Success Publications is pleased to introduce the new book, “Spanish to Practical English” by Carol Morter. This bilingual book with free podcast is written by a retired ELL teacher and her adult students. The book is titled “Practical” for a reason. It helps new immigrants tackle the challenges of living in a new country. In addition to life skills, it includes a large section on occupations- Restaurants, Landscaping, Construction and Housekeeping. Not just vocabulary words, students incorporated their real-life experiences. Not only is it valuable to students, it helps employers and government agencies. Most importantly, it is a great teaching tool for nonprofits.
Volunteer Teacher Focuses on Students’ Needs
Morter is a volunteer teacher at the Latino Community Association in Bend OR. She could not find a book that addressed the needs of recent immigrant adult learners. She explained that writing the book was easy and hard at the same time.
The students’ input determined the direction of the book, then subsequent classes became the editors. The book was revised and reorganized many times.
When asked what was wrong with existing publications, she stated, “Other books were not bilingual and have a free audio component. Plus, they were expensive.” She goes on, “Additionally, their content was boring and not graphically engaging.”
Morter hired a graphic artist to captivate students’ interest. It helps visually explain critical topics to Language Learners.
Why the podcast?
Morter asserts that adult students can’t learn English by going to class once a week. She hired a professional narrator to read most of the book. The students read the English with Spanish translation while listening to the podcast. The narrator pauses so students can repeat the sentences. The focus of the book is on conversation, not grammar. He vividly makes the conversations come alive.
Educational Coordinator Raves About Book
Brent Walters, Educational Coordinator, sums it up. “This book is a lifeline. It is a ‘How to’ for teaching English Second Language. Our teachers are volunteers. They don’t want to make lesson plans. Additionally, the book and podcast offer students flexibility when it comes to studying.”
“Spanish to Practical English” will be featured at the International Book Fair located in Guadalajara, Mexico from November 24- December 3, 2023. It is available at local bookstores. It can also be found at Amazon in both Kindle and hardcopy.
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Newspaper note– a picture of the book cover and students are included.
The caption for the student photo is- Students celebrate the end of semester.
Carol Morter
512-948-1982