Cambridge Primary English Learner's Book Stage 4 Paperback – 27 Nov. 2014

My kids use this series for their home education and because they are very close in age and ability (just over one year apart), it works. It’s their favourite way to learn English so far and we have tried every home ed approach over the past 6 years and tried a variety of textbooks and workbooks too once we decided to take the more structured approach. I like how this doesn’t dumb down the subject at all. In fact it is challenging them just enough to keep them going, and I am pretty sure the things it teaches in these books go a bit above what is usually taught in many state schools. Unless you have a child who is quite a lot more advanced than same-aged peers, I think this series would be still able to challenge the child and teach them some interesting things. It also focuses on SPAG on some days. I like how lessons are grouped into successive interesting themes or topics about the world (factual or imaginary), and how in each theme, all the many different aspects of English learning - the SPAG, creative writing, comprehension, etc. all are cleverly interspersed into each theme. Somehow, I have found this approach worked best for my rather difficult-to-please children. This series has also given me confidence to prepare my children for their IGCSE English exams eventually, as previously I wasn’t quite sure what exactly is important to focus on and what wasn’t. English is one of my stronger subjects, but teaching it to children who aren’t natural bookworms like me, is a whole new ball game to me. I use this in conjunction with the workbook and the teacher’s book, and they all work very well together. Very multi-dimensional teaching and involving a lot of rather loosely structured pair or group discussion work that weaves into each topic and lesson aim. It just suits me and my children very well. It is designed for use in class or group settings, and I can see how it just works better this way. I’m not sure it would work as well as it did for my children if used with only one child at a time one on one, although it is still one of the better curricula out there. The activities may have to be modified to a certain extent. I think it might not be so fun also if done with a child one on one. Part of the take home message I got from using this book is the fact that learning English is so much more fun when done in a group. It might also be a good resource for home educators who can club together a small group of children to use these materials together for learning. In addition, this series of textbooks from Cambridge Press builds up on all the skills needed to do well in the Cambridge IGCSE English exams, and will also provide a solid preparation for any other England-based GCSE and IGCSE English exams from other exam boards. I just wish I had discovered these earlier, as I am preparing my 16 year old for her English IGCSE exam this summer and she is having to play a bit of catch up. If she had also done this series of books from primary age to secondary, she would be very well-versed with these skills already.