This 175-page activity-based ESL text for advanced English learners is designed to promote speaking fluency through discussions on social issues and daily life themes. The book's 32 units include topics such as gender roles past-present-future, smoking, the military, environmental problems, multiculturalism and clothing, the legalization of drugs, AIDS, gun control, drinking and driving, animal rights, gay and lesbian issues, and the right to die. Each unit includes background material, exercises to help students sort out opinions before class, and interactive pair and group activities which involve all students in the discussion.

This 110-page Japanese university English text aims to improve students' reading and listening skills on current events. Its 16 chapters are divided into two parts: (1) Japan's Image Abroad, about Asian perceptions of Japan, American perceptions of Japan, Korean Japanese, employment in Japan, Japanese education, Japanese society and the Hiroshima A-bomb, and (2) State of the World about cultural imperialism, racism, refugees, culture clash, Third World poverty, slavery, women's issues, the environment and the population explosion. Each chapter includes pre-reading questions, a 2-page magazine article with Japanese vocabulary and True/False questions, and listening activities with comprehension and cloze questions. The book comes with a CD for the listening passages and exercises.

This 160-page book, part of the "For Today..." theme-based reading series, is a low-advanced ESL reading skills text. It's divided into 10 chapters: (1) men and paternity leave, (2) morality in the classroom, (3) factors in living long, (4) the effect of mindset on health, (5) sibling rivalry, (6) aggression, violence and war, (7) the anatomy of a headache, (8) sales of human organs, (9) zoos and endangered species, (10) tropical rainforest destruction. Each chapter includes pre-reading preparation, a 2-3 page reading passage, a fact-finding exercise, outlining practice, reading analysis, critical thinking, dictionary skills, a quiz, follow-up activities and library research. An index of key words and answer key are given at the back.

This 116-page Japanese college EFL text aims to develop reading skills while promoting understanding of global economic issues. The book's 20 chapters include mainstream economic topics (exchange rates, taxes, tariffs, the IMF, GDP, national debt, economic blocs, money markets) as well as issue-oriented chapters (the economics of war and peace, economics and the environment, the economics of immigration, the haves and have-nots, tourism and development). Each chapter contains a reading passage, a Japanese explanation, a vocabulary exercise and True-False questions. A cassette is available separately.

This 92-page Japanese college EFL reader introduces students to countries and issues in North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The book's 20 chapters discuss countries (Mexico, the West Indies, Canada, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Cuba), topics (the Summit of the Americas, Latin arts) and issues (Latin tycoons, the military, citizen groups, poverty, the environment, corruption). The final chapter gives short profiles (population, capital, languages, income) of 35 countries in the Americas. Each 3-page chapter includes a short reading, Japanese notes, plus vocabulary, listening or comprehension questions.

Newsletter #26
Global Issues SIG Newsletter Index

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www.jalt.org/global/26Book.htm