Textbook is over simplified, fixes applied

Newly setup, the instructions I jotted down before class actually worked. Lots of activities to get through today, but in writing down the phrasing down and ICQing the class immediately after delivering the instruction worked. All this won't work if the little buggers aren't paying attention, but still one small step up the summit of professional development. A few bullet points come to mind.

1. Set the context, who are the characters? Where are they? What are they doing? Feeling?
2. Make the instructions operative. The essence of the task surmised in a very short sentence.
3. Motivate. Give them a task to listen for.
4. ICQ'd. Lets face it, I've tried to ask them another question and they didn't understand. The better approach is to have them repeat it.

The next stop on this ride is to have them paraphrase instead of having them repeat it. As said before, small steps. Discover. Integrate. Review.

The picture above is the textbook I, and my KET have to teach from. It does teach the syllabus content, but in a way that is too simple, and is beneieth the students ability. In short, bored students make trouble, noise and a generally a pain in the arse. Please, Frances Sohn e.t al, make the activities with a bit more thought. Even the non-speaking activities are just too simple. Computers and cute graphics are one thing, but go beyond the superficial, and you have no substance.