GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT FOOTPRINTS PUPILS BOOK 2

nd
COURSE
Esther Garca Pia
Diana Garca Toms
Adrin Pagador Pintor

1.What sort of methodology does the book appear to adopt? Audiolingual method is the main
method but also it appears the Communicative Task Learning method.
2.Does one approach predominate? If yes, what are the implications of this in relation to the rest
of the curriculum? Theres a relation with others subjects like Maths, Science, Arts and Crafts
3.How are new teaching points graded? How frequently are they introduced and how much
practice material separates them? First of all the book presents the vocabulary, and after that, using
this vocabulary, children learn new grammar.
At the beginning the role of the students is more passive and after knowing a bit of the vocabulary of
the lesson they start to do exercises in an active way. Through the grammar pupils all the vocabulary
that theyve learnt before. To do well the speaking activities, pupils have clues.

4.Is the organization of the course linear or cyclical? Linear: teaching points are added one at time,
each being practised before moving on to the text. Cyclical: a particular teaching point recurs in a
different context to be enlarged on throughout the course. What are the implications of this to
young learners?
The grammar is worked in a cyclical way, because if kids learn the present simple in the first lesson, it
will appear another time in the next lessons through readings for example. However, the vocabulary
is learnt in a linear way because its unique in each lesson and children dont see it again in the next
lessons.
All the lessons have the same structure:
1. Introduction about vocabulary
2. Story: after the story they play games and through that pupils learn grammar.
3. Games: to practice oral skills
4.Listenings: songs and games
5.Go deep
6.Review
5. Are there any special pages for revision, self-testing, self-assessment or reference? The book
only has pages for revision at the end of each lesson.
6. Are opportunities for independent work provided such as through project work? The book has
more project work to practice the oral skills but also children do some independent work.
7. Are learning strategies developed in a systematic and explicit way? The learning strategies are
systematic because theyre repeated all the time with the same structure and order (vocabulary,
reading a story, listening, etc). Apart from learning strategies, children develop other strategies like
express their self, respect the other, etc. Also the book provides a little guide in each page for a
better understanding of the lesson.

8.What are the illustrations and layout like? Are they attractive? Are they useful or only
decorative? Will your pupils like them? Therere lots of illustrations and also theyre some
characters who were presented in the beginning of the book and through these characters children
learn vocabulary and grammar. The illustrations are so attractive because they are big and with lots
of colors. Also they are useful because the lesson is more amusing and catch the pupils attention.
9. Does the course include any examples of authentic language and materials? The grammar and
the vocabulary are so adapted to the real life context.
10. What components does de course offer: (books, tests, cassettes, CDs, videos, flashcards,
posters, puppets)? The pupils book only has a CD as an extra resource.
11.What is the socio-cultural context represented in the materials? Do they avoid sexual, racial and
cultural stereotypes? Are there opportunities for cross-cultural comparison? What values are
projected through the materials? What scope is there for developing citizenship education?
Therere people of different nationalities (China, Africa, Spain, etc.) but there arent people in
wheelchair, blind people, etc. so this book tries to get rid of racial stereotypes.
Although there arent racial stereotypes, the book doesnt provide information about different
cultures.
This book offers a wide variety of activities in group, for that reason children learn how to deal with
other people in a respectful way. Also therere activities about nature which strengthen the students
consciousness about their environment.
12.Can you spot any notable omissions? Will you have to supplement the coursebook in any way?
There arent lessons about family, school and classroom materials. We think that these topics are so
important for the children because its topics are closed to the real life of kids. Because of that we
would supplement the book through the learning of that topics and more cultural values.
13.What sorts of demands are made on the teacher in terms of management skills and fluency?
Because this book is written to students of second year of Primary Education, it works so much with
oral skills since in each lesson therere a variety of speaking and listening activities. For that reason,
students work through the book the fluency in oral skills.
SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
14.How is each unit titled? Will it be clear to your pupils what they are expected to learn in the
unit and what they have to do?
The titles are very simple and very clear for the students, so they can know easily what theyre going
to learn. For example, some titles of the book are: Animal word, The weather or My school.
15.How is new language presented? How is the meaning of items conveyed? Are new items related
to what has been learned previously?
The new language always appears at the beginning of the unit to be used in the following games. Its
presented through songs and simple games.
It doesnt exist a relation between the new vocabulary and the previous one, but with the grammar
theres a relation since its learning is cyclical.
16.Does the presentation of new language force the teacher to follow the unit sequence of the
coursebook?
The teacher has to follow an ordered sequence for the grammar but not for the vocabulary.

17. How much new language is printed in each unit? Is the rate at which new material is
introduced appropriate for your pupils?
Children learn ten new words more or less in each unit. Its appropriate since they are little children
and they cant learn so much new words. Also these vocabulary is practiced until the end of the unit.
18. What kind of practice activities are there? Is there an appropriate balance between controlled
and freer practice, accuracy and fluency? Are they motivating and meaningful? Do they provide
opportunities for real language use and possibilities for interaction?
Therere speaking games, reading stories, listening songs and a few writing activities. The goal of
these activities is that children gain more fluency and a bit of accuracy since they learn some new
structures. All the activities are guided and control by the teacher because these students are little
and they dont know to express their ideas properly because they dont have a lot of knowledge
about the language.
The activities are motivating because theyre funny for kids. Students learn real language. Activities
offers the possibility to interact with other children because therere plenty activities in groups.
19. Does the book offer L1 translation? Do you regard this as useful or not?
No, it doesnt offer it. We agree with this because the translation isnt useful for the children since
its better that they learn new vocabulary through the context.
20.How are the different skills treated? Are they integrated?
The main skills treated are oral skills which are practiced through different types of activities like
listen a song or make a role play game.
21.How much variety of activity is there?
We dont appreciate so much variety because the activities are too similar in each unit. The teacher
can provide other games out of the book to increase the students motivation.
22.How much does the course cost? Can your school or the childrens parents afford it?
We think hath parents can afford it and if not they can received a loan.