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Title: Side by Side: Student Book 1, Third Edition by Steven J. Molinsky, Bill Bliss ISBN: 0-13-026744-9 Publisher: Pearson ESL Pub. Date: 28 July, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $19.93

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Average Customer Rating: 4.1 (10 reviews)

Rating: 5
Summary: The Bet, Yet Most Abused ESL/EFL Text on the Market Ever !
Comment: I've taught with this text in three different countries... and have sworn by it and it.

What I love about it is that it really gets down to the basics of speaking English and does so in a systematic manner. A lot of teachers abuse it by having their students read and write through it, then complain what a dry book it is. The same teachers also use it in such a haphazard manner that after a year the students are in book one, when really Volumes 1 2 and 3 (especially) are a jump start English course. This however is often the result of either inadequate training or not reading the teacher's manual, especially in Japan where teachers and students come and go by the bushel.

Overall, while the book might lack the "cuteness" of other programs, trust me... the pedagogy is well thought out - - especially if you know how to expand from the book and have other activities to bring the language to life. The book is for adults for example, but using the Molinsky and Bliss WORD BY WORD flash cards I've actually created games for children based on the activities in the book. And if the students are too used to reading through the book (from former teachers) I actually copy the pictures from the book with the words whited out, cut them into flash cards, team them up for pair work, and then let them engage in the conversation activities from the book.

This is an incredible book, and a new version has just come out... USE IT DON'T ABUSE IT and your students will make incredible progress. Check out the WORD BY WORD PICTURE DICTIONARY as a great supplement to expand the activities with additional (yet practical) vocabulary as well as EXPRESSWAYS (also by the same authors).

Rating: 4
Summary: It is great
Comment: When you use the right level book for the right level student it is great. There are many other books out there that gloss over all types of grammars, functions, vocab'and pronunciation. However, this does attempt to explore the more important parts of grammar. The grammar is graduated based upon increasing levels of student's ability, which is an important point. Also, I especially like it's drilling of the third person.

It is a good book if you know what you are doing. A text + student does not equal an English lesson. There is more than just the text book in language learning.

Rating: 5
Summary: A great text for beginners and building accuracy
Comment: I have read some other quite critical reviews of this series, but I would like to point out its merits. I have used book 1 & 2 for the last 10 years, and if I could only take one book with me to my next county - that would be it. These books are the best out there for developing accuracy of forms which are necessary for beginning students. It provides realistic dialogues with ample practice through substitution drills. The illustrations are both humourous and clear so that the books are easy to use with real beginners. For students at the pre-intermediate level and above, I would suggest only using this series as a supplement to practice grammar forms (I usually make an overhead and let students practice in pairs).

As for comments about dialogues with social security numbers or talking about San Juan - if something doesn't apply to your situation - skip it!!!! (That information is relevant for some students)

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	Title: Side by Side Activity Workbook 1 by Steven J. Molinsky ISBN: 0130267457 Publisher: Prentice Hall Pub. Date: November, 2001 List Price(USD): $12.67
	Title: Word By Word Dictionary by Steven J. Molinsky, Bill Bliss ISBN: 0132782359 Publisher: Pearson ESL Pub. Date: 12 October, 1993 List Price(USD): $18.60
	Title: A Conversation Book 1, English in Everyday Life by Tina Kasloff Carver, Sandra Douglas Fotinos ISBN: 013792433X Publisher: Pearson ESL Pub. Date: 13 October, 1997 List Price(USD): $25.27