，由老師自製教材(e.g. D..S)。至於另一些要搏盡上位而力谷的，則轉用新加坡的教材 (個人認為不可取，一味得個深字，不論英語的語境和文化都不能帶出來，內容又沒有親切感，只有圍繞馬拉南洋的名字，風物)。所以你所說的Cambridge 在香港的小學並不POPULAR，但Cambridge的EXam 郤香港家長趨之若鶩。

至於你介紹的reader, Oxford's Story Tree 在香港較普遍，Scholastics都有(有些學校eg. Sa... H...., Vic....a定期幫學生訂添)，但Penguin Classics可能會深左D，除非讀國際學校。

很高興能跟你討論，想請教下你，加拿大(OR 以英語為母語)的小朋友學英文會否學GRAMMAR 呢？多謝賜教!

m1m1sam

It's my sisiter working in EMB.

For the Oxford books, you can easily find them in large bookstores, including the Commercial Press. I think 青田 got them too.

Ringo-mom

Dear Vernique
Thank you very much for your detailed information.
Yes, they dont have regular text book but a series of story book. They have worksheet in the class which include phonics and some sentense structure or comprehension. They have supplimentary excerise but not doing all. They will only choose the one which just taught in the story book. That's why I said its difficult to find a completely match excerise for him.  Actually, he is not studying in INternational school or English school, just regular mainstream school in HK.  I will try to push him read more English story book for the coming year. As now, he just read Chinese  story book from Libiaryand English Story book from school. After getting your valuable information, I will let him try more. Thanks a lot

Ringo mom

twinsgirl

我女今年用 Educational Publishing House Ltd.
My Pals are Here! English for Hong Kong p2.
請問有冇人知這本書同PRIMARY LONGMAN EXPRESS內容及形式上有何分別嗎?

pollycheng

我今日睇過教育出版社的step up(P4)，內容同舊版的new welcome to english 唔係差得好遠...     

virgokaren

！
看過 Vernique2005 & m1m1sam 兩位的分析後，讓我大致上對這三大出版社的教裁瞭解多了。謝謝！

Vernique2005：
你 recommend 的 Cambridge's Strategic Reading，是不是這本呀？click here
適合我外甥女讀嗎？

Vernique2005 & m1m1sam：
今天我經過書局買了幾本 SFLEP-longman sec. English graded readers 和 blackcat 的 story book。
故事簡單又帶點百科叢書的味道，看起來很有趣，想聽下你們的專業意見。

Aristo 出版的英文教科書(中學)又如何？
這本好似更少學校採用！

Garfiled

這本Primary Longman Express有什麼特別,點解要用這本書, 它與 New Welcome to English有什麼不同?那士書好的? 兩本書的程度怎樣,?   

Vernique2005

Virgokaren:
對了﹗你找到的Cambridge's Strategic Reading 就是我用的﹐ 如果是中文中學﹐ 你就由book 1 開始吧﹗

至於blackcat 的 story book﹐ 是不是這個﹖﹖
http://publish.commercialpress.com.hk/qel/html/blackcat/level/level01.htm

hm....句子機構有點像直接用中文翻譯成的英文﹐ 用語言學的角度看我會說它不夠idiomatic
像這句﹕ Zorro, the legendary masked hero of Spanish California. He is a champion of justice and an expert with the sword 我會寫成 "Zorro, the legendary masked hero of Spanish California, is a champion of justice and an expert with swords"
(請留意 comma 的用法和"the sword" 跟"swords" 的分別)
又像這句(自《大衛克羅傳》)﹕
This is the true story of a brave, adventurous man, a real American hero, who has become a legend. Davy loved danger, justice and freedom. He was the true American free spirit of the 1800s who help to build America (最後應該是 "who HELPED to build" 因為已經是過去了)

hm..我不是說我的一定是最好﹐ 但他們的英文應該不是最standard 的, 也可能是不小心。 你知道是誰寫的嗎﹖ 我只知道是CP出版的。。。其實外國出的書有時都會有careless mistakes, 我們的rules 是找到以後寫信給他們﹐ 然後他們改新edition 時會送一份給你﹐ 香港有沒有這個rules??
看看故事應該沒關係﹐ 但就最好不要拿來當writing samples 勒﹗ 如果您有Strategic writing, 然後拿它跟這套書比﹐ 你會發現前者要翻譯成中文時可能要改動句子機構﹐ 但後者就不用。

而Aristo 出版的英文教科書﹐ 我沒看過﹐ 回來看過以後再告訴你﹗  

Juliford

Very useful!
    

ww1222

Thanks for sharing!

ppq

我收了書啦!請問Vernique2005我用Primary Longman Express p.1和什麼Reading好呢?我女兒學校沒有Reading的。請問可不可以介紹給我?不要太深呀!她只是p.1thank you!                 

Eva

My daughter's school also changes to use Primary Longman Express from P.1 to P.3. but still using New Welcome to English for P.4 and up.

There are also a summer holiday exercise named 全港性系統評估模擬試卷小二<朗文出版社>. But could not find it from their web-site??

gigi2 寫道:
I also wonder as only P.2 & P.6 will use this textbook in 05/06 but other levels will keep the same series of Welcome to English?      I intend to check this with class teacher on parents day next week.   

Vernique2005

Hi ppq:

之前說的Story Tree Pack 跟 Graded Reader (both by Oxford) 其實已經不錯﹐ 而Cambridge 的 reader (ELT edition 就是專為英文為第二語言的人而設)。

如果你覺得這些書程度太高﹐ 而又有時間/興趣培訓小孩讀英文書的話﹐ 可以到California 的 Department of Education 按照小朋友的grade level 找 reading list, 他們由K-12都有recommended reading lists (真不枉他們交這麼重稅﹗)  很多外國人的做法是先到library 網頁找好書號然後一大堆一大堆的書綁回家去和小孩一起看。我想這方法最大的問題是香港不知有沒有這些書﹖(知道的朋友請告訴我﹐那我就不用替表妹們搬得太辛苦。。。。)

網頁如下﹕
http://crl.startest.org/home.do;jsessionid=BBTXRZ0NSCW4TIFAYGMDM4I

想打好基礎的小朋友可以從最簡單的讀起﹐ 他們連詩歌集都有﹐ 如果想到外國昇學的可以看看他們grade 10-12 看什麼書 (他們要看Shakespeare的原版)﹐ 然後比較一下程度。